Manatee River Run 5 Mile
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Event
The 24th Annual Manatee River Run is a five mile road and trail race taking place on Saturday, January 31, 2026 in Palmetto, Florida. The event is hosted by the Bradenton Runners Club and benefits the club's scholarship fund for Manatee County student-athlete distance runners. The race is a RRCA-Florida state championship event and is chip timed by Florida Road Race Management. Timing will stop after 1.5 hours; walkers must finish within that limit.
Course and logistics
The course follows hard shell-packed winding trails through beaches, lagoons, salt marshes, mangrove swamps, tropical hardwood hammocks, and coastal strands, and finishes on a paved 1.5 mile roadway. Because the course includes trail sections, it is not USATF certified. The start area is inside Emerson Point Preserve on Snead Island. Parking is in a nearby field at 4681 17th Street West, Palmetto, FL 34221; there is no parking inside the park and the parking area is about a half mile from the start. Restrooms are available in both the parking area and the starting area. Two aid stations will be on course. Strollers and dogs are not allowed. The use of personal music devices is strongly discouraged.
Registration, packet pickup and awards
Online registration is handled through RunSignUp; race day registration is available online only. The listed price for the event is $50; the shirt guarantee deadline is January 5, 2026. Packets may be picked up at pre-race packet pick-up events or on race morning in the parking lot. Awards include RRCA-FL state champion awards with gift cards for overall and masters categories and first-place awards for multiple age groups from 9 & under through 80+. There are no finisher medals. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
