Events
Place
Description
In the interest of public health, the 18th Annual Benefit Walk/Run for Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House will take place virtually.
Participation in this year's event runs from November 29, 2023 -- the joint birthday of Bronson Alcott and his second daughter Louisa! -- through December 31, 2023
Any time, day or night, between Wednesday, November 29th at 12:00 am and Sunday, December 31st at 11:59 pm, complete your distance, submit your results, and upload photos to social media sites!
All 5K and 10K participants will receive an E-Bib and E-Finisher Certificate. We will also make available a playlist of music and words of encouragement from event Honorary Chair and elite Marathon legend UTA PIPPIG, as well as Orchard House Staff and Volunteers.
There are two ways to register:
- As a 5K or 10K Adult or Youth: Run or walk along the beautiful streets of Historic Concord, MA, following our USATF-Certified 5K or 10K course maps and guided turn-by-turn with the RaceJoy app.
- As a 1 Miler, 5K, or 10K Adult or Youth: Not in Concord? No worries. You can run, walk, stroll, or shimmy anywhere in the world following your own route, moving your own way! On a treadmill. Around your apartment. Up and down the stairs. In your backyard or basement. At a playground or park. The possibilities are virtually endless!
Walkers, strollercizers, and running groups/teams are welcome; youngsters or fitness newbies can start with our easygoing 1 Miler. Fundraising is most definitely encouraged, but not required. An added bonus is the ability to utilize the RaceJoy app to chart your progress, get and give cheers of support, and certify your time to qualify for your next big race – you can even track our Honorary Chair, the legendary and inspiring Uta Pippig!
If you’re unable to physically participate, give a Gift Registration to someone you know, or make a Donation. All proceeds benefit the dual missions of public education and historic preservation at Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House (c. 1650).
(Read more about what we do -- and why we do a Walk/Run -- below or visit our website for more information)
Race Contact Info
If you have any questions about this race, click the button below.
ABOUT LOUISA MAY ALCOTT'S ORCHARD HOUSE
Orchard House is most noted for being where Louisa May Alcott wrote and set the beloved novel, Little Women, in 1868. The Alcotts were a famous yet flawed family who firmly believed in the power of unconditional love, personal agency, and social justice. A visit to Orchard House allows for discovery of the many ways in which they impacted literature, education, philosophy, art, reforms of all kinds -- and each other. This noble home also has a rich history stretching back two centuries beforehand, as well as more than 100 years of life as a treasured historic site open to the public.
Louisa May Alcott and her family also believed in the importance of a health-conscious lifestyle long before it was popular to do so: they were vegetarians, protested against animal cruelty, and believed that the well-being of both mind and body were vital to human development. Miss Alcott herself loved to run from a very early age, once writing in her journal, “I always thought I must have been a deer or a horse in a former state because it is such a joy to run!” As an adult, she was even known to walk from Concord, MA to Boston -- a distance of 22 miles -- in one day and be ready to dance at a party that night! Her father, educator and philosopher A. Bronson Alcott, was also one of the first teachers in America to include co-educational physical fitness in his school curriculum.
Since 2005, the place the Alcotts called home for over 20 years – “Orchard House” (c. 1650) -- has honored the family’s dedication to healthy living by sponsoring a 5K/10K Run and 5K Walk. Each year, we have been faithfully supported by Honorary Chair Uta Pippig, three-time winner of both the Boston and Berlin Marathons, winner of the New York City Marathon, two-time Olympian, and one of the most sought-after fitness motivators in the world. All manner of runners, walkers, and their supporters -- from elite marathoners and casual joggers to wheelchair riders and “strollercisers” -- come together as a community to celebrate the sheer joy of movement!
All proceeds from this fundraiser support educational programming and historic preservation at Orchard House. Donations help maximize our ability to provide free or discounted admission to underserved schoolchildren; create innovative education programs for students, teachers, homeschoolers, and elder learners; preserve the irreplaceable artifacts and archives for scholars and visitors alike to enjoy; and, continue to serve as a touchstone for anyone seeking understanding, acceptance, and inspiration. We would love to have you run, walk, or cheer for those who do, and support Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House every step of the way!
Thank you in advance for your participation and support!
RaceJoy: Free GPS Tracking/Timing/Spectator Engagement
Download the RaceJoy mobile app for live phone tracking during this year's Benefit Walk/Run for Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House!
RaceJoy adds to the event experience with these key features:
- GPS Progress Alerts - Real-time notifications of your current pace and estimated finish time
- Posting to Facebook & Twitter - Friends and family can follow your progress
- Live GPS Tracking - Supporters can track your blue dot moving along the course from anywhere
- NearMe - Proximity alerts notify supporters when you are drawing near to them
- MeetUp - Find and get together with others you know who are participating
- Send-a-Cheer - Receive fun, motivational audio cheers from your supporters, and send cheers to other participants
Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House is pleased to sponsor RaceJoy to provide participants and spectators free access (usually a 99¢ fee)
Notes: Participant must carry a phone; no official race timing information is provided for this race via RaceJoy
Directions
Orchard House is located at 399 Lexington Road in Concord, MA, but you can participate anywhere!
Race Participant Survey
Please complete the following survey to help us better understand your race experience.
