Event Name: Pajama Party 5K
Location: Hollywood, Florida
What do you wear to a 5K? Most days, it's shorts and a tech shirt. But on the morning of October 3, 2026, the answer in Hollywood was a whole lot comfier. Flannel pants, puppy-print sleep sets, silky pajama tops, and even a fuzzy brown hoodie with ears showed up ready to run. The sky was gray, the palm trees were swaying, and the 7:30 AM start made it feel like half the city rolled out of bed together. And that was the whole point.
The Pajama Party 5K was held at Charnow Park, and every athlete got a personalized race bib with a built-in RFID timing chip, an exclusive event shirt, and a finisher medal. Victory Sports Management handled the chip timing, and awards went to the top three overall finishers plus age group winners. But here's the part that matters most. Every dollar raised benefits Big Heart Bigger Lives, a youth-led nonprofit working to get life-saving Automated External Defibrillators, or AEDs, to kids with heart conditions.
Here's something else we noticed right away. This wasn't a giant race. According to the published results, 72 athletes crossed the timing mats, and they ranged in age from 8 to 73. But what the field lacked in size, it made up for in heart. All morning, we saw waves, peace signs, arms thrown overhead, and a whole lot of encouragement. The support was real, and you could feel it from the first stride to the last finish-line cheer.
The Lead Pack: Fast Feet on the Brick Beachfront
Let's start up front, where things got fast in a hurry. Three runners in this early pack went on to take the top spots overall. Matt Langhans (bib 1880), a 27-year-old from Hollywood, ran bare-chested with a calm, steady stride. He finished second overall in 22:49. Just off his shoulder was Holden Shear (bib 721), a 17-year-old from Hollywood, who wore a white lacrosse shirt and went on to finish third overall in 23:05. Right beside him was Brody Baum (bib 962), also 17, from North Miami Beach. He wore a light-blue shirt and took fourth overall in 24:09. A fourth runner in a light-blue lacrosse tank rounded out the group, and all of them were pushing the pace on the brick path with palm trees lining the way.
Here's a fun fact about that early crew. Holden, Brody, and Matt were all running within sight of each other while the course was still wide open. That's what makes the first half of a 5K so exciting to photograph. Nobody has made a big move yet, but everybody is thinking about it.
Halfway Heroes: Smiles, Strides, and Style Points
Next up, we caught two runners in matching navy-blue event shirts, both wearing big energy. Matthew Molina (bib 1927), age 20, flashed a smile and a shaka sign with a phone in one hand and an earbud in his ear. He went on to finish tenth overall in 27:16 and took first place in the men's 20 to 29 age group. A little farther down the path, we found Charley Cypress (bib 225), a 42-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, locked in and breathing hard in a bright blue-and-green running outfit. Charley finished eighth overall in 25:37 and won the men's 40 to 49 age group.
Caden Rodriguez (bib 1928), also 20, came through next in his event shirt and black boots, with a focused look on his face. He crossed the line in 30:54, finishing thirteenth overall. Then came one of the best style moments on the course. King Var Worrell Nichols (bib 744), a 41-year-old from Pompano Beach, wore a camo bucket hat, bright pink sport sunglasses, black patterned pajama-style pants, and neon yellow shoes. Talk about a look! He backed it up with speed, too, finishing ninth overall in 26:44 and second in the men's 40 to 49 age group.
Then we spotted Albert De Rojas (bib 1932), a 59-year-old from Miami Beach, in a gray running shirt and neon green shoes. He looked smooth and steady, and the results show he was one of the best in his age group. Albert finished fifteenth overall in 32:32 and was the first finisher in the men's 50 to 59 age group. That's the kind of consistency that makes us smile behind the camera.
Not everyone out there was racing the clock, and that's perfectly fine at a pajama party. Further back, we caught Jay Ieronimo (bib 574), a 48-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, and Emilly Palacios (bib 583), a 43-year-old also from Fort Lauderdale, running side by side. Jay wore plaid shorts and Emilly wore a black running set. A young runner in a pink polka-dot pajama top and a colorful print bottom stayed right with them, and her bib was partly hidden in this frame. Emilly finished thirty-second overall in 41:49 and took second place in the women's 40 to 49 age group. Jay finished thirty-third overall in 42:07.
The Heart of the Day: Big Heart Bigger Lives and a Very Special First
Now let's talk about why all of these people were in pajamas to begin with. Big Heart Bigger Lives is a youth-led nonprofit that collects donations to get AEDs to children with serious heart conditions, especially when a family might not have the money to buy one. According to Vital AED, the Title Sponsor of Big Heart Bigger Lives, doctors often recommend that these kids have an AED close by at home, at school, at sports, and while traveling. The cost can be a big hurdle. The goal is simple: money should never stand between a child and an AED when one has been recommended.
That mission got very real at this race. One of our athletes was the very first person to receive an AED from Vital AED. Because of a heart condition, that AED has to be with this athlete at all times. Think about what that means. It's not a gadget in a closet. It's something that goes along for the walk, the run, and the finish line. Seeing that kind of protection out on the course was a powerful reminder that these donations change real lives. Vital AED also reminds us that equipment is only part of the story. CPR training and knowing the steps of the chain of survival, which are spotting an emergency, calling 911, starting CPR, and using an AED, help whole communities get ready.
