MLVFD Fired Up for the 4th 5K

Let's support the Morris County Park Alliance! MCPA plays a crucial role in ensuring that the community has access to the amazing parks, green spaces, and resources that enhance both individual and collective well-being. By supporting the Alliance, you're helping to preserve these beautiful spaces for future generations.

Event: Spring Forward 5K and 10K Run

New this year: Added 10K option (two 5K loops)

Terrain: Mixed terrain featuring grass, pressed gravel, dirt, and some hills

Post-race: Enjoy a finisher medal, race shirt, and fun post-race festivities

Participants: Open to runners of all abilities, families, and friends

Course Details:

5K: One loop

10K: Two 5K loops

Location:

Morris Central ParkGPS Coordinates: 40.834866, -74.503507

Apple Maps Link

Google Maps Link

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.

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

Please join us for the 22nd Annual Ryan Steidl Memorial MK5K Run/Walk! We are excited to have you participate in the 22nd year anniversary of this race to support and remember Ryan, please join us and bring your friends! Looking to see all of the faces that have been there through the years! Race course will be the same as previous years.

All Registrants will receive a Race T-Shirt if you sign up for one before the deadline!! Race location is across from Saint Clare's Hospital in Denville at 25 Pocono Road.

Please read the story of Ryan below and why we honor him today while we are supporting our team and his scholarship fund.

RYAN STEIDL -AN IMPACTFUL LIFE

Ryan Steidl was a 2006 Morris Knolls High School graduate who never shied away from people; outgoing and always full of energy, he would gravitate to those who were shy and to those who needed help. Whether it was to introduce someone at a party or to help a young boy on the baseball field, Ryan had the ability to make others feel more confident and better about themselves. These were his gifts, and he loved using them.

Morris Knolls was a big turning point in Ryan’s life. Everyone knew that Ryan was a baseball player but head football coach Bill Regan noticed Ryan one day running in gym class. It was then that Coach Regan introduced him to Dr. Thalman the cross country and winter track coach. It was a match made in Heaven. Ryan went on to set school records in the 4x400, 800m, 4x200m, and the SMR. He loved Morris Knolls, the teachers, the kids, the atmosphere, and of course his baseball coach, Adam Bonfiglio.

As a senior at Morris Knolls he was the team’s pitching ace leading the Golden Eagles to the Morris County Semifinals and went the entire season without making an error on the mound or at first base. After high school he went on to play baseball at Georgia Southern University and William Patterson University and graduated with a degree in finance before settling into professional life here in Morris County.

Tragically, on March 17th, 2011 he was struck by a car while training to participate in the 7th annual MK5K. Ryan’s brother, Evan, was on the Morris Knolls baseball team in 2011, which dedicated its season and eventual State Sectional Title to fighting alongside Ryan as he pushed hard to heal from a traumatic brain injury. Sadly after a hard fought battle, Ryan passed away six months later from the injuries sustained during this accident.

As a tribute to Ryan and his great love of baseball and Morris Knolls the MK5K was renamed the Ryan Steidl Memorial MK5K as a way of both remembering his short but impactful life and to promote runner safety.