2026 Seamark MudRun

celebration of a civil rights hero who shaped American culture. A day of community, commemoration, and joy!

Runners and walkers of all ages will set off from James Weldon Johnson Park and wind through the historic LaVilla neighborhood where the Johnson family once called home. Stories of his remarkable life will be shared in the “Along This Way Race Route”, meant to be run or walked at a “Party Pace” to enjoy interactive stations. The journey ends where it began - back at the Park - with a joyful Block Party featuring food trucks, games, champagne, DJ Rance Adams, and cupcakes courtesy of Noted Marketing.

Every dollar raised goes directly to the Friends of James Weldon Johnson Park, the City's nonprofit partner devoted to preserving Jacksonville's oldest and most treasured park.

Food Trucks * DJ * Games * Cupcakes * History * Interactive Race Route * Prizes

Every race entry will be entered to win prizes like tickets to the Jacksonville Waves & Sporting Jax.

Prizes & Perks:

• Shirts to all entrants

• 2 Tix for each runner to the 6/20 Sporting JAX vs Charleston Battery 7PM at Hodges Stadium. UNF with Free Parking. Courtesy of the Sporting JAX Foundation

• Entrants will be registered to win prizes such as tix to see Jacksonville Waves Game, Family 4 pack to Jumbo Shrimp Game & More! (must be present to win)

• Medals to all finishers

• Overall and age-group awards

• Post-race Block Park with DJ

• Birthday cupcakes at post-race celebration

• Chip timing

• Team competition

The run will start and finish at James Weldon Johnson Park, located at 135 West Monroe Street, Jacksonville, Florida. Check in will begin promptly at 7:00am and the run will begin at 8:00am sharp on Saturday, June 20, 2026.

About The Title Sponsor

VyStar Credit Union is the second-largest credit union headquartered in Florida, with 79 full-service branches across Florida and Georgia, 1 million members and assets of over $14 billion. VyStar is the top mortgage lender in Northeast Florida and a major employer in the region with over 2,500 employees across the communities it serves. VyStar membership is open to everyone who lives or works in the 49 contiguous counties of Central to North Florida, 29 Georgia counties, and past and present military members and their families all over the world. VyStar members have access to 55,000 surcharge free ATMs worldwide. For more information, visit vystarcu.org, and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and LinkedIn.

About The Charity

All proceeds from this event benefit Friends of James Weldon Johnson Park, the City’s nonprofit partner for managing Jacksonville’s oldest and most historic park. Friends of James Weldon Johnson Park was formed in 2014 to create a welcoming, urban public space that engages with our history and nurtures a sense of belonging, which connects our diverse communities and resonates throughout Downtown. We envision a contemporary, vibrant, green public space that is the heartbeat of our community where all people gather for fun, education, and relaxation. Our placemaking success and wide-ranging collaborations provide a variety of unique experiences that are essential to a thriving Downtown creating a sense of civic identity and pride. Visitors today can listen to live music, have a bite to eat from one of our food trucks, play in the kid zone area or simply find a respite from the Florida heat with flowers, shade and interesting sculptures. But we are not JUST a park. We’re community builders.

The weekend festivals we create highlight Jacksonville’s diversity and have generated passionate feedback such as “Jacksonville needs this!”

To learn more about Friends of James Weldon Johnson Park visit www.JamesWeldonJohnsonPark.org or follow @jamesweldonjohnsonpark on social media.

medals!

Presented by: Jordan Cooper Memorial Scholarship Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization

The 5k run will benefit the Jordan Cooper Memorial Scholarship Fund, an all-volunteer non-profit organization which gives scholarships to Keystone Heights High School graduating seniors. For more information visit the website: jordancooperscholarship.org. The race will be professional chip timed by Florida Race Day.

General Description:

Keystone Heights, Florida, located in the southwest corner of Clay County, once again prepares for its Independence Day Celebration which includes the Freedom 5k, presented by the Jordan Cooper Memorial Scholarship Fund. Other planned activities for the day include a parade, arts and crafts and food vendors.

Keystone Heights is a small town where family values still abound. Its landscape includes numerous lakes, parks and recreation areas as well as a quaint downtown area where residents shop. The Keystone residents value their community and are active in all areas including schools, sports, churches, library and local events. It's a place for neighbors to meet neighbors, and a town where people from around the world are welcomed as well. Keystone Heights is a "commuters town" since many of the residents commute daily to work within a 50-mile radius surrounding the city. The town sits between two main Florida cities, Gainesville to the Southwest and Jacksonville to the Northeast.

