With the relatively mild running conditions, many runners have trained more consistently this winter. Those runners will have several opportunities to test their fitness at area races in the coming weeks.

This Saturday at 11 a.m., Ellport Boro opens its streets for the Fifth Annual Ellport Boro Community 5K. The race, formerly known as the Winter Wonderland 5K, tours the back streets of the northern part of Ellwood City.

Race director Herb Cratty calls the flat, fast 5K a “PR course.” He says that many high school runners who train on the indoor track during the winter will be ready to test their speed on the roads.

All participants will receive running gloves to commemorate their effort, but also have the option to receive a hat for an extra charge. The 5K offers awards for top three male and female overall finishers and top two in age groups from 14 and under through 70-plus. Top three male and female walkers also earn awards.

There’s also a cash award for anyone setting a course record, but that won’t be easy. The current course records are held by Steve Strelick for the men at 16:15, and Bethany Walker, the women’s record holder, with a time of 18:40.

Runners and walkers are welcome to register Saturday at the Ellport Boro Community Center beginning at 9 a.m. The Community Center offers runners a warm place to congregate before the race and afterward to enjoy a post race pizza party. Expect approximately 100 participants in this friendly neighborhood race.

For more information, call 724-758-2506 or e-mail bonherb@yahoo.com. For directions or an application, visit www.smileymiles.com.

Next Saturday, March 17, runners can challenge their fitness at the Shamrock Shuffle in Harmony. The Shamrock Shuffle, now in its fourth year, is actually a distance festival with three separate events.

Runners may choose to complete a half marathon, 5K, one mile run and walk, or any combination of the three. While each of the three distances are timed separately and have their own awards, those who complete all three distances earn a special medal.

Last year, 65 people completed the three distances, though the longest of the events was 10 miles, not the 13.1 mile of the half marathon. The three men and women with the fastest combined time for the three distances earn a Shamrock Award.

Race director Joella Baker knows that completing all three distances will not be an easy feat this year. The half marathon course was designed to be one of the most difficult in the area. “It’s definitely not a PR course,” she says.

There are five major hills on the half marathon course. The most extreme is a hill of about a half mile in length which Baker calls, “straight up.”

Those not interested in an endurance challenge of the half marathon will appreciate the gently rolling course of the 5K or the flat one-mile fun run and walk. All of the routes are new for this year.

The Shamrock Shuffle begins and ends in downtown Harmony at the newly opened Center of Harmony community center. The Center of Harmony offers indoor restrooms and a place to stay warm between events.

The half marathon begins at 7:30 a.m. March 17, followed by the 5K at 10 a.m. The one-mile fun run and walk starts at 11:15 a.m. Day of event registration for all events opens at 6:30 a.m. in the Center. Runners may also register or pick up their packets from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 16 and 4 to 6 p.m. at MoJo Running Store in Cranberry Township.

For more information about The Shamrock Shuffle, call 724-321-4265 or e-mail joella@zoominternet.net.

Trail news: Registration is now open for the 2012 Buffalo Creek Half Marathon Oct. 20 at www.active.com. And for those who love this event and want more, planning is in the works for a full marathon on the Butler-Freeport Trail in 2013.

Upcoming eventsSaturday, 8 a.m.: Up-N-Running Group Run, Valencia. Your choice of mileage, post run coffee and snacks. 724-898-2525 or shoes@runpa.comMarch 10, 9 a.m.: March Mad Dash 10 Mile and 5 Mile Run, North Park. Starts at Boathouse, post race party. www.marchmaddash.orgSaturday, 11 a.m.: Ellport Borough Community 5K, Ellport. Scenic run with lots of food and drinks, indoor restrooms. 724-758-2506 or bonnherb@yahoo.comMarch 17, 7:30 a.m. Lt. J.C. Stone 50K, North Park. Starts at boathouse. 412-366-8740 or loudangelo@aol.comMarch 17, 7:30 a.m.: Shamrock Shuffle Half Marathon, 5Kand 1 Mile, Harmony. Challenging, hilly course. 724-321-4265 or joella@zoominternet.netMarch 17, 9 a.m.: Chippewa Township St. Patrick’s Day 5K Run, Beaver Falls. Starts at Chippewa Township Municipal Building. 724-843-8177 or wissnerc@verizon.netMarch 17, 9 a.m.: St. Patrick’s Day Distance Festival 10K/5K, Erie. Starts at Rotary Pavilion in Presque Isle State Park. 814-580-8339 or jimlang@bigwhitetrailer.comMarch 17, 10 a.m.: Shamrock Shuffle 5K, Harmony. Rolling course. Also 1 mile run at 11:15 a.m. 724-321-4265 or joella@zoominternet.netMarch 17, 10 a.m.: Judith’s Jig 5K, Meadville. Starts at Diamond Park. neeners01@yahoo.comMarch 24, 9 a.m.: Fight for Air Climb, Pittsburgh. Climb 45 floors (897 steps) to promote lung health and raise funds for lung disease research. 412-321-4029, ext. 226 or tvillalba@lunginfo.orgMarch 24, 10 a.m.: Diane Kelly Memorial 5K Run and Fun Walk, Warren. chris@warrenymca.orgMarch 25, 10 a.m.: March for the Military 5K, Cranberry Township. 724-841-7535 or ota5k@zoominternet.netMarch 31, 8:30 a.m.: Just a Short Run, North Park. Choice of 13.1 miles, 8.1 miles, 5K or 30K benefits Laukemia and Lymphoma Society. 412-490-0881 or director@justashortrun.netMarch 31, 11 a.m.: Cook Forest Half Marathon and 5K, Cook Forest State Park, Cooksburg. Scenic out-and-back course along the Clarion River. 814-393-2081 or dbevevino@clarion.eduApril 1, 3 p.m.: Run or Walk for Someone Special, Sykesville. Five mile race, two mile fun run/ walk. 814-938-4416 or run_walk@yahoo.com

