Independence Day 5k and 1 mile!

The RUN Manatee 5k series offers THREE adventures to celebrate ONE community. Participants will discover Manatee County's parks, beaches and preserves... on the run! The 2026 series kickoff event will be held on Saturday, April 11th at Tom Bennett Park in Bradenton, FL. The 5K run/walk presented by RWP Runs includes a scenic route around ponds and along mixed terrain such as grass, crushed shell and asphalt. Warm up will be provided by Nick Nolting Training and yoga cooldown is by Kayla McCarthy-Asha of Akasha Yoga Room.

Participants of all age and activity levels are welcome to this day of fitness, food and family fun! Grab a healthy breakfast/lunch, shop local vendors in the marketplace, climb on the Bradenton Kiwanis Playground, or cool off in the new splash pad.. there’s plenty to do even if you're not running!

SCHEDULE:

Please plan to arrive by 7:30am

6:30-7:30am Packet Pick Up

7:40am National Anthem

7:45am Warm Up with Nick Nolting Training

8:00am Fun Run .25km

8:15am 5k Run presented by RWP Runs

9:15am Run Awards, Top 3 male & female, Top 3 kids 12 and under.

Donation Check to Bradenton Kiwanis

9:30am Yoga with Kayla McCarthy-Asha of Akasha Yoga Room

Event entry, warm up, yoga and fun run are all free but PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED for the 5K portion of the event.

This event series is supporting local non-profits who enable children of all abilities to get outdoors and live an active lifestyle! 10% of registration fees will be donated to Bradenton Kiwanis.

PACKET PICK UP:

April 8th and 9th - 8am to 4pm @ Run With Purpose Nutrition, 8319 Lockwood Ridge Rd, Sarasota FL

April 10th 4pm to 7pm @ G.T. Bray Park, 5502 33rd Ave Dr W, Bradenton FL

RACE DAY April 11th 6:30-7:30am @ Tom Bennett Park, 400 Cypress Creek Blvd, Bradenton, FL

Included in 5K registration is a dri-fit event T Shirt* and finishers will earn a custom medal. Shirt sizes are guaranteed to participants who sign up by midnight on 3/20/26. Thereafter shirts will be available in a limited quantity on a first come, first served basis.

Those who accept the challenge of all 3 events in the RUN Manatee series will piece their 3 medals together to create one 2026 series medal!

Other events (registration required):

7/11/26 5:30-8:30pm Coquina Beach - REGISTER NOW!

11/21/26 7:00-10:00am Rye Preserve - REGISTER NOW

FOLLOW THE BUZZ ON SOCIAL:

Tag @manateeexploreandplay and #RUNMANATEE

Who We Are: Healthy Kids Running Series is a five (5) week running program in the spring and fall for kids Pre-K through 8th grade. Each HKRS Series takes place once a week and offers age appropriate running events including the 50 & 75 yard dashes, the 1/4 mile, the 1/2 mile and the 1 mile run. Kids will earn points for each race they complete based on their finish.

Pricing: The registration fee covers the entire five (5) weeks of the Series which includes race bibs for each week, a runner shirt, a finisher medal and any sponsor giveaways. Registration is non-refundable and non-transferable. Online Early Bird registration increases three weeks prior to the first race event.

Makeup Date Information: 5/17/2026

Challenger: This Series offers a Challenger Division which is an adaptive 75 yard race for children with disabilities and/or special needs. This allows for parents, siblings, and friends to be on the course with runners to provide support as well as bringing their own supportive devices such as crutches, braces, wheelchairs, etc. to be used by runners.

Single Day Racing: Single day race registration opens one hour prior to the start of each race. The registration fee covers one single race to be run on the day of registration. ALL single day registrations should be completed onsite at the race location. Single day racers will have the option to upgrade to the full series (see tab on the left side of the page for instructions). There is a strict no-refund and no-transfer policy.

Awards: All participants receive a medal on Week 5! Trophies will be awarded to the overall top finishers in each of the divisions listed below (broken out by boys and girls respectively):

Kindergarten & 1st Grade

2nd & 3rd Grade

4th & 5th Grade

6th to 8th Grade

Challenger

Share your running photos with our community! Find us on Facebook @HealthyKidsRunning or Instagram @healthykidsrs!

#GetUpandGo

Race Information

The race starts at 8:00 AM.

Packet pickup starts 30 minutes before the race and ends 10 minutes before the race starts.

All runners must register on RunSignup.

No on-site registration.

Additional Information

Park next to the playground in the big parking lot.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tR9gN2aDTZaWW8PS7

5K & 10K Course (1.56M)

https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/3423331954

The course is an out-and-back (3.11M)

The 5K does the out-and-back one time.

The 10K does the out-and-back two times.

Half Marathon Course (1.64M)

https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/5504167654

The course is an out-and-back (3.28M).

The Half Marathon does the out-and-back four times.

Course Time Limit

3 hours and 30 minutes.

Finisher Medals

https://usroadrunning.com/FinisherMedals.php

Shirt and Gear Shop

https://usroadrunning.com/Gear.php

Best Costume

https://usroadrunning.com/BestCostume.php

Series Points

https://usroadrunning.com/S.php

Awards

https://usroadrunning.com/Awards.php

Frequently Asked Questions and Information

https://usroadrunning.com/FAQ.php

US Road Running

https://usroadrunning.com

Race Information

The race starts at 8:00 AM.

Packet pickup starts 30 minutes before the race and ends 10 minutes before the race starts.

All runners must register on RunSignup.

No on-site registration.

Additional Information

Park next to the playground in the big parking lot.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/tR9gN2aDTZaWW8PS7

5K & 10K Course (1.56M)

https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/3423331954

The course is an out-and-back (3.11M)

The 5K does the out-and-back one time.

The 10K does the out-and-back two times.

Half Marathon Course (1.64M)

https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/5504167654

The course is an out-and-back (3.28M).

The Half Marathon does the out-and-back four times.

Course Time Limit

3 hours and 30 minutes.

Finisher Medals

https://usroadrunning.com/FinisherMedals.php

Shirt and Gear Shop

https://usroadrunning.com/Gear.php

Best Costume

https://usroadrunning.com/BestCostume.php

Series Points

https://usroadrunning.com/S.php

Awards

https://usroadrunning.com/Awards.php

Frequently Asked Questions and Information

https://usroadrunning.com/FAQ.php

US Road Running

https://usroadrunning.com

Join us for Flag Day 5k

The Birthday of the Stars and Strips

We're thrilled to have you join us for this exciting race event!

Here’s everything you need to know to make the most of your experience:

Event Overview: 5k @ Robinson Preserve

Packet Pick-Up is Race morning starting at 6:00 AM

5K Start time is 7:30am

https://routes.rungoapp.com/route/y7Ygk07KB0

Each runner will receive:

Snacks and refreshments, A stylish t-shirt, HOTDOGS for all registered runners/walkers

Recognizing Top Performers:

We will honor the top three male and female finishers in each age group,

so lace up those shoes and give it your best!

Categories:

OA M/F> 5 year Age Group Awards

<24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+

Enjoy the Atmosphere:

Enjoy the Music:

Important Pre-Race Details:

Stretch Session:

Join us 30 minutes before the race for a guided stretch session.

Meet the Race Director:

Take the opportunity to meet your new race director,

who is excited to welcome you and support you throughout the event

Let’s Make It Fun!

We can’t wait to see you for a day filled with excitement, community spirit, and great memories.

Thank you for being part of the Flag Day 5K!

Happy Racing! 🏅🎉