For runners, the Fourth of July is a lot like New Year’s Eve. There are events all over, and even people who don’t normally participate get in the spirit and join in.
There are more races and fun runs on July 4 than any other day of the year, but for some reason Galveston County doesn’t have any Independence Day races.
Of course, one of the best things about a long holiday weekend is the chance to travel, and anyone traveling around the state on the July Fourth weekend will have plenty of opportunities to run a race, or maybe even three or four.
The first run of the long weekend is San Marcos’ Firecracker 5K Evening Run, scheduled for July 2. With a 7:30 start time, the run on the rolling hills of San Marcos might be the coolest race of the weekend. For details, call Richard Merritt, 512-393-8280.
There are nearly 100 races and fun runs in Texas on July Fourth. Houston’s main event is the annual Run Wild 5K, held at Uptown Park on the West Loop.
The course is designed to spend as much time in the shade as possible, and the 7:30 a.m. start gets a jump on the day’s heat. Registration is open at EZToRegister.com.
In Dallas, the big race is the Independence 5K/10K scheduled for 8 a.m. July 4. The race is an out-and-back at White Rock Lake, and registration is available at dallasrunningclub.com.
For more of a small-town vibe, the Declaration Dash 5K Run/Walk in Double Oak, near DFW Airport, runs along the same route as the community parade later that morning. Sign-up is available at lukeslocker.com.
The long weekend of running ends with a bang — literally — at Texas World Speedway in College Station.
The Red, White and Blue Charity Fun Run offers runners a rare opportunity to run a 5K on the racetrack. Smoking tires will be replaced by smoking feet. The 7:30 p.m. start likely will find the track surface hotter than 100 degrees. Afterward, though, there will be plenty of beverages for cooling off, and a fireworks display at dark.
