New Event: Pop Up 5K & Virtual Challenge

No frills - just run! Come join us at Fletcher Park for our Pop-up 5k in the Park Series!

You can also participate in the Pop Up 5K Virtual Challenge at any park, anytime!

by Stephanie Buss

What is a Pop Up 5K? Basically, it’s a fun spin on a regular 5k. Just show up, pay $10 for a chipped bib (or $50 for the series), and you can start anytime between 6-8pm and run a timed 5K all by yourself (or with a close family member/partner). No water stations. No beer at the finish line. But does it matter?

Well, yeah. But these are COVID-19 times! And we know you just want to get your ‘run’ on and enjoy a challenge again at a (somewhat) real event! We will still be cheering you on while you run - but from a safe, 6 feet away! We want to motivate you to run and stay healthy, offer some stress relief and have a whole lot of fun.

Here are the deets

This is iDaph’s newest, creative and socially distant event. Our iDaph Team will be at Fletcher Park every 2nd and 4th Wednesday from July through September to offer you a bib and a chip timed 5K event for $10. Sign up for all 6 races for just $50 to receive a super comfy, awesome t-shirt and a commemorative series medal, and to be included in our series scoring and win prizes!

Don’t fee comfortable showing up for an in-person event? We totally understand. You can still have fun and show your support by signing up for the Pop Up in the 5K Park Virtual Challenge and run at any park of your choosing, at any time. Your results will be easily submitted from your electronic device through our online registration.

$1 from every registration will go to the Fletcher Park Development Fund for enhancing and adding sitting and shaded areas within the park.

Let’s have some fun running together safely this summer. Just show up, sign up from your smart phone, and RUN!

OMG there’s SWAG too?

Everyone who signs up and participates in the Wedneday, July 8th pop up event gets a free iDaph buff, vintage style.

Want a free t-shirt and medal? Sign up for series and be eligible to win both PLUS prizes.  In-Person and Virtual series/challenge scoring will be based on the 4 fastest times from each participant. For that reason, in-person participants must show up to at least four races, and virtual participants must submit at least four times to be eligible for awards. Other awards will be given out to the following finishers:

• The 5 most improved participants from the first event to the last event (male and female)

• The top 10 best series/challenge scores (male and female). These scores will be based on each participant’s four fastest runs.

• More awards categories will be announced as we go along!

Here’s what we are doing to keep our in-person events as safe as possible for everyone:

• There will be no mass gathering at the start line. The rolling start will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

• The start and finish lines will be separate to avoid having too many people together at once.

• All staff/volunteers will be required to wear a face covering during the event.

• Participants are encouraged to wear a face covering until the event starts and then put it back on after they are finished running/walking in the event.

• Unfortunately, with social distancing measures in place, we will not have a finish line ‘experience’ of music, hanging out and waiting on the results or an awards ceremony. After you are finished with your race, we ask that participants head out of the finish/venue area.

• We will provide hand sanitizer stations, and will continually wipe down frequently used surfaces.

• Increased portajons with hand sanitizer at the park.

• Participants will not be permitted to form in groups. They must maintain 6 foot distancing while in the start/finish area, in the event hub.

Think you’re ready to run a 5K? We know you’ve been running — A LOT! Come and join this fun 5K and help support a great cause. We hope to see you there!