Brian Kraft Memorial 5K Run

The University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine is excited for another year of the Hoof N Woof 5k! The race will start at 8:30am on Saturday, April 11th, 2026, right outside the University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine building on Fitch Avenue on the St. Paul campus. Runners and walkers of all ages and abilities are encouraged to participate, and leashed pets are more than welcome! We hope you'll hang around after to visit booths from our wonderful sponsors and local pet businesses. Be sure to stay for our award ceremony that will take place for the runners and their furry companions as well. Parking is available in the Gortner Avenue Parking Garage.

Registration for the race is $30. Packet pick-up will start at 7:15am on race day, Saturday, April 11th. Registration closes at 11:59pm on Friday, April 3th.

The first 250 participants who register for the race will be guaranteed a goodie bag. Any individual who registers before March 20th at 11:59 pm will be guaranteed a free T-shirt.

ALL PROCEEDS support Healing Hearts Rescue, a non-profit organization dedicated to saving the lives of animals in need. Their mission statement: Healing Hearts Rescue is a volunteer-based non-profit dog rescue dedicated to changing the lives of animals who humans have failed by finding them safe and loving homes. Through the power of rescue, lives will be saved, hearts will be healed, and you might find yourself asking, “Who rescued whom?”

Please plan to stop by and learn even more about Healing Hearts Rescue at their booth on race day! For more information about this organization click here

Lace up your running shoes and join us for the Annual University of Minnesota PT Program 5k! Get ready for a morning full of movement, community, and Gopher pride! Hosted by the University of Minnesota Physical Therapy program, this event brings together students, faculty, friends, family, and supporters for a fun and energizing way to give back.

• Date: April 18th, 2026

• Check-in: 8:30-9:15am

• Race Time: 9:30am

• Start Location: Coffman Memorial Union (outdoors on the Plaza)

• Price: $20 (in advance); $25 (on race day)

Whether you're racing for a PR, jogging with classmates, walking with friends, or cheering from the sidelines, this 5k is all about supporting the future of this physical therapy program. Funds raised will go directly toward enhancing student experiences, supporting program initiatives, further future PT research and strengthening the PT community.

Bring your friends, wear your UMN gear, and help us make strides for the PT program. We can't wait to see you at the starting line!

Join the Augsburg Physician Associate (PA) Program on April 25th as we bring our annual 5K Run/Walk back!

We'll start the race at Thomas Beach, take a lap around the beautiful lake Bde Maka Ska, and finish back at Thomas Beach.

We are raising funds for the International Institute of Minnesota, which supports immigrants and refugees. Founded in 1919, the International Institute of Minnesota offers new Americans quality services to support their journey to stability and success, such as refugee resettlement, English education, career development, and citizenship assistance. We are also raising funds for our program's student society to provide more learning and leadership opportunities for the cohort.

All runners will receive a racing T-shirt! The first 70 runners to sign up will receive a reusable aluminum water bottle.

Water will be provided halfway through and at the end of the race. A small snack will be provided at the finish line. A first-aid station and port-a-potties will be available at the start/finish line.

Can’t make it there but want to contribute to the cause? Feel free to donate on a pay-what-you-want scale through our donate link.

FAQ:

What is the cost?

General participants: $35

Student participants: $25

Participants less than 12 years old: Free

What's included in the Registration Fee?

By signing up, you will receive a race T-shirt. The first 70 people to sign up will also receive an aluminum water bottle. Refreshments will be provided at the end of the race.

Where do I park?

Please plan to park on the street along W Bde Maka Ska Pkwy or an adjacent street. Limited parking in the Thomas Beach parking lot will also be available on a first-come-first-serve basis. This parking lot has pay meters.

Will there be medical personnel on hand?

Yes, a first-aid station will be available and run by a medical professional at the start/finish of the race.

Are there restrooms?

Port-a-potties are located near the start/finish line at Thomas Beach.

What does the race course look like?

One loop around Bde Maka Ska starting and finishing at Thomas Beach. The race will take place on the sidewalks with minimal elevation gain (36 feet in total). Check out the map here.

Are kids allowed?

Yes! Kids and strollers are allowed, and kids under 12 years old can run/walk for free.

Are pets allowed?

Due to the large number of people, we ask that pets stay at home.

What if it rains?

We will plan to continue the event unless there is lightning or severe weather in the area.

