Fast & Curious 5k Fun Run and 1 Mile Family Walk
Welcome to the 2026 Fast & Curious 5k Fun Run and 1K Family Walk on Saturday August 15!
Competitors in The Fast and the Curious fun run will race an out-and-back 5K route along Durango’s scenic river trail. New this year, register for the family 1K appropriate for all ability levels! Also new this year, join us for a separate trivia event in the park after the race. Racers and attendees alike can compete for prizes, but the winners of the race will be the first to cross the finish line! 5K registrants who register and pay before July 15, 2026 will receive a free t-shirt. Registration is required for both the 5K Race and 1K Family Walk.
** Deadline for registering is August 13th. Deadline for T-shirt purchases is July 22nd**
Date: Saturday, August 15, 2026
Time: Races start at 8:30 am. Family Walk starts at 8:45 am. Event wraps up by 11am
Location: Santa Rita Park, by the train engine display
Contact: Cathy Mewmaw, cmewmaw@durangoadulted.org Cell:630-400-8902.
Event Details
Date/Location:
August 15th, 2026 at Santa Rita Park (by the train engine display)
Time:
The race begins at 8:30am for 5K runners and at 8:45 for the 1K Family Fun Walk. Please arrive by 7:45am – 8:00am to check in. The event wraps up by 11am after quizzes are graded and prizes are distributed.
Race Route:
The races follow an out-and-back route, beginning and ending at Santa Rita Park. Both turn arounds will be well marked!
Two manned water stations will be available along the route.
Entry Fee:
– 5k Run is $45
– 1K Family Walk $10 (kids under14 free)
Race T-Shirts Available for Purchase:
– Vintage T-Shirt Adult sizes $10
-2026 T-Shirt Adult sizes $20
How to Pay:
Registration Fees can be paid online as a donation by going to our Secure Portal
Fees can also be paid by check. Please mail to:
Durango Adult Education Center
701 Camino del Rio, Ste 301
Durango, CO 81301
Please note “fun run” on the memo line.
Registration Deadline:
Early registration deadline is July 7 for free t-shirts!
August 14th, 2025 is the final deadline and t-shirts will be available for purchase as supplies last.
Race Options:
This fun run features two options designed to suit runners (and walkers) across many ages and ability levels. We welcome cheering squads, runners with strollers, and kids 14 and under run for free!
Any/all race participants have the option to complete the multiple-choice quiz questions to shave time off their race results, however, the quiz is not required.
Finishers’ Picnic and Prizes:
Following the race, competitors are welcome to enjoy refreshments at the Finishers’ Picnic at Santa Rita Park. Friends and family members are invited! In addition, prizes will be awarded for each race, factoring in quiz scores to determine runners’ final time. The best prizes are surprises…but we can tell you that many have been donated by local businesses!
Why Support This Event?
When you register to participate in The Fast and the Curious 5k/10k, a portion of your registration fee will directly support our learning center. Your support contributes to a critical need in our region.
Colorado is the only U.S. state that does not directly fund adult education. This oversight ultimately shortchanges local economies. Adults lacking a high school diploma or English language skills are more than twice as likely to be unemployed and almost three times as likely to live in poverty.
In La Plata county, one in five adults suffer from an incomplete education or language barrier. In Montezuma county, that figure intensifies to one in every four adults. Southwest Coloradans facing education gaps or limited English language skills earn nearly 20% less than their peers. When individuals are better educated, they earn higher wages, further galvanizing the local tax base.
Our program also provides GED classes to inmates at the La Plata County Jail. 40% of all incarcerated adults in the U.S. have not completed high school. Education has been shown to reduce criminal recidivism by 29%. Investing in our Center contributes to a safer community.
Additional Ways to Support
Even if you are not able to participate in the fun run, you can still support this event in many ways.
DONATE
Use our safe, secure online donation portal to contribute any amount that suits your budget. You can also send a check by mail to:
Durango Adult Education Center
701 Camino del Rio, Ste 301
Durango, CO 81301
Please note “fun run” in the memo line.
VOLUNTEER
We welcome volunteers who can assist us on race day! Duties include distributing race T-shirts and runners bibs, grading quizzes, manning aid stations, directing runners, and setting up race day supplies and prizes. We have several roles and time frames available! Select a volunteer position that suits you best! Contact Cathy at cmewmaw@durangoadulted.org
Our Reputation for Excellence
For over 37 years, the Durango Adult Education Center (501c3) has provided GED (high school equivalency) classes and English as a Second Language classes. We support adults in need of basic literacy and math skills, as well as provide pathways to U.S. citizenship for immigrants. Through dedicated career advisement, we steer students into family-sustaining career options and higher education tracks. Childcare, hot meals, transportation assistance, tutoring, and scholarships are all included in our wraparound services.
We are a beloved and lauded local institution. Our Center received the prestigious El Pomar Foundation Award of Excellence in Education in 2005. The Durango Chamber of Commerce named our Center Nonprofit of the Year in 2007 and 2016. Our teachers are award-winning educators and our teaching model guides best-practices in adult education across the state.
Ways to Support the Fun Run
- Run (or walk) the race!
- Be an event volunteer!
- Donate to this event!
- Become an event sponsor!
Thank You, Local Sponsors!
The Durango and Cortez Adult Education Center is especially grateful to the local businesses supporting The Fast and the Curious 5k and by extension, our core mission and the broader community!
