Thumbs Up Run/Walk/Bike Event
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Thumbs Up Run/Walk/Bike Event
The 13th annual Thumbs Up Run/Walk/Bike Event is scheduled for Saturday, September 19, 2026, at Lake Orono Park in Elk River, Minnesota. The event offers a scenic paved-course 5K and 10K where participants may run, walk, or bike and take in views of Lake Orono and the William H. Houlton Conservation Area.
Registration for the event includes entry to the chosen distance, access to pre- and post-event activities, a participant shirt, race bib, and a finisher medal. Registrants who sign up by August 23, 2026 are guaranteed a t-shirt. Early packet pickup is held at Ripple Effect Brewing Company and at Orono Park Pavilion on the days before the event, and same-day packet pickup is available.
A non-timed Youth Color Run follows the main event and is divided by age into the following distances:
- Ages 3-5: 1/2K
- Ages 6-8: 1K
- Ages 9-12: 1 mile
The day includes a remembrance ceremony and a keynote speaker, as well as mindfulness activities, a memory tree, a grief support and bereavement area, mental health and wellness vendors, a veteran memorial area, miniature horses, caricature artists, food trucks, and water stations along the route. Friendly dogs on leash are permitted and must be cleaned up after. Volunteer opportunities are available. The gathering emphasizes mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and honoring those lost to suicide. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
