2024 Veteran’s Day Defenders Dash 5k & 10k

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Points count towards our Year-Long 5k, 10k, & Back of the Pack Series.  Points will also count towards our Fall Series.  Find more info about the series here.

 

 

 

Come out and enjoy this scenic 5k/10k through the trails of Martin Luther King Jr. Recreational Park.

 

Virtual Race Option

We now offer a virtual run option for those who cannot make it on race day.  Find more information about our virtual option on our Virtual Races page.

 

Runners Receive

Finisher Medal, Technical (Drifit) Event Shirt, & A Chip Timed Event

 

Charity Information

Since our founding in 2005, our priority at Yellow Ribbon Fund has been to keep families together during the recovery process for wounded, ill, and injured post-9/11 service members. We do this by providing housing and transportation during recovery and by giving caregiver support when and where it is needed.

 

Race Start Times

10k – 7:45am

5k – 8am

 

Registration Fees

5k – $30, until Oct 31 ($35)

10k – $45, until Oct 31 ($50)

***Price will increase on race morning by $5 for each distance

T-shirts guaranteed to runners registered before Oct 30.  We will order extra t-shirts for those who register after that date, but it is on a first-come first-served basis.

 

T-Shirt Design

 

Race Medal Design

Race medal designs can be viewed on the Friday before the race on the Bishops Events Facebook page or our Instagram page.

 

Course Maps can be found at

This is a paved route around the park that heads out on to the Paint Branch Trail. This does have a few rolling hills but is a scenic run! Check the course map for elevation gain along the route.

Back of the Pack time: 11:30

Live Race Results

Live results will be posted on Athlinks.com.  Additionally, there will be a QR code at the race for you to scan to immediately view your results.  Final race results with series points will be posted to our website on the Monday following your race.

Runner tracking is now available when you sign up for a race with Bishop’s Events. Click on the green SMS button (see example below) at the end of your registration and have your race updates sent to your mobile device as well as those of your friends & family so they can track your race progress.

 

Awards

We award the top 3 men and women overall during our awards ceremony post-race.  We also award the 1st & 2nd place Male and Female in these categories: 19&Under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, & 70+.  Runners who place top 3 overall in their race are not eligible to also win their age groups.

 

Photos

We will post any photos taken by staff on our Facebook page by Tuesday after the event.

 

Social Media Challenge

On Tuesdays, we pick our favorite Instagram or Facebook post from the previous race weekend.  The winner will receive 50% off a future race!  Make sure to tag us in your race photos at:

Instagram:  BishopsEventsLLC

Facebook: BishopsEvents

 

Packet Pickup

Packet pickup is available at the event.  We recommend arriving one hour before your event start time to check-in.

 

Race Day Registration

There will be race day registration. Participants will need to arrive approximately one hour before the race to register for the event. T-shirts sizes cannot be guaranteed for race day registers.

***Price will increase on race morning by $5 for each distance

 

Water Stations

Three water stations will be along the 10k course at approximately mile markers 1.55, 3.1, & 4.65.  One water station will be along the 5k course at approximately mile marker 1.55. Gatorade will be available at some water stations.  Water stations are subject to change as deemed necessary.

 

Restrooms

Restrooms can be located inside of the park.

 

Volunteers

Volunteers should arrive approximately 60 minutes before the first race kicks off.  We will assign volunteer tasks on race morning (water station, course marshals, finish line support, etc).  You can find parking information under “Directions to Parking” with a latitude and longitude pin for where to meet.

 

Weather Policy

We are an all-weather race company (rain or shine or sleet or snow). We will email registered runners and post on social media if the race is cancelled, but this is quite rare, otherwise assume the race is taking place as scheduled.

Weekly weather reports are posted on the Thursday before race weekends on our Facebook page by Chad Merrill with the Hagerstown Almanack.  Race officials may delay, change or postpone the event due to weather conditions.  All registered runners will be notified via email of any changes.  In most cases, a decision is not made until the night before the race, and a decision could come as late as the morning of the event.

 

Refunds & Transfers

To view our full refund/transfer policy, click here.

 

Directions to Parking

Use 1120 Jackson Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20904 for directions to MLK Recreational Park.

The best way to locate this event is via GPS using this latitudinal and longitudinal pin: 39.055567, -76.984736