Races

Who We Are: Healthy Kids Running Series is a five (5) week running program in the spring and fall for kids Pre-K through 8th grade. Each HKRS Series takes place once a week and offers age appropriate running events including the 50 & 75 yard dashes, the 1/4 mile, the 1/2 mile and the 1 mile run. Kids will earn points for each race they complete based on their finish. Pricing: The registration fee covers the entire five (5) weeks of the Series which includes race bibs for each week, a runner shirt, a finisher medal and any sponsor giveaways. Registration is non-refundable and non-transferrable. Online Early Bird registration ends three weeks prior to the first race event.  Challenger: This Series offers a Challenger Division which is an adaptive 75 yard race for children with disabilities and/or special needs. This allows for parents, siblings, and friends to be on the course with runners to provide support as well as supportive devices such as crutches, braces, wheelchairs, etc. to

Before the all-state accolades, before the injuries, before middle school, high school, college, and all the difficulties that followed, Benjamin Lee Silver was a brother—to Aaron, three years older—and a son, to loving parents Paul and Jamie. Born in San Francisco, California on November 23, 1992, Ben was the kind of kid whose smile, nearly constant, was contagious. Energetic and creative, Ben jumped into any new endeavor with cheerful abandon, unafraid of embarrassing himself. If something was exciting, if there was the potential to improve himself, why not try it? After moving to Downers Grove, Illinois in 1998, Ben dabbled in youth soccer before following in brother Aaron’s footsteps and joining the cross country and track teams at Herrick Middle School. A star from the outset, Ben was a class above his junior high competition. Despite being limited by injuries and minimal formal training, Ben shattered the school 1600 meter record with a 4:40.6, a time rarely approached by runners

Our family-friendly 1 mile run/walk and 5k race event is one of two flagship fundraising initiatives for the Lester PTA. Over 35% of our programming budget is generated by the Fun Run and all of its surrounding activities (Experiences, Raffles, Silent Auctions & More)! The goal for this year’s Fun Run is to raise $25,000 – which is reinvested into the PTA's programs and activities that benefit all Lester students!   Please Note:  If you want to run both the 1mile and the 5K, you must register for each race individually.  You will receive a separate timing bib for each race. RACE START TIMES: 5K - 8am, 1mile -  9amRegister by midnight on September 5th to be guaranteed a T-shirt; registration for run only will be available up until the race start time on 9/28.Race timing bibs and T-shirts will be distributed to classrooms during the week of 9/22. Any Fun Run questions - please contact the event co-chairs.  Thank you for your support!  See you on Sept. 28th!  Amy Heitkamp (419-235

Join us for the 3rd Annual Downers Grove, IL Run for Resilience Ostomy 5k Fun Run and Walk on Saturday, October 3, 2026 in celebration of Ostomy Awareness Day. We will be offering Professional Run Timing Services with Race Time Race Management - This is a family friendly event and we will also be offering 50-yard dash Kids Runs for ages 5 and under, and ages 6 through 10! We also welcome and encourage you to bring dogs and other pets that can be outside safely! We can provide water and a water bowl. For six years, the Ostomy Support Group of DuPage County hosted their own Run for Resilience 5k walk and run, and made this an "Official" UOAA event in 2024! Please join us and UOAA to celebrate 9 years of Ostomy Awareness and Support in Downers Grove, IL.  All proceeds benefit the United Ostomy Associations of America, Inc. (UOAA), a 501(c)(3) organization. Donations are tax deductible (https://www.ostomy.org). NOTE: To ensure everyone is safe and comfortable running, walking, or

The Downers Grove Thanksgiving Day 5K is here again! Get into the holiday spirit by joining the 2025 Grove Express 5K Run/Walk, hosted by The Grove Express Foundation. Keeping up with the annual tradition, the scenic run through downtown Downers Grove will take place on Thanksgiving Day, November 27, 2025. The Grove Express Foundation invests direct donations and proceeds from the event into local educational initiatives, youth programs, and scholarships. Check back frequently for more information on packet pick up, race day FAQs, Volunteer Opportunities, and more!