GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) – Saturday marks the 41st Fifth Third River Bank Run, which takes place in downtown Grand Rapids. Whether you’re a participant or a spectator, here’s what you need to know before the event.
>>Storm Team 8's River Bank Run forecast
LIVE BROADCAST
24 Hour News 8 Daybreak will broadcast live from The Media Arts Center at the Grand Rapids Art Museum from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. on both WOOD TV8 and woodtv.com. Sports Director Jack Doles and seven-time River Bank Run champion Greg Meyer will join the Daybreak team to bring you live coverage of the start and finish of every race.
RACE TIMES
- 5K Run: 7 a.m.
- 10K Run: 7:40 a.m.
- 25K Handcycle: 8:15 a.m.
- 25K Wheelchair: 8:16 a.m.
- 25K Run: 8:18 a.m. (Elite women)/8:30 a.m. (Elite men & rest of field)
- 5K Walk: 9 a.m.
RACE COURSE MAPS
The Fifth Third River Bank Run’s website, 53riverbankrun.com, has course maps, as well as elevation maps, for the 5K, 10K and 25K races. They also have a map for spectator hotspots for the 25K, along with the best times to view that race based on location. View PDFs of all maps here.
The race starts on Monroe Ave. and Lyon St. The finish line is at Ottawa Ave. and Lyon St.
RACE WITHIN THE RACE
Fifth Third River Bank Run’s race within the race is returning for its fourth consecutive year, giving elite racers even more incentive to push their limits.
The group of elite women start the race 11 minutes and 15 seconds before the group of elite men – 15 seconds less than last year -- which is the average difference for finishing times between the two groups.
For 25 kilometers, the men will close the gap and try to catch up to the top female contenders. Whoever crosses the finish line first takes home an extra $2,500 dollars on top of the $10,000 first-place prize.
In 2015, Jared Ward passed Lindsey Scherf in the final 200 meters of the race. In 2016, Alphine Tuliamuk was able to hold off the men, and repeated that again in 2017 when she won a second time.
INCLEMENT WEATHER POLICY
This year’s River Bank Run events will be delayed one hour from their posted start times if Grand Rapids is under a tornado watch or warning or if there is a thunderstorm or heavy rain. If one of these situations continues for more than one hour, the event/s will be canceled. Any delays or cancelations will be reported on WOOD TV8 and woodtv.com.
River Bank Run: What if it storms?
STREET CLOSURES
WOOD TV8 traffic reporter Tom Hillen has the rundown on what streets will close and when those closures will occur. Check out the full list here.
GEAR CHECK
Runners can check their gear on race morning at DeVos Place from 6 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Each participant will receive a Fifth Third River Bank Run bag in which to store their belongings, to which they will need to attach a tag from their race bib. Gear check closes at 12:30 p.m.
FINISH LINE VIDEO
After the race, participants from every event can enter their bib number on woodtv.com to watch and share video of themselves crossing the finish line.
For a full FAQ of race event information, visit 53riverbankrun.com.