Run for Your Life 5k & Kid's Run/Walk

9th ANNUAL Run for Your Life: SATURDAY, Oct 28, 2023

Thank you for supporting the Help Center’s 9th Annual Run for Your Life for suicide awareness & prevention. This is a fun run for a deep purpose. The Help Center, serving 13 counties in Southwest Montana, has been serving our community for over 52 years, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. We are available by calling (406) 586-3333. When you need help, the Help Center is there!

Please read the information below THOROUGHLY in preparation for race day. We will not be providing hard copies of this information at packet pick-up, so we recommend bookmarking or printing this page to have ready on race day. We know it's A LOT of information! We also recommend reading through our FAQ page.

We would love for you to share your Run for Your Life experience on social media! Use #run4yourlifemt and/or tag us @bozemanhelpcenter (Instagram and Facebook). Be sure your settings are set to public so we can see it! Follow the Help Center on social to see what your fellow participants are sharing and for race day photos and updates. 
Instagram
Facebook

VIRTUAL PARTICIPANTS: Please visit your race day details HERE.

PARTICIPANT INFORMATION (5k & Kid's Run):

Schedule
Saturday, Oct. 28th, 2023
Kid’s Run: 9:30am (arrive NO LATER than 9:15am please)
5k: 10am (arrive NO LATER than 9:45am please)
Awards: 10:45am (Costume Contest and 5k winners)

Event Location
Start & Finish at MSU Bobcat Stadium (1 Bobcat Cir), Gate 8 (east side facing the Museum of the Rockies). 

Route
See the 5k Route HERE
See the Kid's Run Route HERE

Packet Pick-Up
Friday, Oct. 27th, 11a-6:30p, The Springs at 2632 Catron St. (behind Target). You can pick up for others, you just need their names.

Race Day Registration & Packet Pick-Up
We will have Race Day Registration & late packet pick-up starting at 8:30am on race day inside Gate 8. We STRONGLY recommend registering from home to avoid lines and picking up your packet at Packet Pick Up on Friday. Registration will stop at 9:50am.

Safety
We kindly ask that if you are showing any signs of illness or have COVID-19 on the date of our event, you do not attend our in-person event.

Parking
You can park anywhere in the Bobcat Football Stadium parking lot or across Kagy in the Fieldhouse parking lot. Parking is free on the weekends (with the exception of handicap or 24 hour reserved spaces). Please note that the north entrances to the stadium from Kagy will be closed from 9:15-9:45am for the Kid’s Run and the west entrance to 7th Ave. will be closed after 9:45am for the 5k.

Costume Contest & Prizes
We have some great prizes this year for our top 5k finishers and Costume Contest Winners for both humans and dogs! If you want to be considered for the Costume Contest, be sure to go to the Photo Booth between 9am-10am to be seen by our judges. NOTE: Kid's Run participants should go to the photo booth before their race starts at 9:30am, as we will award the costume contest winners as they finish their run.  All the Costume Contest categories are on our website. Kid's will get a bag at the end of their race with a finisher ribbon and goodie bag! 

Support at Event
While this event provides vital funding to the Help Center and is a fun community event, it is also an opportunity to discuss and bring awareness to mental health and suicide prevention, which may be a difficult topic for some. Help Center Crisis Counselors will be available if anyone is in need of support. They will be wearing Care Bear shirts at the event. If you cannot find one, go to the Registration or Information table inside Gate 8 and a volunteer will help you.

Photo & Video
We love capturing the fun of this event! Please know we will have videographers and photographers at the race. If you do not wish to be on film/in photos please let a staff member know either at packet pick-up or when you arrive on Saturday morning.

Food & Drinks
We will have coffee, hot chocolate, fruit, and granola bars available before and after the race.

Clothing & Weather

• Wear your race bib number on your front outer garment.
• Costumes are encouraged (but not required). 
• Dress appropriately for seasonal weather conditions.
• Sorry, we do not have a place to store any items you wish to have at the finish line.

