Telegraph file photos Competitors participate in the 2019 United Way of Greater Nashua Blizzard Blast event. The 2020 race is set for 9 a.m. Jan. 25 at Nashua’s Mine Falls Park.

NASHUA – Hundreds of runners are gearing up to test their athletic abilities during the 2020 United Way of Greater Nashua Blizzard Blast.

The competition begins at 9 a.m. Jan. 25 at Nashua’s Mine Falls Park.

The competitive three-to-four-mile race, which is professionally timed, features a variety of obstacles for participants overcome as they head toward the finish line.

Aside from the many returning course challenges, such as the “Keg Kingdom,” which requires people to swing from keg to keg as with monkey bars, two new obstacles will likely be added this year.

The course loops through Mine Falls Park and will feature more than 25 obstacles. United Way President Mike Apfelberg said one of the new obstacles will be based on paintball. It will require runners to use a paintball gun to shoot at a target. The other new obstacle organizers are working to add this year relates to sledding.

This is the second year United Way officials have this event in Nashua, as it previously took in Lowell, Massachusetts. SmithFest Events hosted the event in Lowell before partnering with United Way to bring the event to southern New Hampshire in 2019.

Apfelberg said SmithFest is responsible for constructing and running the course, while United Way is responsible for registering runners, marketing and getting volunteers involved.

“We have people who come from as far away as Connecticut, New York state, Rhode Island, Vermont,” Apfelberg said. “It’s more of a regional event rather than just a southern New Hampshire event.”

The race begins and ends at the field in the vicinity of W.H. Bagshaw Co. Inc.

Registration can be done online at https://www.blizzardblastrun.com/ by Jan. 22. The cost for a single lap is $85.

After Jan. 22, competitors can still walk on and sign up to participate on the day of the event, but at this time prices will increase to $100 for a single lap.

Heats start at 9 a.m. and begin every 15 minutes until 1:30 p.m. As of Thursday, hundreds of people have already signed up for the race. Apfelberg said during the inaugural race last year, a lot of people signed up for the event at the last minute.

“Last year, we ended up with a total of about 450 and this year we’re expecting to have more than that,” Apfelberg said. “I’ve already got 350 people registered. With three weeks to go, we’re in really good shape to beat 450.”

Apfelberg also said the event draws some serious athletes. There are different categories for which runners can register.

Unlimited laps are offered for those intense athletes who decide running the obstacle course just once is not enough and want to give it multiple tries.

There will also be prizes awarded to the top runners in each category for men and women. Apfelberg said there are a couple cash prizes for first-place winners, and for second and third-place winners there are prizes that include free admission to next year’s Blizzard Blast.

Apfelberg also said the top three will receive trophies. Every participating athlete will receive a medal, event T-shirt and admission to the after-party with a complimentary signature drink or hot appetizer. Apfelberg said organizers are partnering with Boston Billiard Club and Casino again to host the after-party, which is offered to all participants.

As an added bonus this year, Apfelberg said organizers reached out to the Nashua Fire Department. Officials agreed to allow event organizers to ignite small fires inside trash barrels at the start/finish area to help spectators keep warm.

In addition to these fires, there will also be a s’mores bar set up for people to make their own s’mores. Lastly, Apfelberg said there will be food trucks available for those who work up an appetite after completing the race.

Those with questions regarding the event should email Apfelberg at: mapfelberg@unitedwaynashua.org.

Adam Urquhart may be contacted at 594-1206, or at aurquhart@nashuatelegraph.com.

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