Lynskey new race director for Saratoga Arts First Night 5K

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Saratoga Arts recently announced that Patrick Lynskey will be joining the team as the new race director for the annual Saratoga Arts First Night 5K on New Years Eve in Saratoga Springs.

Lynskey is the event director for both the Firecracker 4 Race and the Freihofer’s Run for Women, as well as race director for the Troy Turkey Trot.

Additionally, Lynskey is the founding partner and COO of Green Leaf Racing, which offers management and timing services to many more smaller running events in the region.

Since its inception, the popular family-oriented Saratoga Arts First Night 5K had been managed by Jeffrey Allen until his retirement last year after the 20th anniversary.

“When Jeffrey told us he would be stepping down, we knew that there would be some large shoes to fill,” First Night director Alix Jones said in a press release. “Patrick comes with an impressive resume and his talent and energy will help carry forward this longstanding tradition into the next decade.”

The Saratoga Arts First Night 5K begins at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 at the Skidmore College gymnasium and traces a 3.1 mile loop around the campus. Typically around 1,500 runners come out to brave the cold, and close out the old year in good health and cheer, ahead of the annual First Night festival in downtown Saratoga Springs.

Registration opens in early September and will be posted on the Saratoga Arts website at www.saratoga-arts.org.

FILE PHOTO Runners jump off the line during a previous First Night 5k at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs.

FILE PHOTO Patrick Lynskey will be the new race director for the annual Saratoga Arts First Night 5K on New Year’s Eve. in Saratoga Springs.

FILE PHOTO Runners take off from the start line at the Saratoga Springs annual 5K First Night run at Skidmore College.