WE CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20TH, 2025!
Thank you to our Title Sponsor, First Bank Elk River, for supporting our 12th Annual Event!
Thursday, September 18th, 2025
- 4:00 - 7:00 pm: Early Packet Pickup – Lupulin Brewing Company
- Address: 570 Humboldt Drive, Suite 107, Big Lake, MN 55309
- Pick up your race materials, purchase Thumbs Up merch, & enjoy a BOGO beverage courtesy of Lupulin! $1 from every beverage sold will also be donated back to Thumbs Up as part of Lupulin’s ‘Pouring for a Purpose’ campaign!
Friday, September 19th, 2025
- 4:00 - 7:00 pm: Early Packet Pickup – Lake Orono Park
- Address: 18599 Gary Street, Elk River, MN 55330
- Chalk Party! Help us Chalk the Walk with positive messages & remembrance of our loved ones! (chalk provided)
- Make a full evening of it and enjoy dinner with Top It food truck!
Saturday, September 20th, 2025
- 7:00 am - 8:30 am: Pre-Registered Packet Pickup & Same-Day Registration
*ALL PACKET PICKUP & SAME-DAY REGISTRATION MUST BE COMPLETED BY 8:30 AM*
- 9:00 am: Opening & Remembrance Ceremony
- 9:25 am: Keynote Speaker - Kate Gladdin
- 9:45 am: Stretching by Luke Smith from SNAP Fitness
- 10:00 am: Races Begin
- 10:00 am - 5K & 10K Bike
- 10:05 am - 5K & 10K Run
- 10:10 am - 5K Walk
- 11:00 am: Youth Activities, Other Festivities, & Food Trucks
- 12:00 pm: Youth Fun Run
- Ages 3-5: 1/2K
- Ages 6-8 :1K
- Ages 9-12: 1 mile
- 2:00 pm: Event Ends
Directions & Parking Information
- Event Location: Lake Orono Park – 18599 Gary Street, Elk River, MN 55330
- Please plan on parking at the Sherburne County Fairground Parking Lot: 18335 Joplin St NW, Elk River, MN 55330
- Parking is free/no-charge
- Please try to carpool if you are able!
Youth Activities
- Obstacle Course (ages 3-12) - Children age 2 & under are free
- Bounce Houses (separate for preschool ages)
- Crazy Hair
- Face Painting
- Kindness Rocks by Plaisted Companies
- Mindfulness by Ms. Liz
- Playground area
- Splash Pad (weather dependent)
- Skate Park
Food Trucks & Beverages
- Food Trucks Available On-Site: Adventure Bowls, Mama's Taco Truck, Top It, Kevin's Gyros
- Painted Dragonfly Coffee Cart
- Complimentary coffee from Dunn Brothers Elk River
- Water Stations along the route
Activities & More Info
- Register by August 25, 2025 to be guaranteed a participant t-shirt with your registration fee
- Memory Tree - Bring a photo of your loved one to be displayed
- Grief Support & Bereavement Memorial Area
- Mental Health & Wellness Vendors On-Site
- Veteran Memorial Area sponsored by Hannay Electric 🇺🇸
- Dress for the weather
- Friendly dogs are welcome at the event. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Please clean up after your pets.
THE THUMBS UP MOVEMENT
Thumbs Up was founded in 2014 by several community members in honor of two great men, Bob Schmit and Chuck Dahlheimer, who, like many others, took their lives after living in silence from a mental illness. Thumbs Up is all about EMBRACING those struggling and breaking the stigma around mental health, connecting, supporting, and encouraging one another to talk about their feelings and challenges and to "KEEP MOVING FORWARD."
We are dedicated to educating and teaching about mental illness, the warning signs of suicide, what you can do to help others who struggle, and community awareness initiatives.
So, let's UNITE to help others to KEEP MOVING FORWARD.
MISSION STATEMENT
Bringing awareness to mental health and providing support and resources to all.
THUMBS UP APPAREL
Kickstart meaningful conversations through our Thumbs Up apparel. By wearing our apparel, you can help break the stigma and open the door for others to have a discussion with you. Shop Now
#KEEPMOVINGFORWARD
WHAT'S INCLUDED IN MY REGISTRATION?