Generations of Floridians have raised their children here as well as the many folks who moved here after discovering Clay County's community nestled in beautiful Northeast Florida. The communities are examples of hometown America. We welcome you to join us for a small town celebration in honor of our county and nation, and experience a true local tradition.

Packet Pickup:

Packets will be available for pick up at City Hall (555 South Lawrence Boulevard, Keystone Heights, FL 32656) , July 3rd 5:00-6:30 pm and on race day between 6:30- 7:30 am

Timing Chips:

The race will be timed using a bib chip. Timing will be conducted by Florida Race Day. All runners and walkers must have a race bib with timing chip to participate in the event. Wheelchairs and strollers are permitted. Bikes, skates, skate shoes, skateboards, and scooters are prohibited.

Parking:

Parking is available at Community Church, 345 Palmetto Ave SE, (a two block walk from start). PLEASE DO NOT PARK along Lawrence Boulevard, this is where the Start and Finish will be.

Course Map:

The 5k starts and finishes on Lawrence Boulevard in front of City Hall (555 South Lawrence Boulevard, Keystone Heights, FL). This well shaded course winds through the neighborhoods surrounding Keystone Heights Elementary School. Water stations are located at mile 1, 2.25 and the start/finish area. For a map of the course please click the following link HERE

Awards:

The top three overall male and female finishers will receive an award. Awards will be based on time. In addition, the top male and female finisher in the following categories will be recognized as well: 12 and under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, over 70 and wheelchair division.

Registration:

$30 until May 15th

$35 May 16th - July 3rd

$45 Day of Race

Race Day Registration ($45) is available until 7:55 am, and no later (t-shirt size is not guaranteed).

Dry fit performance T-shirts are guaranteed to all participants who register prior to June 13th at 5:00 p.m. T-shirt sizes are S, M, L and XL.

You have the option to run the event in memory or honor of a loved one.

Volunteers:

If you would like to volunteer for the race, please email: [email protected] or text/call (904) 509-7697. We appreciate any and all support!

Sponsors:

We are in need of sponsors and in-kind donations. There are multiple levels of sponsorship available from $250-$2500. If you would like to sponsor the Freedom 5k the deadline is May 22, 2026. Please email: [email protected] to receive more details on sponsorship opportunities. You may also call (904) 509-7697 and leave a message and someone will return your call.

Running, weekly group runs, a monthly Sunday long run, and many other club perks. Members must register annually in order to receive club perks. An additional membership to JTC Running ($20 a year) is strongly encouraged for the use of the Bolles track on Wednesday mornings or evenings. Long run routes and upcoming events will be posted on our private Facebook Page-1st Place Sports Running Club. Once you register here, please request to join the club page.

Membership Perks

Monday Night San Marco Group Run 6:30pm

Tuesday Night Wicked Barley Brewing Run 6:30pm

Wednesday Night 210 Group Run 6:30pm

Once a month Sunday long run rotating from 210 and San Marco 6:30am-byo hydration

Occasional Week Night Socials at Breweries

Club tents at 1^st Place Sports Races (around 14 races a year)

10% off in store on regularly priced items. Excludes electronics. Discounts cannot be stacked.

Access to Runner Nutrition Made Easy Facebook group led by Raymond Colon

Join our Facebook page here.

We ask that club members are good ambassadors for 1st Place Sports. We strive to better the Jacksonville running community through positivity and inclusivity.

jump on their bikes, and then off on their feet for the running portion. The events will be chip timed with a finisher time. Distances are based on the age of the child. Kids must supply their own bikes and must wear a helmet to participate. We are sorry, but no training wheels allowed.

Scared to send your little guys out on this endurance adventure? We get it - We have kids too :) Click on pictures of the previous kids triathlons from Julington Creek and RiverTown

Start time is 9:00 am and Race distance is determined by child's age ( see below)

Ages 5-8, 50 yards ( 2 lengths ) in pool, run approx .25 mile, bike approx .75 mile) run approx .35 mile

Ages 9-11 100 yards ( 4 lengths) in pool, run approx .25 mile' bike approx .75 mile , run approx .65mile)

Ages 12-14 150 yards ( 6 lengths) in pool, run approx .25 mile, bike approx .75 mile) , run approx 1 mile

Kids triathlon participants will get a Murabella Kids Tri Race Shirt, Florida Race Day Finishers medal, and photograph of the event. Finishing results will be posted online. Cost is $45 per participant.