Will there be an official time recording?

We do not have the equipment or funding to supply time-tracking bibs for every participant. Instead, we will have a large race clock stationed at the start and finish of the race that will allow participants to track their own time.

Trail Kids Mountain Bike Programs are part of the Loppet Foundation’s Trail Kids year-round programming.

Trail Kids offers six-week mountain bike sessions for novice to advanced riders. Participants ages 7-13 will explore the paved & single-track trails in and around Theodore Wirth Park while gaining skills they can use for a lifetime! (for programming for 13 and older, check out LCW Juniors programs)! The focus of the mountain bike sessions is to develop skills, meet new friends, and have fun while building confidence riding single track trails.

Female-identifying, trans, and nonbinary youth are welcome to join any offering in which they feel most comfortable: Girls Rock or Co-ed

Ability Level Guide: For those who have NO experience mountain biking on singletrack trails it is highly recommended that they take one of our Beginner Mountain Bike Clinics before joining the six-week evening sessions. When registering your child make sure to indicate their ability level as described in the Trail Kids MTB Skill Level Guide.

Ages: Ages 7 – 13, beginner to advanced abilities welcome; we split into different coaching groups based on ability, pacing, and age. We do not have programs for kids 6 years of age and under, so please do not register them until they turn seven years old.

Equipment Needed: All participants will need their own mountain bike, helmet, and water carrier (no bottle cage on handlebars - CamelBaks are a great option too!). Mountain bikes need to have both front and back wheel brakes on the handle bars (no peddle brakes). No kickstands are allowed. Tires must have tread and be wide enough to ride safely on mountain bike trails. For more on mountain bike equipment, view the Trail Kids MTB Equipment Guide.

*Please note that rental bikes are not available for our 6-Week offerings.

Swag: Trail Kids T-shirt and water bottle for all participants available at no additional cost. In an effort to reduce waste, TK Swag is now listed as an optional “add-on” during your registration. If you’d like your participant to receive this swag please ensure it is selected.

Friend Requests: For safety and equity reasons, Trail Kids does not offer friend requests as part of registration. The mass quantity of friend requests made it impossible to accommodate them all and greatly impacted safety and group dynamics. We would love to allow everyone to practice with their friends, but if we cannot accommodate all friend requests, we cannot offer them to everyone. We encourage riders to embrace the opportunity to form new friendships through our programs!

Trail Kids MTB Race: As part of our Trail Kids program all participants will have the opportunity to participate in our Adventure MTB Race which is included with the Loppet Trail Kids MTB Program registration fee. The goal of the race is to introduce youth to trail racing, as well as to provide some competition for more experienced participants. There will be one race scheduled during a normally scheduled practice.

Weather Cancellations: While Trail Kids embraces the belief that the outdoors can be enjoyed in any weather, there are some weather circumstances, including high temperatures, thunderstorms, etc. that can create unsafe or wildly unpleasant experiences for our coaches and participants. We will occasionally cancel or shorten practices due to extreme weather. We make weather calls the day of, 90 minutes before the start of practice. We will contact you via email and/or Team App about adjustments to practices; please do not ask in advance. Assume practice is always running unless you have received an email or a Team App notification otherwise (be sure that you can receive Team App notifications and do not unsubscribe from RunSignUp). Due to the lack of adequate indoor space and additional programs utilizing it already, Trail Kids is unable to shift practices inside on days where we have inclement weather/AQI. In instances where practice is canceled due to inclement weather, we do not offer

refunds or make up practices.

Financial Assistance: To apply please fill out the Loppet Financial Assistance Application. We will follow up with you with instructions on how to register at a price that is manageable for your family. Applications for programs that start two weeks or less from the date of submission will not be approved. *Limitations apply, please see the application form for rules and restrictions. In most instances there will be a $500 financial assistance cap per person/per year.

Sibling Discount: For those families who have three or more kids in the Trail Kids offering we can provide a fifteen percent discount code. Please email trailkids@loppet.org for more information.

Refund Policy: The Loppet will issue a full refund of the program fee minus the original processing fee up until 6 weeks before the program starts. Between 6 weeks and 4 weeks from the program start date, a 50% refund will be issued. Between 4 and 3 weeks from the program start date, a 25% refund will be issued. There are no refunds for any cancellations within less than 3 weeks of the start of a program. During the program, if your child has a medical issue that makes it impossible to participate, please contact the TK Admin team email at trailkids@loppet.org. If the Loppet cancels a program, a full refund will be issued. For instructions on how to request a refund, click here.

