Ironman Lake Placid Race Director Greg Borzilleri poses Monday morning after watching crews put up tents for the Sunday event at the Olympic Speedskating Oval. Behind him, haze from Canadian wildfires masks the High Peaks, which can normally be seen on a clear day. The Air Quality Index at the time was 130. (Enterprise photo — Andy Flynn)

LAKE PLACID — Greg Borzilleri is always up for a new challenge.

So when he was presented with a new race idea ahead of the 20th anniversary of the Lake Placid Marathon and Half, a race he owns and operates, he was all game.

The MayDay10k and MayDay5K will be the first-ever race along the Adirondack Rail Trail, on May 4. The event will take place at Borzilleri’s Bike Lake Placid shop at 455 Old Military Road in Lake Placid.

The idea for the race came about after someone pointed out to Borzilleri that there aren’t many 10Ks or 5Ks in the area.

“That’s how I seem like I do everything,” he said. “People suggest something, and it sounds like a good idea, and I’m like ‘Yeah, let’s do it.'”

Entries for the 10K will be $54 per person, with a $4 processing fee, and $32.80 per participant for those 21 and under. The 5K, which participants can walk with their dog or stroller or walk-run, is $43.40 with a $3.40 fee, and $27.50 for the 21-and-under group. The prices for both races are slated to increase on April 14.

The two races will have different start times and locations, but will both converge at Bike Lake Placid. The 5K will begin at 6 p.m. at the bike shop on the rail trail, before turning around — 2.5K from the start — and returning to the start.

Meanwhile, shuttles will take the 10K participants from the bike shop to Fowler’s Crossing in Saranac Lake starting at 5:45 p.m.

“That way we don’t have to close any highways or roads,” Borzilleri said. “They’ll just run from Saranac (Lake) to the bike shop.”

The 10K will start at 6:15 p.m., and both races have a cut-off time at 8 p.m. Borzilleri said the rail trail will still be open to regular users, and the event participants are going to have to stay off to one side.

“And if we have a ton of people sign up, we’re going to send them off in waves, so we don’t have a ton of people clog up the trail,” he said.

The race will feature a cup-less aid station/finish line supplying water. Runners are encouraged to bring their own vessel for water supply. This will help to reduce trash and create a more sustainable event, according to Borzilleri. One on-course aid station will be located at the trail crossing in Ray Brook.

Runners will receive a race shirt and discounts/gifts from sponsors. The first 50 finishers of the 10K race will also receive a MayDay10K belt buckle, similar to what the Leadville 100 bike race hands out.

There will also post-race celebration with food, music and awards at Bike Lake Placid. Spectators may purchase food and drinks, while for registered runners, it is included in their race fee. The post-race celebration will also have a mechanical bull that people can ride.

“Any of the winners are going to get the first mechanical bull ride,” Borzilleri said. “They can hold up their belt buckle over their heads like the WWE and see how long they can last on the bull.”

This event will also be a partial fundraiser for the Rail Trail Association. A portion of the 5K event proceeds will be donated to the Tri-Lakes Humane Society.

Borzillieri originally planned on hosting this event around daylight saving time or potentially April Fools’ Day, but the weather, along with time constraints, caused him to push the date back. His next thought was Cinco de Mayo, but since that landed on a Monday, he preferred the event to be on the weekend and opted for May 4.

“So (now) we can use a Star Wars theme,” Borzillieri said. “We’re going to do it on Sunday evening, because we don’t want to do it in the middle of the day on a weekend.”

To register, visit the Lake Placid Marathon website at tinyurl.com/526js53k.

The Lake Placid Marathon and Half is scheduled for June 8. Other events are in the planning stages for that event. For more info on that, visit the website or the bike shop at 455 Old Military Road.