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Hale to the Bird 5K
November 24, 2022
Registration is Now Open for Cottage Grove’s Annual ‘Hale to the Bird 5K’
2022 Information is Updated on their Facebook Page
Pre-register here:
Hale to the Bird 5K
*virtual participants welcome!
**Registration fee includes event entry, long sleeve t-shirt, and post-race snacks. Proceeds benefit the Friends In Need Food Shelf!
***Cost increases to $30 for ages 13+ Nov. 5th
The story:
A family fun Thanksgiving Day 5K at Hamlet Park in Cottage Grove! The 5K starts at 9 a.m. with registration for those that are not pre-registered beginning at 8 a.m.
The Hale to the Bird 5K was an idea born from indignation and determination! In the fall of 2010 Matt and Adam were speaking with Tim about their annual tradition of running the 5K in downtown Minneapolis on Thanksgiving morning. They were airing their frustrations with the parking, the huge crowds, the impossibility of running at a good speed, when suddenly Matt said, “Forget it, I’m starting my own 5K!”
Nobody thought he was serious, but then they started to talk about what it would take to actually coordinate such a fun event! They figured if they could get 20 people to show up on Thanksgiving morning in Matt’s driveway in Cottage Grove they could do a trial run of what it would take to host a 5K. They planned to make it as realistic as possible by creating a flyer, ordering T-shirts, and selecting a charity, the Friends in Need Food Shelf, to receive any proceeds.
The three men started soliciting donations to help defer costs and allow for a more substantial donation. About a month before Thanksgiving around 15 people had committed to running the race. Three weeks before Thanksgiving that number had doubled. A week before Thanksgiving nearly 60 people had dropped off or mailed their registration to Matt. Now they started to panic! How were they going to fit 60 people into Matt’s driveway? What about using the bathroom? It became clear that in order to accommodate the demand, the race had to be moved from Matt’s driveway to Hamlet Park!
On race day over 80 people showed up, with single digit temperatures and a blanket of snow on the ground! Despite the weather it was an amazing event with lots of happy people ready to replace all of their burned calories! The Hale to the Bird 5K is looking forward to growing, while maintaining the charm of a small run! See you out there!
