Runners take off at the start of the annual Butler Road Race in June 2019. Due to construction on a segment of the race route, the event has been moved to September. Eagle File Photo

Tradition is a big part of what lures runners to compete in the Butler Road Race.

The Butler YMCA, which has organized the event in recent years, recently made a decision to keep a very important custom intact.

Due to ongoing construction on Sullivan Run Bridge, over which the event’s five-mile race crosses, the Butler Road Race has been moved to Sept. 3.

The race was originally scheduled for June 18.

“We started talking with YMCA staff, people who help plan the race, in the early spring,” said Christina Dreher, the Y’s development director. “We talked about the possibility of a different route, but we didn’t want to have to shut down streets all over the city. We also wanted to uphold the integrity of the race route.”

Construction on the bridge is scheduled to end in late July.

“We pushed the race a few weeks after that to make sure the work on the bridge was complete,” said Dreher. “We plan on returning to a date in June after this year.”

September’s event will be the 47th annual Butler Road Race, which also includes a 2K race.

“One of the attractions of the five-mile race is that there’s not many events of that distance around,” Dreher said. “Participants run past homes and businesses and we encourage the community to get involved, cheering for and supporting the runners.”

As of last weekend, 80 people had signed up for either the five-mile or 2K race.

“That’s typical,” added Dreher. “As we get closer to the event, more people will register.”

Dreher said that while walk-up registrations will be accepted the day of the BRR, she encourages people to pre-register.

Registrations completed on or before July 16 will come with a T-shirt and a lower fee. Currently, cost for the five-mile event is $30 and the 2K is $25. Children 12-and-under can participate in a 2K or mile-run for $10.

Registration can be done at www.bcfymca.org/Butler-Road-Race.

“Obviously, we’re hoping for good weather, but there’s no use stressing about it because we have no control over it,” said Dreher. “We love this event and we hope it continues to grow.”

The BRR was held virtually in 2020 due to the pandemic, but returned to an in-person event last year. Tim Patterson and Leah Anne Weaver were winners in last summer’s five-mile race, while Amos Ramsey and Rylee Hurley came in first in the 2K race.