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Nana's Run organizers plan in-person 5K in downtown Grand Rapids

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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Nana’s Run is getting ready to be one of the first in-person events to return to downtown Grand Rapids later this spring.

Organizers are planning the eighth-annual, family-friendly 5K run/walk for May 1, according to a news release Thursday.

It’ll raise funds to bring necessary clinical support and special equipment to local patients and families struggling with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

Two options will be offered this year, including an in-person race that will start and end near Rosa Parks Circle.

Safety measures will include a rolling start featuring an open starting line from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.

Each participant’s race bib will have a chip that will start the race timing when the starting line is crossed and they can start at any point during the 30-minute window.

Nana’s Run will also feature a modified downtown course with wider paths to maintain social distancing.

Additional measures will be in place to limit crowds from gathering before and after the race.

“Nana’s Run is a celebration of life,” Nana’s Run Co-Chair Cassandra DeVos said. “It is a way for our community to rally together to help those facing the difficult reality of this devastating disease, support them and fund research to find a cure.”

The virtual option that was held in 2020 – attracting more than 500 participants – will also return this year.

Runners and walkers who choose this format can travel a course of their own choosing and enter their time online.

Registration costs $30 and can be done here.