The second race of our family 5k challenge was the Run Jump or Fly 5k. This race benefited Special Olympics Minnesota and was held on Saturday, May 14th.

I chose this race for a few reasons, including that it was in the northern metro, it supported Special Olympics (an organization very near and dear to my heart), and it was a small race.

In fact, this race was so small that there were probably fewer than 50 participants, which meant that because we arrived really early, we were able to park in the tiny parking lot directly next to the picnic shelter from which the race started.

For a tiny race, the organizers did a fabulous job. They had a chip & salsa bar, hot chocolate, and Caribou Coffee available prior to the race. There four porta-potties next to the picnic shelter, a costume contest, a speech by a Special Olympics athlete prior to the start, and a professional photographer. The swag bag included a very soft, comfortable cotton t-shirt.

The course was a loop around East Palmer Lake Park in Brooklyn Park, and was marked well, though it did end up being shy of 3.1 miles. However, the kiddo and I ran the extra distance to get that exact 3.1 on my GPS watch!

At the finish line, there was a large selection of granola and protein bars, bananas, yogurt, water, and sports drinks. Of course, we were also welcome to dig into what was left of the chips & salsa bar and the hot beverages.

I really hope that the organizers are able to promote this race to get a larger draw next year. I’d love to see more support for this race and Special Olympics. It was such a fun, family friendly event! We’re planning to do this one again next year.

Me coming into the finish line, with a finishing time of 36:27