Bell Works, Holmdel NJ
Saturday, July 18th, 2026
Race Overview
"Anticipating the preservation of the Holmdel Horn Antenna and the creation of Dr. Robert Wilson Park."
The Shore Athletic Club is proud to host the
The 6th ANNUAL BIG BANG MILE
Saturday, July 18, 2026,
RAIN or SHINE!
Bell Works in Holmdel, NJ
Important Registration Information
- Deadline: You MUST register by June 15 if you want this year's Big Bang Mile T-shirt.
- Availability: T-shirts from prior years will be available for purchase at the event.
- Optional Add-On: The Big Bang Mile T-shirt is now an optional $12 add-on.
- Guarantee: To guarantee your T-shirt and size, you MUST order it before June 15.
Event Schedule
- 7:00 AM: Bib and t-shirt pick up
- 8:15 AM: Masters Men (ages 60+) Mile
- 8:35 AM: Masters Women (ages 50+) Mile
- 9:25 AM: Masters Men (ages 40-49) Mile
Teams and Categories
- Formation: Teams for the High School and Middle School Mile, the Community and Youth Mile, and the Fitness Team Mile are created via the Big Bang Mile race website.
- Captain: The person who creates a team is the team’s captain.
- Participants: Only registered runners can be added to a team.
- Minimum Size: A team must have a minimum of 3 contestants.
Awards
- Open Runner Awards: Cash awards for the top 3 USATF-NJ runners in the Open Men and Open Women Mile races.
- Masters Runner Awards: Cash awards for top 3 USATF-NJ masters men and women based on age grading.
- Age Group Awards: Custom designed medals for top runners in defined age groups.
- Bonus Cash Awards: $200 cash bonus for winning times under specified thresholds.
Registration Details
- Early Bird: $20 until March 31.
- Standard Fee: $25 from April 1 to May 31, and price increases to $30 on June 1.
- Registration Closes: Friday, July 17, 2026.
- Day of Race: No registration on race day.
The Story Behind the Big Bang Mile
The Bell Works building was once a primary location for Bell Laboratories. “Bell Labs” attracted top-notch scientists to conduct basic research that might advance telephony. Two such scientists, Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson, studied radio signals from space in support of the Telstar project. In 1964, to their surprise, they observed a background noise coming from every direction in the sky. Wherever they pointed their radio telescope, they measured the same frequency and strength of microwave radiation. Puzzled, Penzias and Wilson conferred with colleagues. Princeton University astronomer Robert Dicke revealed they had found evidence for the Big Bang. This is a theory that the universe started with an explosion 13.8 billion years ago. For their important contribution to science, Penzias and Wilson were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1978.
The radio telescope used by Penzias and Wilson still stands today. It is located on top of Crawford Hill, about 2 miles northwest of the Bell Works facility. A nearby plaque explains its significance. It is worth a visit. In fact, Holmdel Township has purchased the 30 acres that surround the antenna and will convert it into Dr. Robert Wilson Park.
The Shore Athletic Club, New Jersey's oldest running club, dedicates the Big Bang Mile Race to scientists everywhere. We hope that runners draw inspiration from this story to learn more about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) and perhaps even pursue a STEM career. Aim high!
For more information, visit the official race page: Big Bang Mile and Science Festival.
