A blanket and a fireplace aren't the only ways to keep warm in the depths of winter. An alternative method? Lace up those running shoes and hit the snowy streets for a good cause.

Old Colony Regional Technical High School is hosting an annual Frosty Road Runner Race. Old Colony's Cross Country team and its National Honor Society are joining together again this year to organize the race which is a fundraiser for both groups.

The race will be held on Saturday, January 27, beginning at 10 a.m. In the case of (more) bad weather, the rain or snow date for the race will be February 3.

This is the sixth year of the Frosty Road Runner Race. Old Colony Cross Country Coach Bethany Botelho typically uses the proceeds to purchase needed equipment for the team's next fall season.

Botelho would like to eventually give out scholarships from the proceeds of the race, but explained that the funding "isn't quite there yet."

The National Honor Society also benefits from fundraising, using their portion of the proceeds to fund community activities and to attend conferences.

Botelho came up with the idea for the Frosty Road Runner Race in 2012. The race ran from 2012-2014, but was not held in 2015.

However, it resumed in 2016 and has continued running ever since. In 2016, the National Honor Society joined the cross country team in organizing the race.

The Frosty Road offers two different runs, a 10.5-mile run course,  and a 5k (3.2 mile) run/walk course. Male and female winners are crowned at the end of each race. Botelho said she is hoping to get 250 participants in the race this year.

As of January 8, there are 13 sponsors for the race, Botelho said, and more are always welcome. The businesses support the race in a variety of ways. Some sponsor or co-sponsor a mile of the race, while others give gift bags to the racers.

Sophomore cross country runner Catherine Ashley noted that the race is "good training during the off season," for the cross-country team, which is a fall-season sport. Ashley ran the race last year, and said it was "a great experience." She's planning to run the race every year of her high school career.

Those who want to run the race are advised to register online by Thursday, January 25. The cost for registration is $25 on or before January 25, but registering afterwards (up to the day of the race), will cost $30.

Both course maps and a link to register can be found on the Old Colony website (www.oldcolony.us) under the "Community" menu, or Frosty Road Runner page, https://www.runreg.com/frostyrunner. On the page there is a link for registration of the race.

[Zachary McMahon is a sophomore at Old Colony Regional Vocational Technical High School.]