ORLANDO, Fla. — As the Orlando Magic mark their 35th anniversary season, over 2000 people joined in festivities to celebrate the monumental year at the sold-out Orlando Magic 5K, 1 Mile & Kids’ Run, presented by AdventHealth and produced by Track Shack. Amongst the special sports moments that unfolded over the past two days in ‘The City Beautiful,’ this running and walking event was a way for locals and visitors alike to get in on the action and the celebration.
The 5K course took participants past three scenic lakes, through a cheer zone sponsored by Brooks, onto a part of the Marathon Trials course and ended in the heart of Orlando at Lake Eola Park. There, they met up with the one-mile participants to enjoy the post-race festivities. Participants of the race included Meb Keflezighi, 2004 Olympic marathon silver medalist, and STUFF the Magic Dragon, the Orlando Magic’s mascot, two iconic Floridians who journeyed through the race course together.
Kevin Kirk, the men’s 5K champion, completed the 3.1 miles in 14:22, followed by men’s 5K second and third-place finishers, Anthony Raftis (14:24) and Cesar Diaz Hernandez (15:06). The women’s 5K course was led by Carina Viljoen, who finished with a time of 16:03. Second and third-place finishers for the women’s 5K were Stevie Lawrence (16:29) and Ellyn Atkinson (17:49). In the nonbinary division, Perry Snider took first place with a time of 19:26. They were followed by Simran Chugani in second (23:21) and Nix Torres in third (34:04). Keflezighi presented awards to the overall male, female, and nonbinary participants as part of this championship weekend.
The week leading up to the event, Track Shack hosted a variety of group runs with Outta Pocket Track Club, PUMA, HOKA and Brooks. The Brooks run was done in partnership with Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company, and attracted close to 150 runners. Participants of the run started at the Ivanhoe Park Brewing Company for a 3-mile run, and finished back at the brewery to enjoy complimentary beverages and a live DJ.
“This year’s event wouldn’t have been possible without our amazing sponsors and partners,” said Betsey Hughes, co-owner of Track Shack. “Getting to work with companies like Brooks, Advent Health and the Magic is truly incredible. It’s so nice to see the sold-out crowd we could attract with this event, and the impact we’ve had on our community.”
The Kids’ Run saw an abundance of youth runners this year who were taking part in the Finish Like a Champion program. Finish Like a Champion is a free, six-month running program that encourages healthy habits both physically and nutritionally in elementary and middle school-aged children. Leading up to the Marathon Trials and the Orlando Magic Kids’ Run, these kids worked towards the goal of completing a total of 26.2 miles – the distance of a full marathon. Leaders of the project started Finish Like a Champion with the goal of building excitement around the Trials and building education around healthy life choices to the youth in the Orlando community.
Proceeds from this year’s event benefited the Orlando Magic Youth Foundation (OMYF). Since its inaugural event, the Orlando Magic 5K, 1 Mile & Kids’ Run has raised more than $15,000 for OMYF. The focus of this foundation is to help children in Central Florida realize their full potential, especially those most at risk, by supporting programs and partnerships that empower families and change lives. Visit OMYF.org to learn more.
For more information about Track Shack please visit www.trackshack.com, and follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
About Orlando Magic 5K, 1 Mile and Kids’ Run and Track Shack
Produced by Track Shack, the Orlando Magic 5K, 1 Mile and Kids’ Run provides an event filled with music, entertainment, activities and more for all ages to enjoy. The focus of the event is benefiting the health in an engaging and impactful way for all who participate, both locally and nationally. Track Shack, established in 1977, continues to produce events with the purpose of promoting and encouraging health and fitness with an emphasis on youth programs.
