Journey Home Road Race

The town of Boylston celebrates Memorial Day in style every year with events for the whole family. The common in Boylston is a beautiful location to enjoy the race and then spend time with your friends and family. There is no better location for Katie’s 5k!

SHIRTS WILL ONLY BE GUARANTEED TO THOSE WHO REGISTER BY MAY 8TH.

TEAM Information

What's better then running alone? Running with friends! Be sure to create or join a team when you register this year. We will be awarding prizes to the Top 2 fastest teams (first 5 on a team to finish count toward the official the team time) as well as the team with the most number of participants!

WHY DO WE RUN?

Katie Chalifoux was born in October of 1984 to Janice and Robert Chalifoux. The youngest of five children, Katie spent her childhood in Boylston, surrounded by a closely-knit group of friends. At Tahanto Regional High School, Katie was not only a scholar, but she was also active in sports (soccer, basketball, and softball), music (clarinet and piano), and numerous extra-curricular activities (class officer, Model United Nations, and Student Council).

Katie’s full life came to an unexpected and tragic end in January of 2008, after she succumbed to complications following an accident in New York City. At the time of her death, Katie was working as a teacher at Wild Blue, an enrichment program for children on the upper east side of Manhattan. She loved life and was living out her dream of living in New York City. She was the epitome of “living life to the fullest”.

In 2008, the Boylston Memorial Day 5K race was renamed and reworked in Katie’s memory. Scholarships in Katie's name were setup for deserving female students from Tahanto Regional High School who were going on to a two or four year college degree program. The race also honors our veterans with donations to Veterans Inc. in Worcester.

In 2018, the Boylston Lions Club took stewardship of Katie's 5K and will work to continue the high quality race it has been in the past. The race now supports the Katie Chalifoux Scholarships, The Boylston Lions Club Scholarships, and donations to Veterans, Inc.

The 2026 Unified 5k and AdaptXpo is an inclusive road race and adaptive sports expo designed so that everyone can participate, whether they run, walk, row, or roll. The event raises critical funds for AdaptX education, research, community events, fitness programming, and grant initiatives. The Unified 5k is a space where athletes with and without disabilities show up together, challenge perceptions, and prove that fitness and sport are more meaningful when everyone has a place at the starting line.

Join us on May 30th at RFK Community Alliance for our 8th annual event where you can walk, run, roll, or row either the 5k (3.1 mile) or 1 mile course. Arrive early or hang around after the event to check out our vendors and clinics at the AdaptXpo, a celebration of organizations that focus on health, inclusion, accessibility, assistive technology, and adaptive sports.

Help us make fitness and physical activity accessible for every body.

Join us for a milestone year as we celebrate the 10th Annual Brookline Bolt 5K Run/Walk! This year’s event returns to the stunning grounds of Camp Tevya, right along Lake Potanipo - a perfect setting for a community run, walk, and hours of fun!

About the Course

The 5K follows an out‑and‑back route along the scenic Tevya section of the Brookline Rail Trail. The terrain is mostly flat and beginner‑friendly. Walkers and runners of all paces are welcome! Please note the following:

• Jogging strollers work best on the trail

• No pets, please

• Race‑day bib pickup is available on site before the race

5K Registration Pricing

Ages 4 & under:

• Free!

Ages 5–12:

• $20 through 4/30/26

• $25 from 5/1/26 to 5/29/26

• $30 on race day (limited)

Ages 13+:

• $30 through 4/30/26

• $35 from 5/1/26 to 5/29/26

• $40 on race day (limited)

Kids Fun Run

The Kids Fun Run returns and is free for all kids! It starts at 9:30 AM sharp. Don’t forget to grab your Fun Run award at the finish line!

Race Shirts

The Brookline Bolt is one of the PTO’s largest annual fundraisers, supported generously by local businesses. To showcase our sponsors, race shirts are back for 2026! The first 50 registered 5K participants receive a free shirt! Additional shirts are available for $20 during registration through 5/10. Please note that a limited number of shirts will be available for sale on race day. All shirts can be picked up at the race!

Become a Sponsor

Local businesses make this event possible each year. If you’re interested in sponsoring the 2026 Brookline Bolt, please see the sponsor flyer below or contact the Bolt Committee at [email protected].

See You on Race Day!

We can’t wait to cheer on all our runners and walkers on Sunday, May 31, 2026!

Race Store:

Our Race Store is now open!

