YORK, Pa. — As central Pennsylvania battles a heatwave, hundreds of baseball fans cracked open a cold beer for a good cause.
On Tuesday, around 200 people took over FNB Field to participate in the Harrisburg Senators' Annual 1K Beer Run. Runners raced a couple of laps around the warning track and drank beer in the middle of their run.
Brothers Ryan and Jack Burns came determined to tackle the race, despite the sweltering heat.
“I’d be very interested to see how quickly we can get around this track, especially drinking beers while doing it," said Ryan Burns.
“There’s going to be a lot of athleticism on the field later today, and I think we’re all doing our part showing that there’s some athletes in the stands too," said Jack Burns.
This year's race also included a Root Beer Run for those under 21 who wanted to race alongside their parents.
"I enjoyed having time with our friends because they came to the Root Beer Run with us," said Sophia Hall, who ran in the Root Beer Run with her mother and friends. "We ran with them and it was so fun having root beer."
Runners who participated in the race were given two beers and a free T-shirt during the event. A portion of proceeds from the races are going towards ZERO, a nonprofit that supports research toward a cure for prostate cancer.
The event raised roughly $1,000 for the nonprofit, which the Senator’s staff says goes a long way in raising awareness for those fighting prostate cancer.
“Any way we can help organizations like that spread the word of the importance of something simple like a screening to understand your risk is very important to us," said Ashley Grotti, the assistant general manager for the Harrisburg Senators.