The second annual Extra 5K in Bailey in November has landed $2,550 in prizes for 42 categories.

Formally known as The Flume's Park County Holiday Extravaganza 5K Run/Walk, the Extra 5K will be held at Fitzsimmons Middle School, 3.6 miles west of downtown Bailey, on Nov. 2 Net proceeds from theExtra 5K will be split 50-50 between the Platte Canyon High School cross country team, through coach and race director Jeanie Boymel, and Park County children with developmental disabilities, through The Resource Exchange in Colorado Springs.

"We always can use the funds brought in by the Extra 5K, especially for young children in ParkCounty. We wish to expand the number of playgroups, which are critical for very young child development," said Debbie Swanson, director of development for The Resource Exchange, in an e-mail.

"Without playgroups, parents with very young children having developmental delays or disabilities have little access to other parents who share similar stories, or other children that can help kids with these challenges develop more 'normally."

Last year the Extra 5K was won by Brandy Erholtz, who just won the women's division of the grueling Mount Washington race in New Hampshire on June 21.

Much of the Extra 5K course, which is completely on school district property, can be viewed from the Fitzsimmons Middle School hill, particularly for those with binoculars. It is a combination of cross country race and road race and includes some running through a hay field, up stadium steps and over the bridge across U.S. 285.

This year three sponsors are adding significant awards for the top three finishers in each of fourteen age/gender categories.

The platinum sponsor, Hutchison Lumber, will be providing a $100 gift certificate to the first place finisher in each of 14 categories, plus an extra $100 certificate to the person with the best overall time. Hutchison has stores in Pine Junction, Fairplay, and Florissant.

The gold sponsor, Mutual of Omaha Bank, will provide $50 cash to the second-place finisher in each of 14 categories. It has bank branches in Conifer, Evergreen, and five other Colorado locations.

And the silver sponsor, Pine Junction-based Panda Garden, will provide a $25 gift certificateto the third-place finisher in each of 14 categories.

Bryan Hutchison, president of Hutchison Lumber cited a couple of reasons for Hutchison's sponsorship ofthe Extra 5K.

"The high school has been highly regarded for its successes in cross country and track; thus it's an appropriate location for bringing runners of all levels to our beautiful community," he said in an e-mail. "The Holiday Extravaganza will help cultivate the community's businesses in an effort to foster goodwill between neighbors."

The Extra 5K, at 10 a.m. on that Nov. 2, will be part of the Holiday Extravaganza at Fitzsimmons on Nov. 1-2. Last year the Extravaganza combined nearly 70 booths with about 20 entertainment groups , the Salida Circus, Santa Claus, and special awards from the two Park Countychambers honoring important contributors to the community.

Registration information for the Extra 5K can be found at www.extravaganza5K.com.

For more information, contact Tom Locke, editor, The Flume 303-838-4423 Ext. 10 ore-mail editor@theflume.com.