The Palisades annual 5/10K 4th of July race will be in Venice this year.
The popular Palisades Will Rogers 5K held on the Fourth of July has four notable changes this year.
- Start time is 7 a.m.
- The race is being held in Venice, with the start about a block from the beach and the finish line on the beach.
- There is no 10K this year – but there is a Kids Fun Run.
- Run packets and t-shirts are picked up the morning of the race.
Veterans can sign up for free to run, and high school students are urged to participate in the Dick Lemen Run. Student runners from local high schools run under their school’s name and the fastest three individual times are added to determine the winner. The first year of the competition Palisades High edged out Loyola by just 53 total seconds. The second year, Loyola claimed the trophy. Oak Park took the race in 2023, and Loyola reclaimed it in 2024.
Even though the race is on July 4, students must be registered prior to July 1 with their high school to have the times count. This is open to ages 14-18. The Lemen Run was initiated in 2019 and named after the late Lemen, who was a longtime Palisadian and a track coach at Palisades High for many years. He was also a member of the Ridge Runners, the band of about 20 local runners who originated the Will Rogers Run in 1978.
Before this year’s race, the town’s new co-honorary mayors, Gigi Rice and Ted McGinley will be sworn in by two of Palisades favorite residents Sam Lagana and Jimmy Dunne. Councilmember Traci Park’s office staff will be on hand to hear Mia Ruhman sing the National Anthem. Saint John’s Jared Anderson will start the race.
To sign up click here.
Race proceeds this year will go towards rebuilding the Palisades Park and Recreation Center. A centerpiece for neighbors of all ages, the park suffered severe damage during the Palisades Fire. If one doesn’t want to run, there is a place to donate on the race committee site to aid this effort.