Running of the Bears 5K Brings Vestal Together for a Meaningful Community Race

The Running of the Bears 5K once again brought runners, walkers, students, families, and community members together at Vestal High School for one of the area’s most meaningful local road races. Held in Vestal, New York, the event includes a 5K run, 5K walk, and a free indoor half-mile fun run for kids.

More than just a race, Running of the Bears is a community event with a purpose. The race is organized around the Vestal school community, with proceeds supporting Team HopeFull, a nonprofit organization supporting people and families impacted by Prader-Willi Syndrome. That combination of student leadership, local participation, and charitable impact is what has made this race a special part of the Vestal running community.

Running of the Bears 5K Event Overview

The Running of the Bears takes place at Vestal High School, 205 Woodlawn Drive, Vestal, NY 13850. According to the official RunSignup race page, the event includes a free half-mile fun run for kids, a 5K walk, and a 5K run.

The Vestal Central School District announcement lists the kids fun run at 9:00 AM, walkers at 9:30 AM, and runners at 10:00 AM. The event is designed to welcome competitive runners, walkers, students, families, and young children, making it a true community race day.

Running of the Bears 5K Results

Race results are provided by Falcon Race Timing. The most recent complete public results available at the time of this write-up were the 2025 Running of the Bears 5K overall results. Age group results are also available through Falcon Race Timing’s 2025 Running of the Bears age group results page.

2025 Overall Winners

• Overall Male Winner: Troy Robinson — 16:46.36
• Overall Female Winner: Andie Rice — 19:40.78

The 2025 race featured strong performances across many age groups, including youth runners, adult competitors, walkers, and longtime community participants. Top finishers included Troy Robinson, Eric DeHart, Alex Craver, Antonio Poccia III, Andie Rice, Lucas Wentzell, Michael Olson, and many more local runners from Vestal, Apalachin, Binghamton, Endicott, Endwell, Cortland, Windsor, and surrounding communities.

A Race That Celebrates Every Runner

One of the best parts of the Running of the Bears 5K is that it is not only about fast times. The race creates space for competitive runners, first-time 5K participants, walkers, kids, students, families, and supporters. That balance gives the event a fun, welcoming feel while still offering a real racing opportunity on a certified 5K course.

For young runners, the free indoor kids fun run helps introduce the joy of running in an approachable and exciting way. For adults and students, the 5K provides a chance to race, walk, support a cause, and be part of a positive Vestal tradition.

Supporting Team HopeFull and Prader-Willi Syndrome Awareness

Proceeds from Running of the Bears support Team HopeFull, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with a mission of fulfilling the lives of people with Prader-Willi Syndrome through charitable contributions. That charitable connection gives the event a deeper purpose and helps turn race morning into something more than a typical 5K.

Every registration, volunteer hour, sponsor contribution, and community cheer helps support the mission behind the event. Running of the Bears is a strong example of how a local race can combine fitness, school spirit, family involvement, and community service into one meaningful morning.

Photos from Running of the Bears 5K

Race photos help tell the full story of the day: the start line energy, the kids fun run, the determined finishers, the family moments, the award winners, and the smiles that make this race memorable. Whether you ran, walked, volunteered, cheered, or supported someone on course, these photos capture the spirit of the Running of the Bears community.

Photos from races like this are also a great way to celebrate local runners and keep the energy going after the event. From kids crossing the finish line to families cheering together, Running of the Bears shows what makes local racing in the Southern Tier so special.

Thank You to the Vestal Running Community

Thank you to the students, staff, volunteers, sponsors, families, runners, walkers, and supporters who have helped make Running of the Bears such a meaningful community event. Local races like this matter because they bring people together, support important causes, and help grow the running and walking community from the ground up.

Congratulations to all Running of the Bears 5K finishers, walkers, kids run participants, volunteers, and award winners. Whether you came to race hard, walk with friends, support Team HopeFull, or celebrate the Vestal community, you were part of something special.

Looking for More Local Race Results and Photos?

Check back for more local race results, photo galleries, and community race recaps from Confluence Running. We love celebrating the runners, walkers, families, race directors, schools, nonprofits, and volunteers who make the Southern Tier running community so strong.

For more race information, visit the official Running of the Bears RunSignup page, the Vestal CSD event announcement, and the Falcon Race Timing results page.

Happy Running!

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