Register online through this website. Click HERE for a video on how to register.

Please note that we are only accepting a small number of day of registrations. We encourage everyone to register online by midnight on Wednesday, May 27th. You can register to run, walk, or kids dash, an individual or create, or join a team by clicking HERE.

To register to volunteer, click HERE.

Our event is taking place at Drew University. GPS Address: 36 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940. We recommend entering the campus at the intersection of Madison Ave. and Lancaster Rd. Please see below for important parking information.

Parking is located on site in Lots K and L. Most easily accessed from Lancaster Rd. campus entrance.

Please plan to stay and enjoy the event until at least 11 am. If you MUST leave the event prior to 11 am, you will have to park in Lot K or overflow Lot F only. Vehicular traffic between 10 am and 11 am will be prohibited in ALL other lots.

Please note that if exit traffic from Lot L is backed-up at the time you depart, you can also exit towards the Glendwild Ave. campus entrance. There will be overflow parking as well in Lots F,D,I,A, and B. Please click here for the campus map.

If you need to make special arrangements or accommodations, please contact Good Grief ASAP! Please note: Access to on-site parking may be restricted from 9:45 AM - 11:00 AM while the 5k Run and 2 Mile walk take place. We recommend you arrive prior to 9:15 AM and join us for the welcome ceremony.

Please note that this is subject to change.

8:30 AM Check In Opens

9:30 AM Welcome Ceremony

10:00 AM 5K Run & 2 Mile Walk Begin

11:00 AM 5K Award Pick Up Tent Opens

11:30 AM Kid Dashes Begin

12:00 PM 5K Award Pick Up Tent Closes

12:30 PM Refreshment and Activity Tents Close

The 3.1 mile course takes you through the campus of Drew University. The course is along paved roads all within the campus. Course marshals will guide you and cheer you on! All 5K timing will feature B-Tag electronic chips affixed to your assigned bib number.

Run course: https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/6070911022

This course also takes advantage of the scenic Drew University and stays entirely on paved walking areas all within the campus. The course is fun and safe for the entire family, with activity and water stations along the way.

Walk course: https://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/6070443682

Kids age 11 and under are welcome to register for and take part in our Kid Dashes - a wonderful 5K Run & Walk tradition! Our youngest participants will dash up to 100 meters with their peers in this friendly competition. The younger the kiddo, the shorter the dash.

5K Run: $30.00

Walk: $25.00

Kid Dash: $5.00

Day of registrations: +$5.00

For our Good Grief families, if the registration fee is a barrier, please speak to your Nights of Support facilitator to get a code to waive the fee.

Yes! In fact, we encourage you to Start or Join a team in memory of your person! The more the merrier when it comes to team size. Ready to build your super team? Gather your friends, family, fellow Good Griefers and community members to build the ultimate 5K Run & Walk team! You can create a team on the registration page.

Check your email! You will receive an email confirming your registration and giving you instructions on how to access and customize your Personal Fundraising Page. Your Participant Center allows you to quickly and easily customize your peer-to-peer fundraising page, send emails to your network, and connect to your social media platforms.

We have so many ways to celebrate your person who died, both before and during the 5K Run & Walk!

We encourage you to: Submit a photo and name to our Memorial Wall by emailing a photo and the name of the person you are Running or Walking for to events@good-grief.org.

Our Memorial Wall will grow online in the weeks leading up to event day, and it will be displayed during the 5K Run & Walk under the activities tent.

We will also have other special activities to do that will allow everyone the opportunity to remember, reflect, and celebrate their person. You can also decorate a special Run Memory Bib or Walk Memory Bib to wear on race day. Memory Bibs will also be available on event day in the activities tent. Or even create a custom t-shirt in memory of your person!

Our festival area is on the field of Ranger Stadium, #52 on the campus map, which is immediately adjacent to parking lots K and L. Our festival area features wide open spaces, with lots of green areas for you to gather with family, friends, and your team. The area includes check in, our Welcome Ceremony, music, porta-potties, sanitation stations, refreshments, activities, and our Memorial Wall. Our refreshment tent features snacks including a limited selection of gluten free snacks.

Your registration fee covers your event t-shirt and participation in our 5K Run & Walk. This event is both a community and fundraising event. Therefore, participants are encouraged to raise at least $200. As Good Grief enters its 22nd year of growth, fundraising is essential to sustaining and expanding our free, critical programs for grieving children, families, schools, and communities. Your efforts help ensure these vital services remain available to those who need them most.

Your Participant Fundraising Page has all of the tools you need to make your fundraising efforts quick, easy, and fun.

Customize your participant page with a special photo and tell your story. Then engage your network. We have all of the tools and templates you need to get started.

Here are some fundraising tips:

Ask - Email, social media, calls, texts - it doesn’t matter how you ask, it just matters that you do!

Set and Share Goals Along the Way - Break your fundraising into clear, actionable milestones.

Examples: 

• Weekly outreach goal: Connect with at least 5 people in your network to invite them to register and donate.

• Social goal: Share one personal story or update about your fundraising journey each week on social media.

• Challenge goal: Encourage friends to join a mini-challenge (like a walk, run, or activity) with you when you hit 25% of your target.

• Impact goal: At 50%, post a short video explaining how donations are making a difference.

• Celebration goal: When you reach your goal, host a virtual thank-you event, share results, or feature donors’ stories.

Get Social - Connect on social media to fulfill your fundraising goals. Use the hashtag #IRun4 or #IWalk4. Instagram: @goodgriefnj Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/goodgriefnj/ Always include a link back to your participant page.

Follow Up - Send reminders, and don’t be afraid to ask again.

For more fundraising tips, reach out to: events@good-grief.org.:

Yes! All participants who register online will get an event t-shirt! Runners, walkers, dashers, volunteers - t-shirts for everyone! We will do our best to have t-shirts available for day of registrations.

Our 2026 5K Run & Walk will feature on-site photographers capturing images of our event. By attending our 2026 event you are consenting to your image being used in Good Grief marketing materials, including, but not limited to, social media platforms, websites, press releases, and other printed or digital materials.

Yes. Good Grief, Inc. is a federally recognized 501(c)3 organization, Federal Tax ID #20-0514996, and as such all gifts made to Good Grief are tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable by law.

Good Grief is 100% privately funded and our programs are free to all of our families. All funds collected from fundraising efforts and sponsorships go directly to support the children and families we serve.

Yes. For the 5K Run, only jogging strollers are welcome. For the 2 Mile Walk, you are welcome to walk with “extra wheels”, especially if you bring little ones! We welcome para-athletes for both events. If you are a para-athlete and require specific accommodations for the start line please contact tears@practicehard.com. If you have extra wheels, no matter the type, please start a good distance from those around you and walk across the finish line. This protects the ankles and toes of the runners or walkers around you.

No. Please only bring what you need for the 5K Run and 2 Mile Walk. If you choose to bring items for picnicking in the festival area, please note that Good Grief is not responsible for unattended items.

The 5K Run & Walk takes place rain or shine. Think positive…Think dry! But follow the next few steps and be prepared, just in case... Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly! In the case of lightning, a tornado, or other unsafe conditions, we will delay the 5K and Walk start time, and award ceremony. An announcement will be made, and participants will be directed to a safe location until the storms pass. In the event of a pre-event delay (before 7:30 AM), we will send an email to all registered participants and post updates on the 5K event website and social media platforms.

Proudly managed by BestLife.Events. For event info and questions, please email tears@practicehard.com. Timing & Scoring is provided by Best Racing Systems and 5K results will be found at www.bestrace.com. Mobile results will be available immediately on event day at BestRace.com/mobile.