LifeSouth 5K & Party in the Plaza

LifeSouth 5K & Party in the Plaza presented by Meadows & Ohly

The 17th Annual LifeSouth Community Foundation Race on February 17, 2024 in scenic Gainesville, Florida! 

The LifeSouth Race is an initiative of the LifeSouth Community Foundation (formerly Five Points of Life), which provides education to K-12 students about the need for blood donation. To meet the needs of patients, it's imperative that we raise a "Donation Generation" of young people who understand and are committed to giving the gift of life. There's no substitute for human blood, and donations provide relief and hope for patients with life-threatening diseases and trauma victims. LifeSouth is YOUR community blood center, and we are the only provider of blood and blood products to the major hospitals in the Gainesville area and more than a hundred other hospitals throughout Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. 

5K

(USATF certification #FL19003JK)

Our 5K takes place on Saturday, February 17 at 9 a.m. The start is downtown, and the course takes you on a tour of the Bed and Breakfast district, the area south of Depot Park, and on the Hawthorne Connector trail and back to downtown. Runners will be treated to a post-race tasty treat! Awards will be given for 1st, 2nd and 3rd places in each male/female age group and for the Fastest and Largest Teams. Overall Top 3 Male & Female finishers will receive gift cards in the following amounts: 1st Place $100, 2nd Place $75, 3rd Place $50. 

NOTE: Online registration closes for this event on Wednesday 02/14/23 at midnight.  Day of race registration will be available at early packet pick up and on race morning for an increased entry fee. 

1-Mile Fun Run 

Also on February 17, our 1-mile Fun Run will begin shortly following the 5K. All age groups are encouraged to participate. Run times will not be timed. 

NOTE:  Online registration closes for this event on Wednesday 02/14/23 at midnight.  Day of race registration will be available at early packet pick up and on race morning. 

Packet Pickup Information

Early Packet Pickup will be available at LifeSouth Community Blood Centers,  4039 Newberry Rd, Gainesville, FL 

Friday, February 16            4:00pm - 7:00pm 

Same day Packet Pickup will be available at Bo Diddley Plaza, 111 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL

Saturday, February 17       7:30 am - 8:45 am 

Party in the Plaza 

10am - 12pm at Bo Diddley Plaza

You won't want to miss our party! Join us at Bo Diddley Plaza on Saturday, February 17 from 10 am-12 pm. We’ll have booths from great, local vendors, live entertainment, food and drinks. Registered runners will receive complimentary post-race food, Gatorade, and for 21+ runners, beer. We welcome any others who want to come out for this community event to join in the fun! We will have a bloodmobile onsite. 

DISCLOSURE:  All entries are non-refundable and non-transferable to another person. A deferral option will be available until February 6th, where you can defer your entry to the 2025 event.  After this date, no deferral requests will be accepted.   

T-Shirts: Sizes are guaranteed for registrants through 01/31/24. Registrations after this date are not guaranteed a shirt. However, extra T-shirts are available and will be provided to those who registered 2/1/24 or later on a first-come, first-served basis.

Parking: Plenty of free parking is available north of University Avenue, within blocks of Bo Diddley Plaza. City lots 5,6, 8 and 13 are available, in addition to on-street parking and at the District Offices of Alachua County Public Schools at 601 E. University Avenue. Both downtown parking garages are also available (fee applies) for early arrivals; race road closures will affect last-minute access.