They

plan to get an early head start on Memorial Day festivities - literally.

As many as 150 runners are expected to take part in the annual Veterans Memorial Day 5K Road Race that begins at 8 a.m. on Memorial Day morning, before the Ironton-Lawrence County Memorial Day Parade.

"This will probably be our biggest race," organizer Joe Isaac said. "We had 120 the first year and last year we had 90 and I think it was because there was a race two days before ours."

The race is a fund-raiser for the parade and Isaac said he hopes to raise at least $3,000. The race will begin and end at the Liebert Corp. grounds on South Ninth Street.

The main sponsors for the event are Quality Care Nursing, The Ironton Tribune, Ironton Physical Therapy, Bartram and Sons Grocery, Bob Clyse Oldsmobile-Pontiac-GMC Truck, Inc., Bob Linn Sporting Goods, Accent Health Care, St. Mary's Medical Center, Liebert and 7-Up.

A number of other local business have donated prizes.