7 fun run events in Fort Wayne, Indiana

Come out to Lawton Park on Sunday, March 9th in your finest kilt, fanciest tutu or just a green shirt and be ready to run, or walk, or roll a festive 5k.

The event is a free untimed fun run open to all participants.

Bring a comfortable pair of shoes and be prepared to walk, run or roll a few miles on the Fort Wayne Trails network.

We will follow a bicycle lead on the route launching from Lawton Park.

The route will be clearly and marked.

Dress to impress! Fun awards for the most festive participants.

Fun trophies will be awarded for fast runners and fancy dressers!

Run starts a 1:00 pm on Sunday, March 8th!

The Getting Miles Fun Run Series offers several family-friendly events throughout the year. Join us for our 5K-ish fun runs We offer these events as free, un-timed fun runs and we encourage participation from walkers, runners and wheel chair athletes of all ages and abilities.

Follow Getting Miles on Run Signup as we add cool events to the calendar. You can also find the Getting Miles Athletic Club on Facebook and Strava

YWCA Northeast Indiana's annual Race for a Reason provides an opportunity for the community to come together in support of the critical services provided by YWCA Northeast Indiana. The 2026 Race for a Reason theme is "Lacing Up for a Stronger Tomorrow".

The 2026 Race for a Reason will take place on Saturday, April 25th on Purdue Fort Wayne's campus with a 5K start time of 9:00 AM and a 1 Mile Fun Run/Walk start time of 9:05 AM. The event is professionally timed and includes awards by age and gender.

Chase the Shadow is a free, untimed fun run/walk/roll that is open to participants of all fitness levels.

How does is work?

The rules are pretty simple. Just finish the 5k route before The Shadow.

Participants will follow a bicycle lead on a route that follows the Fort Wayne Trails network.

The route will be clearly and marked, but we won’t have police presence so be sure to follow traffic laws at road crossings!

Fun trophies go to the first place male and female finishers and first place place boy and girl (under 13) finishers.

The Shadow launches at 1:00pm.

We launch at 1:05PM

Awards begin at 2pm.

So put on you best ninja suit, cool tuxedo T-shirt, or simply a black T-shirt.

Chase the Shadow is the only time that we encourage walkers and runners to dress in black.

Chase the Shadow is an untimed fun run.

We will have a race clock on site if you want to see your time.

Be sure to record you activity with your smart phone or your fitness wearable and then share your adventure on social media.

All ages and athletic abilities are welcome!

Follow Getting Miles on Runsignup as we add cool events to the calendar.

You can also find the Getting Miles Athletic Club on Facebook and Strava.

Please join the Woodside Middle School community for our annual Warrior 5k and Family Mile Fun Run on Saturday, May 16th. This is a fantastic community event to help raise money for Woodside PTC to continue to help fund underfunded departments at the middle school.

Please register by May 4th to guarantee your shirt and size. Registrations after May 4th are not guaranteed a shirt.

Online registration ends on May 15 at 9PM.

Same day registration will be open at 7:45 AM on Saturday, May 16th, but there will not be a guarantee we can get a t-shirt.

Packet Pick Up will be May 15th 4PM to 7PM at Woodside Middle School Door 8, the main gym entrance.

NEW THIS YEAR* A friendly competition between the elementary run clubs. If you are a district family with a student in one of our elementary schools, after you register, please fill out this quick google form. The school with the most students participating in either the 1 mile Fun Run or Warrior 5K will win!

You can also get the google form from your run club coach.

See you all on the course!

Help us celebrate with the Fort Wayne Running Club for our 10th Annual Father's Day 5K by running with or in honor of your father, grandfather, or father figure. Bring the entire family for an entertaining morning, including a free kid's fun run before the race. This year's Father's Day 5K will be a Fort Wayne Running Club Points Race. Everyone is welcome to this WALK, RUN, or RUCK around Lakeside Park's beautiful rose garden and shaded park. Proceeds will benefit Associated Churches' programs, A Baby's Closet and Military Families.

• WALK, RUN, RUCK: Each participant will receive a commemorative t-shirt.

• RUN: Awards will be presented to the top male & female runners in each age group category.

• RUCK: Ruckers are asked to fill their backpacks with 10 lbs of baby item donations (such as diapers, wipes) to support A Baby’s Closet. Ruckers will be entered into a new category for an award.

• CHURCH TEAMS: Get your church members to participate in a healthy, fun activity celebrating our heavenly Father with a 5K. Congregations with the most participants will receive a “Traveling Trophy”. Church Teams MUST register before Monday, June 3rd. (Church team registrations after this date may still run with individual registration for $35.

• FWRC Members: This is a FWRC 2026 Points Race, and Fort Wayne Running Club members get a $4 discount.

INDIVIDUAL PRICING

Advanced registration is free for children 9 and under, $20 for ages 10 to 15, and $25 for ages 16 and up. Late Registration will be $35 beginning Monday, June 9th for ALL that register. Register by May 27th to guarantee a t-shirt. Only registrants for the 5K are eligible for a t-shirt, including children.

CHURCH TEAM PRICING

Church Teams are $20 per person. Registration will end Monday, June 9th . Register by May 27th to guarantee a t-shirt. Only registrants for the 5K are eligible for a t-shirt, including children.

BUSINESS TEAM PRICING

Business Teams are $20 per person. Registration will end Monday, June 9th . Register by May 27th to guarantee a t-shirt. Only registrants for the 5K are eligible for a t-shirt, including children.

RACE TIMES

7:30am - Check-In

8:15am - Free Kid's Fun Run

8:30am - Father’s Day 5K

PACKET PICK-UP

Get your Father's Day 5K bibs, shirts, and swag the DAY BEFORE the race, Friday, June 19th at The Wolf Mission House of Associated Churches (624 E. Wayne St.) time is TBD. Packets may be picked up the DAY OF THE RACE, at The Wolf Mission House of Associated Churches starting at 7:30 am.

ADD DAD TO THE 5K SHIRT

Honor your father figure on the race shirt by adding the first and last name to the back of the Father's Day 5K t-shirt for $100. The Deadline for this option is June 1st and is available when registering.

OTHER QUESTIONS

• For the health and safety of our participants, this year we will NOT be serving a pancake breakfast and having fellowship after the race.

• Kids may run the 5K without being timed for free, however, If they want to be timed or receive a shirt, they will NEED to register.

• Kid's bicycles or scooters, dogs, strollers, walkers, etc. are allowed on the course.

• After May 24th you will NOT be asked for a shirt size when registering, but extra shirts will be given out after the race.

• Parking is available at the Community Foundation of Greater Fort Wayne and Early Childhood Alliance.

• Follow this event on Facebook for updates, results, pics, and more.

MORE ABOUT ASSOCIATED CHURCHES

Learn more about Associated Churches and our programs at www.AssociatedChurches.org