Restrooms
You can find restrooms for all genders located inside Gate 8. The porta-potties outside near the start area are for home football games and not our event.

Volunteers & Sponsors

• Run for Your Life has over 100 volunteers that make the event possible. Please thank them for the invaluable services they provide!
• Please thank and support our sponsors who have made this event possible!
  
  

Kid's Fun Run Details

Time
9:30am (PLEASE arrive no later than 9:15am)

Location
Our Kid's Fun Run starts near Gate 8 of the MSU Football Stadium. The route is approximately a half a mile around the stadium and finishes through the MSU Bobcat Head! Family members are welcome to run alongside their kids without registering. Strollers welcome! Every kid who completes the Fun Run will receive a treat bag and finisher medal at the end. 

You can view the course map HERE

Dogs are allowed on the Kid's Run on a SHORT LEASH to avoid being a tripping hazard and you must pick up after them.

Obstacle Course:
We will have a fun optional Obstacle Course for the kiddos to go through on the west end of the Football Stadium that will be some haybales, tires, beam, and a fun tunnel (may change based on weather conditions). All Kid's Run participants will start near entrance 8 of the MSU Football stadium and then can choose to take a side adventure and go through the obstacle course or stay on the route and finish without going through the obstacle course. CAUTION: The obstacle course had hanging decorative spiders if that is a concern for your child.

5k Details

Time
5k will start at 10am (PLEASE arrive no later than 9:45am)

Location
5k will start at the Arch near Gate 8 (east side) of the MSU Football Stadium. The full race course can be found HERE.

5k Waves & Start Times 
Due to our increasing participant numbers, we will be implementing timed waves for participants to self-select into. Please seed yourselves accordingly and be courteous to your fellow participants. Seed yourself based on what you think you will run, no matter if you have a stroller or dog with. We will have signs based on your pace per mile:

• 6:30 min./mile pace
• 7:00 min.
• 7:30 min.
• 8:00 min.
• 8:30 min.
• 9+ min.
• Walkers

Dog Safety:

• We are proud to invite dogs to participate in this fun race, so please help us keep it safe for all so we can continue to do so.
• Only well-behaved dogs that are ok being around other dogs and crowds, please.
• For everyone's safety, DOGS MUST BE ON SHORT LEASHES.  Please be aware of runners who might be trying to pass you and be sure your dog & their leash are not an obstacle. 
• PLEASE clean up after your dogs immediately and do not leave poop bags along the course. We will not provide bags, so please plan to provide your own.
• There will be a garbage within the first half mile and an aid station with a garbage at mile 1.5 that you can dispose your bags in.

Other Safety Concerns

• Bicycles and rollerblades are not permitted.
• The use of headphones is permitted but strongly discouraged. 

Along the course

• The course will be open until 12:00pm.  
• The course will be well-marked and we will have volunteers along the way to point you in the right direction.
• No roads or sidewalks will be closed to the public. Expect traffic and other pedestrians. If you meet another pedestrian, please create a single-file path to allow them to pass. Please share the road and trail!
• Certified Race Flaggers will be stationed on both S. 3rd crossings, please pay attention and follow their instructions to keep yourself and them safe. They will let you know when it is safe to cross and traffic is stopped.

Aid station

• Water and basic first aid supplies will be available at the water station, located between about half-way between 2k and 3k.

Bibs & Chip Timing

• If you signed up for the TIMED option, you will be provided with a computerized timing chip in your race packet along with your race bib. Your chip is assigned to you; do not exchange it, please.
• If you signed up for the UNTIMED option, please wear the bib provided to you.
• Please make your bib visible on your outer front layer. 

Race Prizes

• You can view our race finisher prize categories HERE.

Questions?
If you have any questions, please email us at r4yl@bozemanhelpcenter.org. Please DO NOT call the Help Center, as we need to keep the crisis lines open.