The first running of the Oregon Mid-Valley Road Race last Thanksgiving attracted 330 runners.

Organizers hope for 500 participants this year and a strong early registration is boosting their optimism.

Race director Jim Abbott said that in 2008 there were 110 people registered the day before the event, with a final tally of 350 after the last-minute entries.

Advance registration is way up this year with 330 runners already committed.

Abbott said one new feature of this year’s race is helping drive the increase. The public high school or middle school in Oregon that registers the most participants will receive the Lions’ School Spirit Award and a cash prize of $1,000.

This award is being

offered in memory of Boey Byers, a Corvallis girl whose losing battle with cancer became well known after her family was featured on the television show “Extreme Makeover - Home Edition.”

Saturday is the last day for schools to register to qualify for the award.

The event is based at the North Albany Village and includes three separate races.

There is a 2.5-mile walk, a 3.75-mile intermediate run and the demanding 5.2-mile “Scenic Challenge” which climbs up Scenic Drive.

Abbott used to live in Connecticut and the Albany race is being modeled after that state’s Manchester Road Race.

That Thanksgiving Day race has grown to the point that it now attracts 13,000 runners.

“We consulted with them in planning for this event,” Abbott said. “We’re competing with Springfield, which has a Thanksgiving Day run. I think we can do well with everybody in our area and north.”