Annual Jared Anez Memorial Race

Dates

About

Annual Jared Anez Memorial Race
Saturday, August 1, 2026
HALF MARATHON STARTS AT 7:00 AM
5K STARTS AT 8:15 AM
KIDS FUN RUN STARTS AT 9:00 AM

Welcome to the 9th annual Jared Anez Eagle Lake Race Series! The morning’s events include a Half Marathon, 5K Run/Walk, Kids Fun Run, and Bean Bag Tournament! Ice cream truck will also be on site again this year!

NEW FOR 2026: Additional race t-shirt purchases will be available to order online through July 18th. A limited number and sizes of t-shirts will be sold at packet pick-up and on race day.

Half Marathon: 13.1 miles. This is included in the Glacial Lakes Championship Running Series and each finisher will be awarded points in the series along with a finisher’s medal and gift. The course will be supported through 3 hours; after 3 hours, you are considered a self-supported pedestrian. All in-person participants are eligible for overall and age group awards. Participants will receive a race T-shirt with their race packet (guaranteed if registered by July 18).

5K: Participants are welcome as runners or walkers; strollers or wagons are welcome. No pets, please. Participants will receive a race T-shirt with their race packet (guaranteed if registered by July 18).

NO Virtual Half Marathon or 5k options for 2026. Please consider donating or purchasing a race t-shirt as a way to show your support.

Kids Fun Run: Kids 10 and under are welcome to run or walk the Kids Fun Run at 9:00 am – it’s FREE! Each participant in the Fun Run will run through the finish line arch and receive a ribbon. The Kids Fun Run will start and end near the race finish line. You may sign up for the free kids fun run but registration is not required.

BEAN BAG TOURNAMENT: For those who want to participate in the day’s events without running, this is for you! Each 2-person team should register before August 1 if possible, but we will also take same day registration before 8:00am. 2-Person Team Entry is $30. Tossing begins around 8:15 am. If there is unfavorable weather, the bean bag tournament will be held indoors in the Big Red Gym.

Jared Anez was a father, husband, local agriculture business owner, school board chairman, and an active member of the Willmar community who passed away unexpectedly in March of 2017. Jared was passionate about education, family, faith, and a healthy, active lifestyle. These values are demonstrated daily by Jared’s wife, Kami, and their 6 children, Sam, Savannah, Harley, Jonas, Sullivan and Lawson and we are grateful for everything they bring to the Willmar community. We are honoring Jared’s legacy and the Anez Family’s commitment to education and community with this race series.

We are proud to celebrate Jared’s legacy by funding scholarships from race proceeds for high school students pursuing post-secondary education in a STEM-related field. Last year, for the graduating class of 2025, the Jared Anez Memorial gave $11,000 to the Willmar High School and New London-Spicer High School Scholarship Programs! A total sum of $88,000 in scholarships has been given over the last eight years. We couldn’t make this contribution to high school students each year without the donations from our community sponsors, donors, volunteers, and all of the participants who choose to run and toss with us! Thank you to all of you!

REGISTRATION INFORMATION
ONLINE REGISTRATION CLOSES AT 12:00 PM (NOON) ON 7/29/26.
If you miss online registration, you can still register in person at Willmar Senior High School on Friday, July 31st from 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
OR
on race day Saturday, August 1st from 6:00 am – 8:00 am. Willmar Senior High School, 2701 30th ST NE, Willmar, MN 56201. Use the main entrance doors.

REGISTER BY JULY 18th TO GUARANTEE YOUR RACE TSHIRT
All participants will be guaranteed a race t-shirt in their chosen size if registered by July 18th, 12:00 pm. Every effort will be made to provide a t-shirt to participants registered after the t-shirt deadline, but there is no guarantee.

HALF MARATHON AWARDS
Trophies will be awarded to the first female and first male finisher of the race. Age group awards will be given to the top 3 male and top 3 female finishers in the following age groups: 1-15, 16-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+

5K AWARDS
Trophies will be awarded to the first female and first male finisher of the race. Age group awards will be given to the top 3 male and top 3 female finishers in the following age groups: 10 & Under, 11-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+

BEAN BAG TOURNAMENT AWARDS
Top two teams will be awarded gift cards.

If you have any questions or concerns please contact Mary LaRue at 320-894-5998 or [email protected].
We look forward to seeing you at packet pick up and on race day August 1st.