Race the Tortoise 5K Run/Walk

Run or walk through one of Florida's most beautiful state parks! The Race the Tortoise 5K winds through the tree-lined roads of O'Leno State Park in High Springs, Florida. This flat and fast tour through the park guarantees a beautiful shaded race that should be your target for a 2024 PR! Your registration includes state park admission for the day, excellent post-race food including a hot breakfast, the official race t-shirt and unique awards including a 1-day park pass "medal" for each finisher. Bring your friends and family and consider camping, hiking, mountain biking, and more at O'Leno State Park. All proceeds will be used to support projects and interpretive programs at O’Leno and River Rise Preserve State Parks. Register by February 24th to get discounted registration and guarantee a t-shirt in your size.  There is a 300 runner cap which we fully expect to meet this year, so sign up early.
--If you are unable to make this date, but would love to support O'Leno State Park and Race the Tortoise, we invite you to register for "Run Your Own Tortoise 5K" and pick a day of your choosing to visit and go for a run on your own. You will still receive a race T-shirt and a complimentary park pass as a participant. Just present your registration receipt at the Ranger Station when you visit.

Breakfast tickets for friends and family can be purchased online with your registration for $4 per person. For Day of Race registrants, Breakfast tickets for friends and family will also be available on race day for $6 each. Cabins are available for rent online with your registration, for Friday and/or Saturday night for $25.00/night plus tax. Bring the whole family and all of your friends! It'll be a great day to see all that O'Leno State Park has to offer.

Florida Track Club Members - When you register for the race, use the Coupon Code at checkout on the Payment page for a $10 Discount.  The Coupon Code can be found on the Florida Track Club Website when you log in. You will not receive a give-away shirt if you use the Coupon Code. However, a shirt can be purchased for $10 as an Add-On during your online registration, or on race day if supply allows.

FOR RACE DAY, we would greatly appreciate all runners’ and walkers’ consideration of the following information so we can get the race started on time and have everything run as smoothly as possible. 

Download/print the map ahead of time that shows the general layout of the Parking Area, Dining Hall (registration site), Bathrooms/Port-a-let, Start and Finish lines. This area is about 1.5 miles past O’Leno State Park’s entrance gate. The speed limit in the Park is 25 mph. Please watch for runners and walkers on the road as you approach the parking area.

1. The Park gate opens at 6:30 am. You must arrive at O'Leno State Park NO LATER THAN 7:30 AM. The Park's gate WILL CLOSE at 7:30 AM. O'Leno Park Rd will remain closed to let all runners and walkers finish the course safely. You will not be able to exit the Park before 9:15 am.

2. PARKING is about 1.5 miles after you pass the Ranger Station. A volunteer will direct you where to park as you approach this area.

3. Check-in for PRE-REGISTERED RUNNERS is from 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. in the Dining Hall. Look for the ”Friends of O’Leno” banners. Locate the Pre-registration Check-in line for your last name to check-in and receive your bib number and t-shirt. During check-in time, T-shirts will only be given to registrants who registered by February 23rd (the early registration deadline), who did not use an FTC discount coupon and/or who purchased a t-shirt as an Add-on.* 
Be sure to pick up safety pins from the boxes on the table. If you purchased Friends and Family breakfast tickets with your registration, they will be at that same table in an envelope with your name on it. Save your bib when you finish the race! It is your personal breakfast ticket!

4. DAY-OF-RACE REGISTRATION is also from 6:45 a.m. to 7:45 a.m. in the Dining Hall. Locate the Day of Race Registration table to register and receive your bib number. Check back when registration closes at 7:45 am to see if we still have t-shirts in your size . Be sure to pick up safety pins from the boxes on the table. There is No FTC discount on race day.
If you plan to register on race day, please complete a Day of Race Registration Form (Click Here) before you arrive, and bring cash or a check for $35 per adult, and $10 per child 14 years or younger, payable to Friends of O’Leno, Inc. Friends and Family breakfast tickets will be available for $6 cash on the day of the race. Save your bib when you finish the race! It is your personal breakfast ticket!

5. Please DO NOT leave children unattended at the Dining Hall while you are on the course.

6. Please pin your BIB NUMBER on the outside of the front of your shirt or jacket, and don’t fold, bend or remove anything from it. This will allow the disposable “chip” on the back of it to record your race time correctly.

7. Soon after the start of the race, the course will become divided to give runners coming back to the finish line a clear lane to run in. Please stay to the side of the road facing traffic as indicated by the arrows.

8. Water & Gatorade stations will be near the Ranger Station (which is about 1.5 miles from the start) and at the finish line. Water, Gatorade, coffee and juice will also be available in the Dining Hall before and after the race.

9. A permanent park bathroom is located next to the parking lot, a Portalet will be near the Start line.

10. RESTRICTIONS - For the safety of all: no pets, bicycles, skateboards, or skates allowed on the course. Strollers are permitted.

11. A park ranger will be patrolling the course to provide assistance to anyone who needs help.

12. Partial Race Results will be posted in the Dining Hall at about 8:45 a.m. and final results about 10 minutes after the last person finishes. Also, results will be accessible on RunSignUp immediately after the race. And at FriendsofOleno.org as soon as possible. Results may also be viewed on the kiosk at the finish line.

13. Shortly before the Awards Ceremony there will be drawings for door prizes based on bib numbers. Post-race proceedings will start at 9:15 am in the Dining Hall (registration site). If you win an award but can’t stay for the awards ceremony, please make arrangements for someone to receive your award for you.

14. CARPOOLING is greatly appreciated.

15. If we are experiencing severe weather race morning, please check Florida Track Club on Facebook or Instagram after 6:15 am for information on possible delays or cancellation.