Columbus State Cougar 5K Challenge

Welcome to the 2025 Cougar 5K Challenge

Our Purpose:

Every year the Columbus State Staff Advisory Council hosts the Cougar 5K Challenge to raise money for student course textbooks and supplies scholarships.  The cost of course material is a significant and often overlooked barrier to finishing college. While Columbus State makes every effort to provide students affordable options, sometimes there is no way around the costs of up-to-date, high-quality course textbooks and supplies. Your participation and support of this race will help us to provide coarse material scholarships so students can “cross the finish line” of their education.

Registration:

This year you can choose to signup for the in-person or virtual events.  In either case, you can register as an individual or as part of a team.  When registering, you will also have an opportunity to become a fundraiser or to make a donation. 

How Does a Virtual 5K Work?:

The participant can run or walk the 5K wherever and whenever he/she chooses between Saturday, May 3th and Sunday May 10th. We’ll send a follow-up email closer to the start date to explain how to submit your race time to qualify for some awesome prizes. Due to this being a virtual race where there will be inconsistencies in everyone’s chosen course, possible weather, tracking devices, etc., no placement medals will be awarded to those who choose the virtual format. Instead, everyone will receive a participation medal, a race shirt, and swag bag.

How to submit your times for results

Manual Method

• Run/walk your 5k (3.1 mile) distance anywhere and anytime from May 4 to May 12
• Record your run/walk time on a piece of paper or phone
• Come back to this race page
• Make sure you are logged into runsignup.com
• Locate the "Results" tab at the top of the menu
• Click "Submit Virtual Results" button
• Locate your participant information.  Once found, click the "submit virtual results" button

Automatic Method (optional)

• Download the RaceJoy App
• Locate the Columbus Cougar 5k Challenge event in the App
• Use the Race Anywhere course when you run/walk your 5k
• At the end of your 5k, submit your times through the app (additional instructions will be sent to you about using RaceJoy)

Package Pick Up 

Columbus State Community College DX Bookstore
283 Cleveland Avenue, Columbus, OH 43215
Thursday, May 1 10:00 am to 5:00 pm
Friday, May 2 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Otherwise you can pick up your packet the day of the event. Arrangements will be made for participants not able to pick up packets.

*During the registration, you will have an option to not receive a shirt and/or medal.  If you select not to receive one or both of these items, the savings from not having to purchase them will go directly back to student scholarships.