The White Gravel Mines Extreme Adventure 5K is shaping up to bring hundreds of runners and their supporters to the Minford area June 24.

“If you are interested in 5K or extreme trail runs, it is a fundraiser for the Christmas Caves and the Easter Caves,” said Scioto County Commissioner Bryan Davis. “Run through the caves, run through some water and some mud – but it’s a good time and the money goes to a good cause.

About 200 runners have signed up to tame the beast that is the trail, so far. The challenges include 110-foot elevation changes, two rope-assist climbs and descents, and temperature variations from 47-degree waterfall-fed pond water and mud obstacles to the warmth of the air, which is expected to get to the 80s in the afternoon.

“It is extreme and the trails look great,” Davis said. “Every so many years the weather cooperates and the forest and the entrance to the mines and the whole area around there are full of green, and this is one of those years.”

Runners are set off in heats of 20 to 25 at a time every five minutes. The champion times for completion of the trail is about 22 minutes. It’s a good training event for those athletes who run in bigger races throughout the season.

“We’re excited about it,” Davis said. “A lot of people come from outside of this area to run this race because it’s a great training ground for Spartan or Tough Mudder and other races.”

Some racers have formed teams and have made the White Gravel Mines Extreme 5K a tradition. It’s a sort of annual reunion for the athletes and the volunteers, like Davis.

“You finish the race, God bless you,” Davis said. “That’s a badge of honor right there.”

For more information on the White Gravel Mines Extreme Adventure 5K, check out their Facebook page.