The Run & Orienteering program is part of the Loppet Foundation’s Trail Kids year-round programming.

Participants ages 7-13 will learn the basics of orienteering skills while enjoying the trails around Theodore Wirth Park. This program also incorporates ultimate frisbee, slack line skills, and other running games as warm up activities for the main session which is focused on trail exploration and orienteering.

Practices include:

• Orienteering skills using orienteering maps to find hidden controls in the woods like a treasure hunt

• Agility and strength exercises to develop age appropriate motor skills

• Balance work and slacklining

• Games, relays, ultimate frisbee, pillow polo, and soccer mixed in throughout the sessions

Gear: Participants will need a good pair of running shoes and water bottle for each session.

Ability Levels: Participants are assigned to coaching groups based on age and past experience with orienteering. When you register you can indicate the appropriate orienteering ability levels listed below:

• White Level: Beginner with no experience in orienteering

• Green Level: Beginner to intermediate orienteering skills: Participant has participated in at least one or two 6-week sessions of the Trail Kids orienteering program.

• Blue Level: Intermediate to advanced orienteering skills. Participant has participated in at least three to four 6-week orienteering sessions.

• Black Level: Advanced orienteering skills with two plus years of orienteering experience and a desire to be challenged and compete at local MNOC meet events.

Swag: Trail Kids T-shirt and water bottle for all participants available at no additional cost. In an effort to reduce waste, TK Swag is now listed as an optional “add-on” during your registration. If you’d like your participant to receive this swag please ensure it is selected.

Friend Requests: For safety and equity reasons, Trail Kids does not offer friend requests as part of registration. The mass quantity of friend requests made it impossible to accommodate them all and greatly impacted safety and group dynamics. We would love to allow everyone to practice with their friends, but if we cannot accommodate all friend requests, we cannot offer them to everyone. We encourage riders to embrace the opportunity to form new friendships through our programs!

Trail Kids R/O Race: As part of our Trail Kids program all participants will have the opportunity to participate in our Adventure Run Race which is included with the Loppet Trail Kids Run Orienteering Program registration fee. The goal of the race is to introduce youth to trail racing, as well as to provide some competition for more experienced participants. There will be one race scheduled for each of the three sessions during a normally scheduled practice.

Weather Cancellations: While Trail Kids embraces the belief that the outdoors can be enjoyed in any weather, there are some weather circumstances, including high temperatures, thunderstorms, etc. that can create unsafe or wildly unpleasant experiences for our coaches and participants. We will occasionally cancel or shorten practices due to extreme weather. We make weather calls the day of, 90 minutes before the start of practice. We will contact you via email and/or Team App about adjustments to practices; please do not ask in advance. Assume practice is always running unless you have received an email or a Team App notification otherwise (be sure that you can receive Team App notifications and do not unsubscribe from RunSignUp). Due to the lack of adequate indoor space and additional programs utilizing it already, Trail Kids is unable to shift practices inside on days where we have inclement weather/AQI. In instances where practice is canceled due to inclement weather, we do not offer

refunds or make up practices.

Financial Assistance: To apply please fill out the Loppet Financial Assistance Application. We will follow up with you with instructions on how to register at a price that is manageable for your family. Applications for programs that start two weeks or less from the date of submission will not be approved. *Limitations apply, please see the application form for rules and restrictions. In most instances there will be a $500 financial assistance cap per person/per year.

Sibling Discount: For those families who have three or more kids in the Trail Kids offering we can provide a fifteen percent discount code. Please email trailkids@loppet.org for more information.

Refund Policy: The Loppet will issue a full refund of the program fee minus the original processing fee up until 6 weeks before the program starts. Between 6 weeks and 4 weeks from the program start date, a 50% refund will be issued. Between 4 and 3 weeks from the program start date, a 25% refund will be issued. There are no refunds for any cancellations within less than 3 weeks of the start of a program. During the program, if your child has a medical issue that makes it impossible to participate, please contact the TK Admin team email at trailkids@loppet.org. If the Loppet cancels a program, a full refund will be issued. For instructions on how to request a refund, click here.