The Finish Line Show: Winners, Wavers, and Pajama Pros
With that in mind, every finisher at the line meant a little more. The first athlete to hit the tape was Marcio Valente (bib 280), a 64-year-old from Hollywood. Marcio won the whole race in 22:46, and he did it with a fierce, focused stride. That's right. The overall winner was 64 years old, and he beat the second-place finisher by less than four seconds. Right behind the front of the pack, another runner pushed through the final stretch with sunglasses in hand and a determined look. We couldn't see the bib number clearly in this frame, so we'll let the photo speak for itself.
One of our favorite pajama looks of the day came from Aric Whiddon (bib 224), a 29-year-old from Hollywood. He wore green plaid pajama pants with a navy long-sleeve henley, and he still found a way to finish fourteenth overall in 30:58. That's proof that comfy pants and fast times can go together. Not far behind in the cheerful department was Kawana Jones (bib 199), a 49-year-old from Margate. She waved to the camera in a pink pajama set covered in eyelashes and lips, with a teal fanny pack at her waist. Kawana finished twenty-seventh overall in 39:27 and was the first woman across the line in the women's 40 to 49 age group.
We caught Emilly Palacios (bib 583) again, and this time she was flashing a huge smile as she came toward the finish. If you remember her from earlier on the course, you know she's been running strong the whole way. Emilly's final time was 41:49. Right after her, Alejandra Mejia (bib 573), a 36-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, came in wearing the coziest outfit on the course. Picture a brown fleece hoodie with floppy ears and black spots, rainbow sunglasses, and bike shorts. Alejandra finished thirty-sixth overall in 42:45 and took third in the women's 30 to 39 age group.
Then came a moment that made all of us smile. Christine Swanson (bib 252), a 44-year-old from Fort Lauderdale, threw both arms in the air as she came in. She wore a black pajama set covered in stars, moons, and planets, with the words "relax" and "dream" printed right on it. She finished thirty-seventh overall in 42:50 and placed third in the women's 40 to 49 age group. Just behind her, Alfoinise Cherfils (bib 1885), a 32-year-old from Miami, kept a calm, focused face in a white top, camo shorts, and big green headphones. She finished forty-first overall in 45:51 and was fourth in the women's 30 to 39 group.
Some of the best moments came from friends finishing together. Two women in matching pink headphones came toward us laughing, and one of them threw up a peace sign at the last second. Their bibs were partly hidden, so we won't guess at names, but we can tell you they looked like they were having the best morning of anyone out there. Right after them came Chantel Fleurima (bib 1881), a 33-year-old from Hollywood, who also flashed a peace sign. She wore a light blue top, navy bike shorts, and a hydration vest, with a fuzzy brown layer slung over her shoulder. Chantel finished forty-eighth overall in 48:55, which was eighth in the women's 30 to 39 age group. She was a true local, finishing right in her hometown, and it showed in her smile.
Cheers All Around: Friends, Family, and Finishers
If there was one word for this race, it was "together." A family walked hand in hand down the brick path, all smiles. A little girl wore a puppy-print pajama set with a finisher medal already around her neck, and she carried a pink water bottle. A man in a pink shirt and a woman in a pink pumpkin-and-puppy pajama set walked right alongside her. It was the kind of picture that reminds us why we love shooting community races. Nobody was in a hurry, and everybody was proud.
Then came a big burst of teenage energy near the line. Brody Baum (bib 962), the same runner who took fourth overall earlier, had his medal around his neck and was running right alongside three friends in pajamas. Neve Yaari (bib 563), a 17-year-old from Plantation, and Gabi Pintaluga (bib 565), an 18-year-old from North Miami Beach, wore matching blue-and-lavender pajama sets. Madison Geduld (bib 10), a 17-year-old from North Miami Beach, wore a blue monkey-print romper and had a drink in hand. The three girls finished one after another in just a couple of seconds, with chip times between 58:48 and 58:50. That's the sound of friends sticking together.
One of our favorite moments came toward the very end of the day. Danielle Scott (bib 598), a 54-year-old from Pembroke Pines, walked in wearing a white Big Heart Bigger Lives shirt with a smile that wouldn't quit. Next to her, Steven Sackaris (bib 597), a 50-year-old from Pembroke Pines, threw both arms up in celebration. They finished sixty-sixth and sixty-seventh overall, just seconds apart, with times around 59:42 and 59:43. Wearing that shirt at the finish says it all. The people at this race weren't only there to run. They were there to show up for something bigger.
Why Hollywood Runners Trust Us With Race Day: Your Local Sports Photographer
A small field can still be a mighty one. The Pajama Party 5K proved it. Seventy-two athletes, ages 8 to 73, came out in their coziest clothes and turned a gray October morning into something special. They ran for each other, and they ran for kids who need an AED close by. As a team, that's the kind of event we love to be part of.
At JP Pedicino Photography, we're proud to be a go-to Hollywood sports photographer for 5Ks and community races across Broward County and South Florida. We coordinate multiple photographers so every runner gets seen, from the first-place finisher to the very last smile at the line. We know the course, we know the light, and we know when to be at the finish. If you're a race director in Hollywood who wants every athlete to feel like a star, we'd love to hear about your next event.
Want to support the mission? Visit Big Heart Bigger Lives to learn more, and read how Vital AED is helping protect young hearts. Find the complete set of race results on RunSignup.
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