It’s Black History Month, and we are celebrating by bringing back our 5K Run/Walk on Saturday, February 25, but doing so at our Baseline Jesse Owens Clinic in honor of Jesse Owens. Jesse Owens was a Black Olympian who broke world records during the 1936 Olympic Games in Berlin, Germany. Owens leaped to fame by winning four gold medals in the 100 meters, long jump, 200 meters, and 4 × 100-meter relay in the 1936 Olympics.

On top of being the first American athlete of any race to win four gold medals in a single Olympics and holding the long jump world record for 25 years, Jesse Owens was a compassionate person with ties to the South Phoenix Community and an advocate for healthcare. He served on the board of Phoenix Memorial Hospital while living out the last years of his life in Arizona from 1972 until his death in 1980.

We purchased the Jesse Owens building in 2020 and it was important for us to keep his name and memory alive – which is why we are hosting this new annual event there in his honor. Our Baseline Jesse Owens Clinic is not only named in his honor but also features a display case filled with unique memorabilia from the athlete’s life. Our Jesse Owens Clinic has already served an important role in the community since it was used for COVID-19 testing, and vaccinations, and was an official polling place in the 2020 and 2022 elections.

Our Jesse Owens 5K Run/Walk will begin with check-in at 8 a.m. and kick off at 9 a.m. on Saturday, February 25, ending in a festival with games, music, and information and resources for the community. Registration is FREE and includes a shirt and custom medal for the FIRST 200 registrations. Click here to register. You can also register in person on the day of the event.

You’re also invited to join us the week before our 5K Fun Run/Walk, on Friday, February 17, at 5:30 p.m. for a FREE movie night featuring RACE, the biographical film based on the true story of Jesse Owens. This event will also take place at our Baseline Jesse Owens Clinic outside under the stars. Please bear in mind that the film is rated PG-13.

We hope to see you at these FREE events to learn more about the historic Jesse Owens and everything Mountain Park has to offer.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for this special event and to our sponsors for helping keep it FREE for everyone! Click here to see the pictures and shoot us a message at info@mphc-az.org if you would like to be involved next year.