About the 26th Annual River City Rat Race
The course runs through downtown Fort Wayne's riverside parks, starting on Main Street and finishing at a historic fort. The route takes you along the riverfront and through autumn parkland, so there is real scenery to carry you through. Both a shorter and a longer distance are offered, and the longer one counts toward a local run club points series.
Packet pickup is the afternoon before the race at the downtown YMCA on Barr Street, with a second window on race morning at Freimann Square. The start is a short walk from the pickup location. The finish at the Old Fort gives the race a distinct endpoint, and age group awards run deep across the full spread of age categories.
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Distances & Start Times
10K10/18/2026 14:00$40
5K10/18/2026 14:00$40
Going for a Time?
Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.
Plan Your TripWhere to Stay
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