Run for Freedom 5K & Fun Run 2026

The Run for Freedom 5K & Fun Run is part of the Freedom's Run Race Series in the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia. The series includes the Harper's Ferry Half & 5K, the October Freedom's Run event, and Camp River Runners, with race distances from a kids' mile to a full marathon. Dr. Mark Cucuzzella and Lois Turco founded Freedom's Run to encourage healthier habits in the region. The series is guided by the Eastern Area Health Education Center of WVU Medicine. Entry fees support the Freedom's Run Grant, which funds health and wellness projects across a nine-county service area, including local trails at schools and youth and adult camps. The organizers note the events helped start a local running boom, providing residents with more ways to stay active and drawing runners through the Eastern Panhandle and neighboring communities.