AUBURN – With less than two weeks to go, registrations for Emily’s Run have exceeded 400. The second round of the Greater L-A Triple Crown 5K Series presented by Maine Orthopaedic Foundation will take place Sunday, July 25 at 9 a.m. at Edward Little High School.

The event is open to runners and walkers of all ages and abilities. Registration is $20 with information available at www.triplecrown5k.com. Registrations will also be accepted the day of the event beginning at 7:15 a.m.

Entering its sixth year, Emily’s Run is an event held in memory of Emily Fletcher, a former Edward Little High School student who lost her life in a car accident on December 18, 2004. She was 21. She was an ELHS standout in cross country and track and excelled in the classroom which led her to double major in Nutrition and Dietetics at the University of Vermont. Emily grew up in Auburn with her parents Ralph and Lyn and her two brothers, Ben and Sam.

The USA Track & Field certified course will begin and end at ELHS. It is moderately hilly and winds through suburban Auburn roads. The free Auburn Firefighters Kids’ Fun Run will precede the 5K at 8:15 a.m. No pre-registration is required and each child will receive an award at the conclusion. The June 12 YMCA Fit Fest saw a record 110 kids participate.

The series is in its third year and drew a combined 1,816 entries in 2009. The YMCA Fit Fest hosted a series record 603 registrants.

Each 5K in the series offers chip-timing, refreshments, massage, awards and prize drawings. A new green initiative recycled water bottles, food compost, cardboard and clean paper. Compost was given to Lots to Gardens, a group that converts vacant city lots to neighborhood supported gardens that grow produce and flowers.

The final round of the series, the L/A Bridge Run, is scheduled for Sunday, August 29.

Funds raised through the Triple Crown will benefit community programs including various YMCA youth offerings; the Fletcher Foundation, which provides two college scholarships to ELHS students along with a donation to the Auburn Public Library; and the Lewiston/Auburn chapter of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club, which will present scholarships to local teenagers for a variety of outdoor adventures.

There are still plenty of volunteer opportunities available including set up, course monitor and clean up. For more information, please visit www.triplecrown5k.com.