The Oktoberfest 5K scheduled for Oct. 19 will honor Danny Hill (center), who passed away in 2021 from cancer. 3DPT Physical Therapy founders Jeff Sallade (left) and Ken Guzzardo are bringing the race back after a COVID interruption.
For Jeff Sallade, the Oktoberfest 5K run was something he looked forward to as an avid member of the Medford Milers Running Club.
The club was formed in 2000 and is one of the largest in the South Jersey area. Based in Medford, it also welcomes runners from area towns in Burlington and Camden counties.
The club’s annual Oktoberfest 5K ran for years, but was derailed by COVID. Sallade, owner of Three-Dimensional Physical Therapy (3DPT) in Medford, decided to lead the charge and revive the race.
Sallade learned that it takes a lot of time and resources to put on a race, but he said it goes hand in hand with 3DPT’s mission, noting many of his patients are runners. The best and most efficient way to progress a patient from injured to rehabilitated is to reteach the body to move through these three dimensions – treat, educate and motivate, he said.
The revived race – now called the 3DPT Oktoberfest 5K race – will be held on Saturday, Oct. 19, and include a 1-mile fun run. A flyer now circulating in the area has a QR code for registration as well as an online link at https://runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Medford/3DPTOktoberfest5K.
Sallade’s goal is to continue the race every year and partner with local charities, with 100% of proceeds benefiting one of the charities. This year, the race is in honor of Danny Hill, a Medford resident, Shawnee High School graduate, Rowan student and former 3DPT employee.
The 21-year-old died in 2021 after an eight-year battle with osteosarcoma. The race proceeds will go to the organization Throw Cancer a Curveball, which supports the St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children food pantry in Philadelphia to help families dealing with cancer.
A list of race sponsors is avaiable on the 3DPT website at https://3dpt.com/event/oktoberfest-5k. They include Liquid Lounge, the Medford Youth Athletic Association, The Running Company of Medford, The South Jersey Running Company, Kazmierski Orthodontics, Murphy’s Markets, Pinelands Striders, La Faccia Bella Skin Care, Anytime Fitness in Medford and the Coffee Nomad.
The event will begin at 8 a.m. at Medford police headquarters, 91 Union St.
