Fresh Start 5K race kicks off on New Year’s Day in DC – WTOP News

A D.C. tradition continues on New Year’s Day, as thousands of runners and walkers are expected to gather at Anacostia Park to kick off 2025 with a Fresh Start 5K race.

The 5K race begins at 1800 Anacostia Dr. in southeast D.C. at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. Registration begins at 9 a.m.

“This event has grown and grown and grown,” said D.C. Parks and Recreation Director Thennie Freeman.

The Fresh Start 5K brought in 6,000 participants on New Year’s Day in 2024, and with fair weather predicted on the first day of 2025, organizers are predicting even more participants.

The 5K race will mark the event’s 11th year and is one of Mayor Muriel Bowser’s pet projects.

Bowser helped start the event after clinching the D.C. mayorship in 2015. The race is part Bowser’s vision of having D.C. residents prioritize their physical health.

The running social group Pacers has been hosting pop-up events all month in an effort to get people ready for the race.

“It’s so beautiful to see,” Freeman told WTOP. “People are walking with their animals. They’re strolling their children.”

There’s also a “Kids Dash” event for young runners under the age of 12, said Freeman.

“There were so many children coming out, we had to do something special for them,” Freeman said. “This is the second time we’re doing a Kids Dash.”

Registrations are being taken all the way to the start of the race. You can register online at FitDC.com.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2024 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.