Campus Community Invited to Register Now for Triton 5K

June 7 event benefits student scholarships at UC San Diego

Lace up your running (or walking) shoes. The Triton 5K is scheduled for Saturday, June 7.

Join Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla and members of the UC San Diego community on a 3.1-mile scenic course through campus. While supporting student scholarships, participants will pass the King Triton statue, the iconic Geisel Library and several renowned public artworks from the Stuart Collection, including Tim Hawkinson’s 23-foot-high stone “Bear” and Do Ho Suh’s “Fallen Star” house perched precariously atop Jacobs Hall. The 5K event also features a healthy living festival that includes hands-on activities for all ages, live music by Todo Mundo, a beer garden and a Kids Fun Run. The festival is free and open to the public.

Participants are encouraged to register soon. Triton 5K Early Bird pricing is $25 for the UC San Diego community, including faculty, staff, alumni and parents of current students and $35 for general community members, or non-affiliates. Active or veteran members of the military can sign up for $30. Pricing will increase by $5 when Early Bird pricing expires on April 30. Registration for all current high school and university students is $10. Day-of registration may be subject to increased registration fees and is subject to availability. Racers are encouraged to register as an individual, or create a team of 5 or more by visiting 5k.ucsd.edu.

Established in 1996, the annual 5K is a long-standing campus tradition that has raised more than $3.5 million to benefit motivated and ambitious UC San Diego students.

“The Triton 5K has been a campus tradition for 18 years, raising money for student scholarships and ensuring that promising, bright students have access to a world-class UC San Diego education,” says Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla. “We are committed to broadening the path to education, increasing support for students and providing the best possible student academic experience.”

Raising funds for scholarships for all who need them is a key priority at UC San Diego. In today’s challenging economic times, college students need scholarship support more than ever. Currently, nearly 65 percent of undergraduate students at UC San Diego need financial aid to attend the university.

"I'm grateful,” says Christine Som, ’16, the recipient of a Chancellor’s Scholarship and a second-year student studying biochemistry and cell biology. “In the future, as a successful oncologist, I can promise that what you have given me will be reciprocated to the UCSD student community."

Added Abdikarin M. Abdullahi, '17, “I would not have been able to financially afford UCSD without assistance. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to pursue my dreams." A freshman, he is studying political science and was the recipient of the UC San Diego Retirement 5K Chancellor’s Scholarship.

The Triton 5K will begin at 9 a.m. at the Spanos Track and Field Stadium and will continue on the scenic course through the La Jolla campus. Participants may run or walk the timed course. A camera feed and live tweets will be featured on the scoreboard for spectators in the stadium. The race will utilize a wave start — runners, walkers and strollers will be grouped according to their pace to allow for plenty of space along the course without affecting individual “chip” times, the actual amount of time it takes a runner to go from the starting line to the finish line.

At 10:30 a.m., the Kids Fun Run kicks off for children ages 13 and under. This kid-friendly short course features wave starts and clearly defined race lengths per age group, plus a children’s finisher medal and goodie bag. The advance fee for the Kids Fun Run is $20 per family for up to four children, through April 30.

Organizers of the Triton 5K are seeking volunteers to help with check-in, water distribution and much more. Volunteers will receive a free “Race Crew” T-shirt and community service hours through the Volunteer 50 program. Please email volunteer50@ucsd.edu or visit the volunteer page on the Triton 5K website if you would like to help.

To encourage runners to participate in the race, eligible UC San Diego employees may earn points toward the UC Living Well incentive program. For complete information about the Triton 5K, including registration, festival activities, sponsorships and more, visit the Triton 5K website.

Last year, the Triton 5K broke all records when a crowd of 3,000 participated in the race, volunteered and attended the healthy living festival. The race was previously held in October, but was moved to June in 2013 to become an integral part of Alumni Weekend, June 5-8. The weekend also features two other events open to the public on June 6: A Conversation with Nick Woodman, ’97, founder and CEO of GoPro and Night at the Padres. The annual Alumni Weekend invites alumni, friends and family to rediscover UC San Diego, and reconnect with each other and the university. Additional information is available at the Alumni Weekend web page.