Event Description

We’re back!

Join us for the 2023 Run for the Natural Areas 5K/10K Trail Race! We are proud to return again to Winding Waters Natural Area to host this awesome event and give you the experience of one of the most authentic and gorgeous trail races in Palm Beach County! You’ll be amazed you’re a few short miles from the hustle and bustle of West Palm Beach!

The 10K isn’t just an out-and-back of the 5K course! It’s a completely unique course with areas that take you “off the beaten path” through a lush pineland just west of the wetlands trail, an area usually closed to the public but opened for this race only! The 5K course is a loop around the wetlands trail with a short trip through a wooded double-track fire road. The 10K will give you most of the wetland loop trail with an excursion through the lush pineland west of the wetlands through tree-lined management roads, and a quick trip along the canal that borders the Florida Turnpike! It’s a beautiful course offering a huge variety of surfaces and scenery!

The Race for the Natural Areas aims to showcase the Palm Beach County Natural Areas that the citizens voted to purchase and preserve. Winding Waters is an over 500-acre natural area containing a diversity of habitats, such as mesic flatwoods, hydric hammock, depression marsh, wet prairie, and dome swamp. Several areas were cleared for agricultural purposes and have been restored to shallow-water and deep-water marshes. 

The course itself will be a trail ringing the restored wetland offering scenic views of the teeming plant and animal life.

We have a capacity of 300 this year, so it remains a somewhat exclusive event and we expect it to sellout, once again!

Course Description
The 3.10 mile loop is a mix of shallow sand, grassy areas, and firm flatwoods. Despite being a challenging course, it flows fast! The sandy areas are shallow with only a couple patches of deeper, softer sand that you can get around very easily. There are no hills or water crossings.

The 10K course is very similar to the 5K course, but offers more of the sandy wetlands trail before taking you on a trip through a pineland on management roads, and along canals offering the most variety in both running surfaces and scenery! Both distances have the same start and finish areas.

Water/Restrooms
There will be two water stations along the 5K route and three along the 10K. There will be portable restrooms near the packet pickup table two along the 10K route.

Timing
This will be a chip timed event, professional and accurately RFID chip timed by Accuchip Timing! Timing starts when you cross the start line. Results will be posted onsite as well as Accuchip and our social media channels for all to share.

Awards/Medal
We will have medals for every finisher, and custom top finishers awards, masters and grandmasters awards, and age group awards!

Shirts
Also new for 2023 are gender specific, lightweight, moisture-wicking tech shirts: t-shirts for the guys, and short-sleeved, tank-top shirts for the ladies! 

Race Day Schedule
6:00 am Park opens for parking
6:00–7:30 am Race Day packet pick-up
8:00 am 5K start
8:15 am 10K start
9:30 am Awards