William A. Irvin 5K race now full
William A. Irvin 5K (File, WDIO)
The registration process for the 2025 William A. Irvin 5K is now closed after just 36 hours. Race organizers say reaching the 2,500 participant cap this years was nearly two months faster than the previous record set last year.
Grandma’s Marathon officials did wonder how the recent change to the start time and racecourse would affect entries. It was announced on September 3 that the start time of the William A. Irvin 5k would move from 6 p.m. on Friday of Grandma’s weekend, to 1 p.m. The new course will take runners on Canal Park Drive and across the half and full marathon finish line. The changes were due to planned construction in the area.
“Whenever you make changes to something that’s been successful, it’s nerve-wrecking,” Grandma’s Marathon Marketing & PR Director Zach Schneider said in a release. “The early results are in, and we know now more than ever this race and distance resonates with people. The notion of ‘it’s just a 5K’ is no more, and this has turned into something people truly look forward to as part of our race weekend.”
RELATED STORY: Grandma’s Garry Bjorklund Half Marathon full in less than 18 hours
Scneider says the race saw its largest turnout ever just a year ago with 2,188 finishers.
“To run on the iconic finish stretch of our marathon and half marathon, to be able to cross under that finish line structure, we believe that’s a unique and exciting opportunity for our 5K participants,” Schneider said.
There are other changes to Friday events that will be announced in the coming months.
According Grandma’s Marathon, if you missed out on this year’s William A. Irvin 5K registration, there is another option that would allow you to sign up for the race:
Charity Partners — Participants can register through one of the event’s official 2025 Charity Partners. When a participant has reached the fundraising goal – set by each organization – they will receive a free entry into the 2025 event of their choice. Approximately 750 total race entries are available through charity partners, though availability will vary by organization.