Community Calendar

Find your holiday spirit at the Holly Jolly Jingle Bell Jog 5k & Reindeer Dash Kids Run this year at Three Parks Trail on December 11th!

Holiday attire and cheer are welcome!!

Winter Haven Optimist Club proudly presents the Santa’s Run Fest – A Run for Our Kids runs along Winter Haven’s past famous Citrus Classic course. Choose a Half Marathon, 10k or 5k and be stunned by one of Florida’s most beautiful, classic run courses! The Start and Finish will be located Close to the Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce Building in Downtown Winter Haven, FL.

Winter Haven is a beautiful city of approximately 35,000 friendly folks. As the Chamber of Commerce mentions, “To some we’re the perfect haven from the harsh winter months up North, and to others we are the opportunity to be involved in a town with over 55 lakes to enjoy with fantastic sunrises and sunsets over the water” …AND an absolutely superb terrain for running.

These courses include gentle rises, enough to cause pressure for the advanced competitors but not so much to frustrate the average person. This trek will pass by three pristine lakes and many lovely holiday decorated homes. It will be well marked with security and volunteers all along the route. The Half Marathon route will additionally take runners out and back along the TRAIL (about 3.5 miles) with additional water stops and volunteers along the way.

Runners will receive a custom shirt (sizes guaranteed if pre-registered before November 28, 2021), a custom bib, and a finisher medal when you cross the line on race day! Race packets will also include goodies from race sponsors.

The Mean & Green 5 Mile Trail Race will be held on the grass and dirt trails at Holloway Park, a private park in the middle of Lakeland. This event will be low-key and environmentally friendly. We’re going retro with no finisher medals, and awards for male and female overall, masters and grandmasters only. You’ll need to bring your own bottle or cup for to refill during and after the race.  With your help, we can host an event with minimal trash going to the landfill. For your effort, you’ll receive a banana and a 50/50 blend long sleeve unisex T.

This event expands the LRC lineup of races to include trail running and will be held during Florida’s cool season. The race will be chip timed. The Mean & Green 5 Mile Trail Race supports Holloway Park and cross country running in Polk County.

Join us for a scenic twilight run around beautiful Lake Hollingsworth and then up Buckingham Avenue to finish next to Common Ground Playground (our beneficiary).

Wider start-the first mile will be run in the street before moving onto the Lake Hollingsworth trail.

Finisher medals to the first 700. M/F age groups are “under 10”, “over 80”, and all five year groups in between. M/F overall, masters and grandmasters plaques.

Bib chip timing by FitNiche Events.

Long-sleeved ladies, unisex and youth tech shirts.

Kids fun zone, fun dashes with glo-stick bracelets and more.

Join the Lakeland Runners Club for an evening 5k road race and walk which routes around Lake Mirror and Lake Morton, a scenic and certified course through Lakeland’s historic district and views of the city’s beautiful lakes. The race will be chip timed.  This race is held in conjunction with the Mayfaire by the Lake art festival on Lake Morton. A portion of the proceeds from the Lakeland Runners Club’s Mayfaire 5k will benefit Polk Museum of Art.

The first Mayfaire 5k was held May 5, 1980.

Let’s get #SweatyforScholarships

Proceeds from the Summer Sunrise Watermelon Series goes towards scholarships for Polk County graduates administered through the Polk Education Foundation. The Lakeland Runners Club has contributed to the PEF since 2012 – the list of scholarship recipients is available on the LRC website.

The Summer Sunrise Watermelon Race Series was born out of a desire to have low-cost local races during the hot summer months when it can be hard to stay motivated. The series has become an established venue for competition and an annual celebration of fitness. It continues to be popular with both experienced and casual runners alike. Many of the local high school cross country teams use it as a tune-up for their season. The series is comprised of three 5K (3.1 mile) races, each race hotter than the last.  All are run around Lake Hollingsworth, which is flat and conducive to fast times.

The Summer Watermelon 5k is run on a certified course.  All races are chip timed.  Cumulative results from the three races are used to determine official results.

The first series was run in 1996.

Let’s get #SweatyforScholarships

Proceeds from the Summer Sunrise Watermelon Series goes towards scholarships for Polk County graduates administered through the Polk Education Foundation. The Lakeland Runners Club has contributed to the PEF since 2012 – the list of scholarship recipients is available on the LRC website.

The Summer Sunrise Watermelon Race Series was born out of a desire to have low-cost local races during the hot summer months when it can be hard to stay motivated. The series has become an established venue for competition and an annual celebration of fitness. It continues to be popular with both experienced and casual runners alike. Many of the local high school cross country teams use it as a tune-up for their season. The series is comprised of three 5K (3.1 mile) races, each race hotter than the last.  All are run around Lake Hollingsworth, which is flat and conducive to fast times.

The Summer Watermelon 5k is run on a certified course.  All races are chip timed.  Cumulative results from the three races are used to determine official results.

The first series was run in 1996.

Let’s get #SweatyforScholarships

Proceeds from the Summer Sunrise Watermelon Series goes towards scholarships for Polk County graduates administered through the Polk Education Foundation. The Lakeland Runners Club has contributed to the PEF since 2012 – the list of scholarship recipients is available on the LRC website.

The Summer Sunrise Watermelon Race Series was born out of a desire to have low-cost local races during the hot summer months when it can be hard to stay motivated. The series has become an established venue for competition and an annual celebration of fitness. It continues to be popular with both experienced and casual runners alike. Many of the local high school cross country teams use it as a tune-up for their season. The series is comprised of three 5K (3.1 mile) races, each race hotter than the last.  All are run around Lake Hollingsworth, which is flat and conducive to fast times.

The Summer Watermelon 5k is run on a certified course.  All races are chip timed.  Cumulative results from the three races are used to determine official results.

The first series was run in 1996.

Conquer four races in 24 hours! A 5k on Friday night, followed 1-mile and 2-mile races on Saturday morning and another 5k on Saturday evening.

All races will be chip timed. Cumulative results from the four races are used to determine official results.

The Aching Quad Four Race Challenge was established in 2006.

The 10k is the oldest annual race in Polk County and runs through the Lakeland chain of lakes and historic Lake Morton district, encompassing three lakes during the course. The Lake to Lake 10k is run on a certified course (FL19044TY).  The race will be chip timed.

The Lake to Lake 10k was founded in 1977.

A portion of the proceeds from the Lake to Lake 10k will benefit the YMCA of West Central Florida.