Course:

New England's premier downhill 5K race. The course drops 224 feet from start to finish. This USATF certified 5K course begins at the Hollis-Brookline Middle School in Hollis, New Hampshire. The gradual downhill course travels through beautiful apple orchards, corn fields and vegetable farms, finishing at the junction of Depot Rd. and Rt. 111. The course lends itself to people running a personal best time and for first time racers represents a very runner friendly course. Running Times Magazine listed this route as one of the top three fastest race courses in the USA. The Wall Street Journal posted an article about this unique race. New England Runner magazine named this race as their Race of the Year for 2018.

Route: The race will start at the Hollis-Brookline Middle School north entrance road. The course will continue across Main Street (NH 122) into Monument Square, before descending south on Depot Road for 3 miles before ending at Morin's Landscaping parking lot. [Garmin]

Start Line: Hollis-Brookline Middle School. 25 Main St, Hollis, NH. [Google Maps]

Finish Line: Morin's Landscaping Parking Lot. 301 Depot Rd, Hollis, NH. [Google Maps]

Team Competition and Individual Rewards:

There will be awards for top finishers in both male and female racers in multiple age groups. The top non-binary finisher will also receive an award. These will all be distributed immediately following the race at Alpine Grove. No awards will be mailed. Unclaimed awards can be collected at Fleet Feet Sports (4 Coliseum Ave, Nashua, NH: Google Maps) for one week (through Sunday, June 21).

There will also be a non-timed team competition. A unique trophy and bragging rights will be given to the team/group that has the most members sign up for the race. This is not an award for the fastest team, but rather the largest. To join a team, simply select your team at registration. If your team has not yet been created, select "Create New Group/Team" and make a new team name. Your team must be declared prior to race day.

If you are having trouble signing up for a team, please feel free to contact us!

Race Website:

For additional information, please visit our website at HollisFast5K.com

10th Annual 5K Run/Walk to benefit the Foundation's violence prevention, safety awareness & gender equality programs. Join us as we celebrate a decade of impact!

Kids' Run (100-Yard Dash, ages 3-10): 9:00 AM

5K Run/Walk: 9:30 AM

5K Run/Walk (Virtual): 9:30 AM

The 5K Run/Walk is a fun event for the whole family! The course is mostly flat with one small hill. See the course map for details.

Runners and walkers from out of town can still participate and show their support. Virtual runners can tune in to the beginning of the race via Instagram Live. Then, run on your own and post your photos!

Purpose of the Race

Funds raised from the 5K allow the Vanessa T. Marcotte Foundation to provide valuable safety programs to the community. The Foundation envisions a world where women live free from harassment. They advocate for safety awareness, violence prevention, and gender equality. They further their mission by providing self-protection training, and they partner with organizations to provide programming and mentorship opportunities to address the root causes of violence against women. Vanessa Marcotte inspires their work, and her kind, philanthropic and compassionate spirit continues to influence people of all ages.

Post-Race Party

Enjoy the fun, post-race atmosphere with DJ, food, ice cream truck, beer, and more! You can also enter to win several raffle items. Activities for kids, too!

Sponsorship Opportunities

Please show your support! Visit 5Ksponsor.org to sign up.

Race Awards

Top male & female finishers overall, and top finishers (male & female) in the following categories:

Under 18; 18-29; 30-39; 40-49; 50-59; 60-69; 70+

Online Auction

The auction items will be displayed online soon. Additionally, be sure to check out our raffle tables at the event with over 30 items.

FAQs/RACE DAY INFO:

WHEN & WHERE CAN I PICK UP MY RACE BIB AND SHIRT? Bib and shirt pickup, as well as walk-up registration, opens at 8 AM on Saturday, June 20th at Wachusett Mountain. For GPS purposes, use 499 Mountain Rd., Princeton, MA. Once you park, head towards the lodge and check-in under the large white tent. Check-in lines will be by Bib Number. Please know your bib number in advance. Link will be provided.

HOW CAN I GET MY RACE RESULTS? When you register, you are asked to provide a cell phone number if you want to receive a text with your finish time after the race. OR...you can simply search your name and finish time after the race. Link will be provided.

WHAT IS VIRTUAL RACE EXPERIENCE LIKE? Signing up for a virtual registration is a way to show your support of the cause if you can't make it to Princeton, MA. Join us on Instagram LIVE for opening remarks and official start, and then run on your own. You can also join our club on Strava to run “together” from wherever you are, see other participants’ activities, and be part of the race-day community.

CAN I BID ON THE SILENT AUCTION EVEN IF I CAN'T GO TO THE EVENT? Yes, anyone in the U.S. can bid on an item! The auction will close on Saturday, June 20th at 11:30 AM.

CAN I BRING MY DOG? We love dogs, but unfortunately the venue does not allow dogs at this event per the board of health unless they are a service dog.

CAN I BRING A STROLLER? Yes! Walkers/runners are welcome to do the 5K with a stroller.