Some Things Old, Some Things New
We are anticipating our final two races for the 2026 season! The Turkey Trot 5K & Mile on Thanksgiving morning, November 26th and the Jingle Bell 5K on December 5th will conclude a robust, memory-filled racing season. As we wind down this special 25th anniversary year, I continue to be amazed at the support and engagement from you, our community of athletes and from the organizations that continue to choose to host events that keep people moving and connected. The Platte River Fitness Series Points Competition and Finisher’s Challenge continue to motivate athletes to craft a lifestyle and a level of participation that keep them active members of a community of shared purpose, connection and belonging.
I enjoy this time of year. It is a beautiful season of course, but it is also the season during which I get very busy building the schedule for next year and planning the annual Night of Champions. The Night of Champions on January 24, 2027, is such an important event. It is the manifestation of the training, work, sweat, struggle, bravery and profound dedication of our athletes. Every time you enter a race, you are jumping into the “arena of hard things” and that is brave. Awarding that kind of devotion is rewarding for me. It also gives our athlete community an opportunity to really connect, away from race day, over a shared meal accompanied by shared conversation and some great storytelling. Can I also say you all clean up very nicely!
The 2027 season will bring change, renewal, novelty, and stability. I have come to the conclusion that there is a “sweet spot” in event numbers. We could certainly have more races, but we’ve tucked into the 17-19 event range long enough that it feels comfortable and cozy. While the season is not 100% set, we should end in the same sweet spot.
The most significant change in 2027 is of course the retirement of the Tri-Nebraska Triathlon. I know many of you will miss the opportunity to experience a low-key introduction to the sport of triathlon through our founding event. We are not, however, retiring the kids event. The kids triathlon continues to grow and is a beloved family event. It will return to its original name, the Tinker Triathlon. Somewhere down the road, a return to the adult triathlon is certainly possible. If people can come out of retirement, so can our triathlon.
Another significant change is to our other remaining event from the original three, the Jingle Bell 5K & Mile. The race name is shared by other Jingle Bell runs across the country, and in particular, annual runs that benefit the Arthritis Foundation. While our race pre-dates the trademark of the name by the foundation by many years, as a courtesy to the Arthritis Foundation and the work it does, we are going to retire our use of the name. We don’t have to, but it’s a nice thing to do! To make our Christmas race truly one-of-a-kind, it will be re-named the “North Platte North Pole 5K & Mile. That date is set for December 4, 2027. You won’t want to miss the inaugural sweatshirt, so get that date on your calendars now!
The 2026 Hershey Adventure Re-run 5K was an anniversary gift to the PRFS. We are so grateful to Dan and Allison Huebner and their family and the community of Hershey for such a special and incredibly fun gift! It was, however, a gift, so you won’t see it return to the 2027 schedule.
We are anticipating two new events for 2027 that I will be excited to share more about as they are developed. I can, however, give you an idea of the fun to come! There has been some interest in ultrarunning which is thriving at the national level. As a matter of fact, quite a few of our community athletes are already registered for the Wiley Canyon 35 Miler in Lexington in late August 2027. They had a great inaugural year, and some of our athletes are really excited to help them grow their event. I am hoping to bring a longer event back to the PRFS that would allow for individuals and relays but be done in time increments rather than distance. Many, many years ago, Ron Snell, the then Director of the Connection held a 24-hour race to benefit the shelter in Cody Park, so we have a history to reference! I did it both years and it was so much fun! There is also a very popular type of ultra run known as “backyard ultras” which are done in loops based on time. My hope is a hybrid event where individuals and teams could run a looped course with more than one option (something like a 2-hour, 4-hour and 8-hour option or more!). Our goal is to create something that would allow for an ultra-type experience without the cost and travel as well as provide a second option for a team event along with our beloved Lake to Lake Relay.
Before we look at the second new event, speaking of the Lake-to-Lake Relay, there will be a change to the finish and the typical initial uncertainty about the date. You will probably see a TBD (to be determined) date on the schedule. Waiting on the football schedule is part of setting the date, and we do try to set that date on a day best positioned in relationship to Husker football and volleyball. Expect to see it return to late September, maybe early October. We will be changing the route slightly and will no longer be finishing at Lake Maloney Golf Course. Most likely, the finish will be at Jaycee Park. The details will be available closer to the race.
As for our second new event, it is a return of TWO previous events combined into one! The Connection returns to event hosting by bringing back a style of racing that we had in the early years of the PRFS known as a Predictor Challenge. Why not! Prediction seems to be all the rage these days! The challenge is that athletes, without the benefit of any device, phone, etc., will predict their finishing time (still working on a distance). The winners are those who most closely predict their time. The event will also return us to a New Year’s celebration and a second event in December. The race date will be December 31, 2027, but this time, a start time BEFORE midnight so that the after-race celebration is one big New Year’s party! Route is yet to be determined.
The 2027 schedule will bring some things old and some things new. The 2027 season will do the same. Old friends, old favorite races and athletes one year older. It will bring us new things; new friends, new family, new events and new purpose and meaning. Here’s to 2027!