Race resultsSpring Thaw 10 Mile, Feb. 25: Marco Dozzi, 1st Overall M, 56:24; Michelle Corkum, 1st Overall W, 1:03:49; Melissa Shaeffer, 2nd 35-39 W, 1:17:50; Sharyl Relic, 1st 50-54 W, 1:23:21; Lori Piedimonte, 3rd 45-49 W, 1:24:10; Richard Marcotte, 1:10:01; Jeff Lynn, 1:10:35; Matthew Sudak, 1:12:11; Dan Monhemius, 1:13:03; Wayne McCracken, 1:14:08; Michael Yankel, 1:14:23; Brian Kile, 1:18:07; Thomas Grame, 1:18:09; Greg Gahan, 1:20:27; John Lemmex, 1:21:05; Brian Hutchinson, 1:22:11; Tyler Foister, 1:23:25; Hary Spreng, 1:23:42; Harry Spreng, 1:23:48; Peter Ekstram, 1:24:38; Jennifer Marcotte, 1:25:00; Christine Edmiston, 1:25:04; T.J. Pynos, 1:25:09; Leigh Anne Shubert, 1:26:18; Julia Strejcek, 1:27:26; Patricia Schmidt, 1:27:36; Carrie Smith, 1:27:56; Kristine Poloyac, 1:28:24; Jennifer McNabb, 1:28:24; Ron Ripper, 1:28:22; Sam Poloyac, 1:28:24; Connie Hoffer, 1:28:58; Heather Slater, 1:29:19; Bridget Lane, 1:30:15; Jeffrey Gray, 1:30:55; Lauren Case, 1:31:08; Meghan Morria, 1:31:31; Craig Marino, 1:31:37; Darryl Brandon, 1:32:45; Michael Gannon, 1:32:49; Jason Acerra, 1:32:52; Shauna Marski, 1:33:06; Amie Hull, 1:33:30; Marilyn LaRocca, 1:33:55; Amy Leonard, 1:34:27; Erin Sullivan, 1:34:27; Jeremy Peffer, 1:34:53; Bonnie Case, 1:35:58; Christina Dugan, 1:36:30; Allison Williams, 1:37:03; Bill Daly, 1:37:18; Mark Hess, 1:37:19; John Alexander, 1:37:20; Sean Martin, 1:37:21; Nicole Khoury, 1:38:14; Colleen McCloskey, 1:38:52; Scott Ackerman, 1:39:14; Emily Todd, 1:41:15; Jill Todd, 1:41:17; Alfred Schnabel, 1:42:23; Becky Monhemius, 1:42:49; Robert Case, 1:43:11; Anita Werner, 1:43:11; Charles Kirstein, 1:43:13; Karen Walzer, 1:44:05; Heather Mikita, 1:44:24; Debbie Gallagher, 1:45:03; Ann Cannoni, 1:48:22; Robyn Stewart, 1:49:27; Maria Cortijo, 1:51:20; Lisa Moss, 1:51:54; Mary Morgan, 1:53:02; Cindy Lutz, 1:55:28; Carol English, 1:55:47; Laura Augustine, 1:56:20; Sherrie Mazurek, 1:56:20; Pamela Cardon, 1:57:53; Vickie Turner, 1:58:41; Beth Ann Skinner, 1:58:51; Susan Tassey, 2:16:58Spring Thaw 15 Mile Run, Feb. 25: Michael Yankel, 1:53:16; Mark Shipley, 2:03:56; Josh Edmiston, 2:04:00; John Lemmex, 2:05:11; Brian Hutchinson, 2:05:55; Lori Piedimonte, 2:06:35; Jeff Hans, 2:11:41; Carrie Smith, 2:13:06; Ron Ripper, 2:13:12; Julia Strejcek, 2:13:26; Christine Edmiston, 2:14:42; Lauren Case, 2:16:15; Connie Hoffer, 2:20:13; Krista Novak, 2:20:57; Michael Gannon, 2:21:49; Amie Hull, 2:21:57; Jason Acerra, 2:22:24; Kelley Morrone, 2:23:41; Amy Leonard, 2:23:57; Sean Martin, 2:25:55; Bonnie Case, 2:26:47; Jeffrey Gray, 2:27:05; Becky Monhemius, 2:35:19; Robyn Stewart, 2:46:47; Carol English, 2:57:08; Sherrie Mazurek, 2:57:51; Laura Augustine, 3:00:02; Pamela Carden, 3:04:16Spring Thaw 20 Mile Run, Feb. 25: Marco Dozzi, 1st Overall M, 1:56:04; Laura Harnish, 1st Overall W, 2:17:32; Richard Marcotte, 2:19:00; Dan Monhemius, 2:24:33; Joel Shaeffer, 2:35:17; Melissa Shaeffer, 2:17:18; Thomas Gramc, 2:35:23; David White, 2:38:12; Tyler Foister, 2:38:38; Jennifer Marcotte, 2:47:35; Brian Kile, 2:50:30; Henry Spreng, 2:55:19; Heather Slater, 3:02:49; Henry Spreng, 3:03:16; Marilyn LaRocca, 3:04:02; Craig Marino, 3:05:55; John Alexander, 3:15:56; Mark Hess, 3:16:18; Colleen McCloskey, 3:21:06Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, 435 Cherry Valley Rd., Saxonburg, Pa. 16056. Phone 724-352-4395. Email lotzak@consolidated.net