The Aptos Women's 5-Miler

Congratulations to everyone who completed the 2018 Aptos Kids', Women's and Men's races! Race results are here.

The 37th running of the Aptos Women's Five Miler is Sunday, June 10, 2018. We will be having THREE races on that day:
Kids' 0.5 miler starts at 7:45am
Women's Five Miler starts at 8:00am (note new time is one hour earlier)
Men's Five Miler starts at 9:00am (NEW race on same course as the women's race)
You must order by May 20, 2018 to be guaranteed your shirt size. We will have youth, women's and unisex shirts.

Gail Goettelmann started this race in 1982, back when most race participants were men, to give women a chance to race with other women. We still love our women’s race, and we think you will, too— whether you’re in it to break the tape, or just looking to try a new distance in a fun and supportive atmosphere. Now we have expanded our race offerings to give everyone a chance to experience this beautiful and challenging race course. Join us for one, two, or all three races in one day!

REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN!!! You can register online or download and mail the reg form.
Questions? Email Laura Chiorello at [email protected]

The Course
Our beautiful, flat-to-rolling course begins under the oaks of Aptos Village Park and follows a paved, then packed dirt road into the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park— a local gem known for its towering redwoods and beautifully-maintained trails. You'll get a taste of that single-track on the way back to the finish, climbing and then descending a hillside on the "Buggy Trail" between miles 3 and 4. (Read more about the course here.) Walkers are welcome!

Awards and Shirts
We will also have awards for top-finishing mother-daughter, sister, and girlfriend teams. Age group awards will be awarded to the top three finishers in 5-year age brackets, as well as to the top three finishers in the team categories. All participants receive a t-shirt with a unique design. NOTE: YOU MUST REGISTER BY MAY 20 TO BE GUARANTEED YOUR SHIRT SIZE. We will place our order for shirts at that time and then make an educated guess as to how many more shirts (and what sizes) to order after that. This means that you may not get your first choice if you register after May 20.

Beneficiaries
This race and raffle benefit the Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks, a local organization that supports the maintenance and improvement of the park. A portion of the money raised also goes to the youth and adult running and race walking programs of the Santa Cruz Track Club.

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New & Noteworthy at AW5M: 2018 is the 37th running of the race!

Separate women's (8am) and men's (9am) races on the same fantastic course that women have been racing for 37 years.
CHIP TIMING for all adult and kid races
Second Annual Kids 0.5 Miler featuring the BIG HILL out of Aptos Village Park. Boys and girls 12 and under are welcome!
All race finishers receive a commemorative wooden AW5M magnet crafted by our friends at Elevation Culture. They're beautiful!
All kids race finishers will receive a beautiful ribbon!
We will have age group awards in 5 year categories for the women's and men's races
We will have even smaller age groups for the kids' race (because there's a big difference between a six year old and a nine year old :)
We will have new shirts with an awesome new design by local runner and AW5M racer Trisha Liu!
The Olive Garden will be providing treats at the finish line, including goodie bags and breadsticks! Yes, you can have an Olive Garden breadstick after you race!
Also stuffed in the goodie bags: 20% off coupon from the Sports Basement!
Yummy treats and water will be provided by our friends at New Leaf Community Market!
Proceeds benefit the Santa Cruz Track Club youth program and the Advocates for the Forest of Nisene Marks

Gail Goettelmann, the founder of the AW5M, opens the 35th running of the race on June 12, 2016.

Thank you to our 2018 sponsors and partners:

The Aptos Women's 5-Miler is organized by the Santa Cruz Track Club, a non-profit organization that has been supporting and promoting running and race walking in Santa Cruz County since 1989. Our community includes athletes of every age, experience, and ability who participate in events ranging from 100 meters to 100 miles. We enthusiastically invite you to explore our website and check out our adult workout schedule, and feel free to join us for a weekday or Saturday morning track workout or a Sunday trail run— whether you're a seasoned marathoner or looking to finish your first 5K, whether your a local or just in town for the weekend. We'd love to go for a run with you!