The Iola Winter Sports Club will bring back its popular First Mondays 5K Trail Race Series for a second year, with new sponsorship, fresh courses, and family-friendly activities planned at the club’s trails in Iola this summer.

The series kicks off in June and continues on the first Monday of each month through August. Pineries Running Lab will serve as the presenting sponsor and will be on site at every event to answer running-related physical therapy questions from participants.

The Iola Winter Sports Club will host a trail race or run every first Monday in June, July and August, with the final night serving as the Series Championship in August. Organizers plan a different course each month, designed as fun, exciting, and introductory trail races suitable for runners of all levels.

In addition to the 5K, the club will hold a vertical challenge race each night. Participants will try to be the first to run from the bottom of the ski jumps to the top of a different hill for each event. A free 1K kids race for children 10 and under will start at 6 p.m., with plenty of activities for kids, including music, food, and a mountain bike skills area, while the adult races take place.

Day-of registration will open at 5:30 p.m. each night. The kids’ 1K race begins at 6 p.m., followed by the vertical challenge. The 5K race will start at 6:30 p.m., following the vertical challenge.

The events will remain untimed, but participants will earn points toward raffle tickets for a giveaway at the August championship. Runners will receive one point for each event they complete — the kids race, vertical challenge or 5K — with each point equaling one raffle ticket. Tickets will be drawn after the races on the final night in August for prizes donated by local businesses.

Each night’s entry will cost $10. T-shirts will be available for $25 with pre-registration before May 15. After that date, shirts will cost $30 cash at the events, with sizes limited.

All proceeds from the series will support the construction of new trails and ongoing trail maintenance at the Iola Winter Sports Club.

The series aims to promote trail running, community engagement, and family fun while helping improve the local trail system for future use.