The registration fee for all participants includes entry into your chosen walk, run, or bike distance, access to all pre- and post- event activities, a participant t-shirt, and FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER (!!!), a finisher's medal!
EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION ENDS 5/04/2025
Early bird registration ends May 4, 2025. Registration prices will increase by $5 on May 5, 2025!
REGISTER BY 8/25/2025 TO BE GUARANTEED A RACE PARTICIPANT T-SHIRT
You MUST register by August 25, 2025 to be guaranteed a free race participant t-shirt! We will do our best to have enough t-shirts, but with longer lead times on ordering and printing, we cannot guarantee it.
REGISTER YOUR TEAM BY 9/02/2025 TO BE GUARANTEED A TEAM SIGN
Please register your team by September 2, 2025 in order to be guaranteed a team sign (must have a team of 4 members or more to receive a team sign).
Registration fees
Prices are inclusive of mandatory charges, items, and fees
5K Walk
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
-
Register for 5K Walk$44.79
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$50.14
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$55.49
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
5K Run
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
-
Register for 5K Run$44.79
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$50.14
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$55.49
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
10K Run
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
-
Register for 10K Run$44.79
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$50.14
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$55.49
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
5K Bike
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
-
Register for 5K Bike$44.79
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$50.14
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$55.49
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
10K Bike
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
-
Register for 10K Bike$44.79
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$50.14
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$55.49
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
Youth Fun Run & Obstacle Course (Ages 3-12)
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
The Youth Fun Run will be divided into three distances by age and take place following the main walk/run/bike event: Ages 3-5: 1/2K; Ages 6-8: 1K; Ages 9-12: 1 mile; The Youth Entry Fee includes the Youth Fun Run and participation in the Obstacle Course for each registrant. There is no fee for children age 2 and under. Registered youth will receive a rubber finishers medal as well as a participant t-shirt. Please note: the fun run is NOT chip timed. Youth should register for the standard 5K or 10K event in order to receive a chip time.
-
Register for Youth Fun Run & Obstacle Course (Ages 3-12)$23.39
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$28.74
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$34.09
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
Virtual Walk Participant
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
Must register by August 25, 2025, in order to receive your race packet BEFORE the event on September 20th! All participants registered after August 25, 2025, will receive their race packet AFTER the event.
-
Register for Virtual Walk Participant$53.35
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$58.69
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$64.04
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
Virtual Run Participant
Price changes in 9 days 23 hours-
Must register by August 25, 2025, in order to receive your race packet BEFORE the event on September 20th! All participants registered after August 25, 2025, will receive their race packet AFTER the event.
-
Register for Virtual Run Participant$53.35
Early Bird Registration
Now registering Apr 1 – May 4 -
$58.69
Standard Registration
May 5 – Aug 1 -
$64.04
Late Registration
Aug 2 – Sep 20
-
Top donors
| No. | Name | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matt & Hannah P | $267.10 |
| 2 | sherri wagner | $108.20 |
| 3 | Jeanne Schiller | $107.35 |
| 4 | Don Gustafason | $107.35 |
| 5 | Amy Valek | $54.96 |
Top fundraisers
| 1 |
View fundraiser page for Hannah
|
Hannah Johnson$267.10 Raised$500.00 Goal |
|
| 2 |
View fundraiser page for sherri
|
sherri wagner$108.20 Raised$1,200.00 Goal |
|
| 3 |
View fundraiser page for Amy
|
Amy Walz$54.10 Raised$500.00 Goal |
|
| 4 |
View fundraiser page for Amy
|
Amy ValekRaised: $54.10 |
|
| 5 |
View fundraiser page for Spencer
|
Spencer WhiteRaised: $27.48 |
Top teams
| 1 |
|
Pause;$267.10 Raised$1,200.00 Goal |
|
| 2 |
|
Trizzle Trazzle Trizzle Troll$214.70 Raised$1,200.00 Goal |
|
| 3 |
|
Team JB$136.54 Raised$1,200.00 Goal |
|
| 4 |
|
Jesus Loves you,Nick Wagner$108.20 Raised$1,200.00 Goal |
|
| 5 |
|
MN Association for Marriage and Family Therapy$54.10 Raised$1,200.00 Goal |
Event Sponsors
-
Title Event Sponsor
-
