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The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park race video

The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USFeb 19, 202750km · 10km · 5km
YouTube · The Florida Run
Race date in 126 days
Feb 19, 2027 Fri
City · Distance
Chiefland · 50km · 10km · 5km
Entry fee
$51Varies by event and entry period
Status
OpenWed, September 16, 2026 ~ Fri, February 19, 2027See how to enter ↗
Official website ↗
Instagram
D-day as of Oct 16, 2026
About the raceHow to enterCourseRace PrepTravel
Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

About The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park — what makes it special

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

The event takes place over two days.

Friday features a 5km race, followed on Saturday by the 10km and half marathon.

The venue, Manatee Springs State Park, is home to a first-magnitude spring that flows directly into the Suwannee River.

All three races use trails within the park and are chip-timed.

They are registered UTMB Index races, so finishers earn Index points.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park runner reviews and race reports

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Full recap

The Florida Run · Full recap

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to enter The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park — registration routes

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

5K

Entry cost $51

until Oct 16, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page
Official race websiteEntry options
From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park course map and elevation

Your 50km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 17:30
EventStart
Half21.0975km07:15
10K10km07:30
5K5km17:30
not the start line

We have not confirmed the start line coordinates yet.

START

11650 N.W. 115 St., Chiefland, FL

Start · Google Maps

Cutoff
Half marathon must pass the 6.5-mile mark on the second loop by 9:40

Show more

Course is an unpaved trail inside the park.

The organisers warn that off-road sections continue throughout the course and that several stretches have soft sand.

The races are spread over two days.

Friday features the 5km, while Saturday features the 10km and half marathon.

The park is shaped by water.

Manatee Spring is a first-magnitude spring that flows directly into the Suwannee River through a short spring run.

This is the longest of the spring runs joining the Suwannee.

Swamps and hardwood wetlands line the river, and several sinkhole ponds are scattered across the park.

One connects to a cave 90 feet underground, leading to a spot divers call Catfish Hotel.

The park is on SR 320, six miles west of Chiefland.

In 1774, William Bartram named it after seeing a manatee carcass beside the spring.

It became Florida’s first state park spring on January 23, 1968.

Typical race-season temperature: around 14°C (58°F)
Short sleeves or light long sleeves + arm warmers
Aid stations
Aid stations approximately every 2 miles

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

Where and when to collect your The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park race bib

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2026 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Packet pickup information has not yet been announced.
For small trail races, race-morning on-site pickup is common; check the registration page announcement for details.

Stations & transport near the venue

  • Getting to the startNo public transit access

Source · checked Aug 22, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

No public transit access

Venue is Manatee Springs State Park, Chiefland, FL (Levy County) — a rural state park; car required. Date confirmed: event runs Friday Feb 19 - Saturday Feb 20, 2027, with 7:45 a.m.

You must purchase a one-day state park parking pass online on the morning of race day.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same as start — trail loop within Manatee Springs State Park, no transit access

Same as the start.

Map
Source · checked Aug 22, 2026
READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

For the weekend challenge (5K + half marathon), the standard start time is 5:30 p.m., and Entry fee costs $81.

The start is at 11650 N.W.

115 St., Chiefland, Florida.

There is no pace limit.

However,

the organizer recommends completing each mile within 19 minutes and states that participants unable to maintain this pace may be moved to the front of course by race staff.

Dogs are not permitted in course.

Strollers are allowed, but the organizer warns that the off-road surface and soft sand sections may make them difficult to operate.

There are no refunds.

Participants may purchase separate insurance during registration.

Registration can be deferred to the following year's race or another race in the same year, and it can also be transferred to another person.

A fee applies in both cases.

Changing events costs $5.

To register by mail instead of online, request an application from the organizer by email.

This race is a UTMB Index event.

It is also part of a trail series launched in 2026.

Series points are awarded based on finish times, with prizes for the top three men and women at the end of the season.

Florida weather can change quickly, so the organizer says it will delay decisions on cancellation or postponement for as long as possible.

Updates will be sent by email and social media.

Awards can be shipped for a $15 fee.

Times are local to Chiefland. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Hotels near the The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park start line in Chiefland

Hotels that make race morning easy

View all →

Distances are straight-line from the start.
Check real travel times and booking terms with each hotel.

Swipe sideways to see more hotels.

Trip.comClosest to the start lineView on Trip.com

Time for you, before and after the finish

View all →

Rest a little, wander a little.
Pick what suits you and whoever you're with.

Chiefland car rental (EconomyBookings)

Compare rates from various rental car companies, self-drive (price confirmed at time of reservation) · Make reservation after checking price

View on EconomyBookings
Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on mapSeeing Chiefland with the medal onThe city you ran — this time, a little slower.View on map

Hotel distances are straight-line from the start. Experiences, food and sights are travel products in Chiefland.

Total cost and budget for The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

ChecklistLocal eSIM · Trip.comFlight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelpPace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

Runner stories and questions about The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Chiefland runners' room

Frequently asked questions about The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park

FAQ
When does The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 take place?

It takes place on Fri, February 19, 2027 in Chiefland, FL, United States.

How much is the The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 entry fee?

The main event costs $51.

What distances does The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 offer?

10K · 5K · Ultra.

What time does The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 start?

The race starts at 17:30.

Where does The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 start?

11650 N.W. 115 St., Chiefland, FL.

What is the The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 course like?

Course is an unpaved trail inside the park.

The organisers warn that off-road sections continue throughout the course and that several stretches have soft sand.

What are the The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 cutoff times?

Half marathon must pass the 6.5-mile mark on the second loop by 9:40.

When does registration for The Florida Run @ Manatee Springs State Park 2027 open?

Registration runs from Wed, September 16, 2026 to Fri, February 19, 2027.

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