BLOG
5 Kansas City 5Ks That Give Back: Summer 2016
Summer in Kansas City can be all about sports, or more specifically, watching sports. Taking in a game at The K or Sporting Park is great but if you're ready to jump in and participate yourself, here’s your chance. These 5 summer races offer plenty of opportunity for Kansas City visitors and residents to work up a sweat and be part of something unique while supporting a great cause. Most themed 5Ks are focused on fun over time, so come early, stay late and make some great memories with friends and neighbors at these 5 Kansas City fun runs this summer.
Partnered with The American Cancer Society , Relay for Life and the Paint Your World Purple campaign, Insane Inflatable is blowing up miles of fun for a good cause. A portion of all proceeds go back to the local Kansas City Relay for Life event and you can choose to make an additional donation the the local chapter when you register online.
Racing gets started at The Kansas Speedway at 8:00 am. There are 13 Waves, starting every 15 minutes from 8:30 11;30. Prices range from $60 to $100 depending on when and what level you register for. The most expensive is the All Access Pass which allows you to choose your own wave the day of the race and includes $20 in merchandise credit to be spent at the Insane Midway.
The race will bring about 10 inflatable obstacles like The Wrecking Balls and The Waverunner, so be prepared to get wet and probably take a couple of tumbles. The race is not timed and it is not necessary for participants to run between obstacles although they may choose to do so. Participants can wear their shoes on all inflatables and obstacles.
Rock the Crossroads is a nighttime 5K that runs loops through the heart of downtown on a mission to raise money for the Kansas City Police Athletic League or PAL. PAL operates a community center in Kansas City that is staffed by 8 police officers and community volunteers. The mission of this center is to “nurture character development through physical fitness and academic advancement for young people (ages 8 to 18), many of whom come from disadvantaged home settings”.
The race course starts and ends at Torn Label Brewing Company and is followed by an outdoor concert by Dolewite . Admission to the concert is free to all Rock the Crossroads runners and open to nonrunners for a ticket price of $10. This event is timed and Rock n Roll themed prizes will be given after the race to top male and female times across 15 age groups. This is a rain or shine event. Strollers are allowed, pets are not.
This glowing fun run promises to be a late one. Kicking off at Kemper Arena at 9:00 pm then glowing on well into the night with a finish festival where all race finishers get to choose their own medal. No need to bring your own tunes either because The Glow Run is boasting more music than ever this year.
Consider the 5K portion of the evening a warm up because the real cardio will kick in after the race on the dance floor. Participants are encouraged to create teams, themes, and crazy outfits to accompany the high energy vibe of the race. Get there early for the pre-party and you can even take advantage of free face painting to take your outfit to the next level.
This race is not timed and senior, child, and military discounts are available. A percentage of every entry fee will be donated to a local charity although the local charity for Kansas City has not been named.
It's ladies only for this fun 5k!
Held at Corporate Woods in Overland Park, the Diva Dash starts at 7:30 a.m. followed by the Lil’ Princess Girls Run at approximately 8:30 a.m. Girls ages 8 and younger are eligible to participate in the Lil’ Princess portion of the day. Race distances for the little ones vary from 50 to 200 yards and are determined by age group. Prices for registration increase as the race date approaches.
The charity partner for this year's race is Girls on the Run, a sports based after school program focused on developing healthy self esteem in girls in 3rd 8th grade. All Diva Dash participants receive a Tshirt, race bib, large “Diva” finishers medal. Lil’ Princesses even get a pink tiara to round out their look. It is permitted to run with strollers but no boys, men, or pets allowed.
The Blacklight Run is lighting up Bonner Springs on Saturday August 20th. Much like its daytime counterpart, The Color Run, The Blacklight Run introduces a new color of UV glowing powder at each 1km checkpoint. Participants start out shiny white and finish looking like a glowworm. All runners get a Tshirt, donation to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, LED shades, blacklight tattoos and are invited to stay and party into the early morning hours with food, beats, and blacklight EVERYTHING.
Do you want to throw UV colored powder at people but skip that run part? You can because The Blacklight Run are is looking for volunteers for its Kansas event. High school students ages 16 to 18 can even get credit for community service if their volunteer time is supervised by a parent, teacher, or club sponsor. For more information on sign up times and stations for the August 20th Kansas race at Bonner Springs can be found here.
