The spectators will be the stars of the Sept. 26 Six Flags Wild Safari Invitational in Jackson Township.
The highlight of this cross-country meet, hosted by Colts Neck High School, is the 1.2 miles of the 5K course that run along the Animal Safari in Six Flags Great Adventure. As the harriers wind their way through the Safari, giraffes, lions, zebras and the rest of the 78 different species of wildlife in the Safari will be watching them.
The invitational, now in its sixth year, has become a hit, attracting teams from all over the East Coast. More than 300 teams from seven states — New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Connecticut — will race. There will be varsity, junior varsity, freshman, middle school and elementary school races on the program. Varsity teams are grouped by school size, with larger schools as Varsity A down to the smallest at Varsity E.
The first race goes off at 9 a.m., and the last one at 2:16 p.m.
One of the perks of the race is that the runners get to spend the day in the park. There’s an added bonus for the fastest runners. The seven fastest varsity boys and girls runners will make the All-Six Flags Team and with that honor, they will get to ride on the park’s fastest ride, the Zumanjaro.