Run For The Rock

Run For The Rock is an annual 5K in Bridgeport, Connecticut's Black Rock neighborhood, held as part of Black Rock Day weekend. It is a small neighborhood race with a 450-runner cap, chip timing, and a local feel strong enough that recent editions have sold out. The race honors Black Rock’s long history, from its colonial settlement roots to its role in the War for Independence and its time as a Connecticut trading and shipbuilding center. The course uses quiet roads near the water, with broad water views, mostly flat running, and one hill around the 2.2-mile mark. Families are part of the event too: there is a free kids fun run for children 8 and under, covering the final one-tenth of a mile to the finish, and parents or guardians can run with them. Entry includes a Black Rock shirt, post-race snacks and fluids are provided, and awards include gift cards for the top overall men and women plus medals for age-group finishers.