WHY RACE FOR GRACE?
Race For Grace and its beneficiary Foundation are named after Grace Elizabeth Ekis, a precious 5-year-old girl who fought a courageous 13-month battle with a rare cancerous brain tumor called diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). DIPG is an inoperable tumor of the brainstem for which there is no known cure and there have been no significant advances in treatment options for more than 40 years. Affecting primarily children, it is the rarest and worst of all pediatric brain tumors. Approximately 150 to 200 children are diagnosed with this type of tumor each year and survival time is typically just nine to twelve months from diagnosis. Grace journeyed to Heaven on Valentine’s Day 2008.
EVENT DETAILS
Opening activities begin at 7:00AM, with the race beginning at 9:00AM. We encourage you to register prior to March 23, 2026 to ensure you will receive a race t-shirt. However, we will also accept registrants from 7:00-8:00AM on Race Day. Extra t-shirts will be ordered, but supplies may be limited. Be sure to arrive early to partake in pre-race entertainment and warm-up. Breakfast will be available at the concession stand starting at 7:00AM. After the race, there will be an award ceremony, many fun indoor children’s activities, charitable hair donations, dance performances, basket raffle and silent auction, and full concession stand of lunch items available for purchase. (If you are interested in donating your hair, please email
UmFjZUZvckdyYWNlIHwgcmVmbGVjdGlvbnNvZmdyYWNlICEgb3Jn). Visit our merchandise and awareness area, which will be open throughout the day. The day’s events will conclude around 1:00PM. We look forward to seeing you on March 28, 2026!
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSING DATE -- Monday, March 23, 2026 @11:59PM EDT
REGISTRATION CATEGORIES
Adults and children will have the option to register for one of the following:
--5K Walk
--5K Run (timed)
--1 Mile Walk
--General Participant (For those attending the event but not running or walking)
--Virtual Run / Walk (For those who cannot make it to Norwin High School on Race Day – run or walk virtually anywhere across the globe!)
Also check out other Sports events in Irwin, Nonprofit events in Irwin.
