Event Name: Flamingo Run for Rescues 5k
Location: Jupiter, FL
You know a morning's going to be good when the whole parking lot turns pink before the sun's even up. That's exactly what greeted us at Riverbend Park for the 2026 Flamingo Run for Rescues 5K. Neon shirts, feather boas, tutus, and enough flamingo sunglasses to stock a beach shop. And here's the thing that makes this one special: every single runner out there was helping animals who don't have a home yet. The race raises money for four local rescues, Palm Beach Purrs, Great Dane Rescue of South Florida, Kelly's Fosters, and Wild Whiskers, so all that pink adds up to real help for real critters.
So get this, the 2026 race sold out completely. Not a bib left. That tells you everything about how much this community loves an early Saturday, a good cause, and a reason to dress like a tropical bird. The vibe matched it too. DJ Brandan V had the music going, the smell of coffee drifted over from the start area, and a warm South Florida breeze kept everybody loose while they waited for 7:30 to roll around.
Every runner got a high-performance race shirt in that can't-miss-it pink, plus a flamingo finisher medal waiting at the end. Cross the line and you were handed an ice-cold cooling towel and a cold bottle of water, which, trust us, felt like a hug on a humid morning. AccuChip Race Timing kept everyone's chip time honest, and the awards ceremony later handed out trophies to the top three men and women overall, three deep in every age group, and prizes for the best individual and group costumes. And those first-place trophies? Custom flamingos. People honestly showed up just to see them.
And this one's built for the whole family. Kids 11 and under ran free with a registered adult, and while they didn't get a medal, they got something arguably better, fun flamingo swag and a lawn full of yard games like corn hole and hula hoops to burn off the extra energy. Strollers were welcome right on the course, which is why you'll spot a few tiny co-pilots in these photos. Add in refreshments from local favorites like Rise & Grind, Bolay, Sprouts, and Wycliffe Golf and Country Club, and the finish area felt less like the end of a race and more like a neighborhood block party that just happened to include a 5K. That's the magic of a hometown race, and it's why we keep coming back to shoot it.
The Pink Takes Over Riverbend Park
Before a single shoe hit the trail, the park looked like a flamingo convention. Groups rolled in together, found their friends, and immediately started posing. Can you blame them? When you spend that much effort on a costume, you want the photo.
This big crew of friends set the tone early, all smiles in head-to-toe neon pink before the flock took off.
Then there was the self-proclaimed "Mimosa Mafia," and honestly, they might've won the morning before it started. Matching black tanks, flamingo masks, pink tutus, and a stroller wrapped in so much pink it practically glowed, with two tiny future runners along for the ride. Cindy Turner (bib 1787), Leslie Graham (bib 1547), and Sarah Minaya (bib 1671) led that squad, and their energy was contagious.
Not to be outdone, this group of six went all in on the theme. Flamingo sunglasses, a "Calm the Flock Down" shirt, flamingo swim trunks, boas, the works. Maura McLaughlin (bib 1641), Walter Pelosi (bib 1643), and Michael Barley (bib 1646) proved that at this race, there's really no such thing as too much pink.
Warming Up for the Flock
Every good race starts with a little shake-out, and this one had a host on the mic getting everyone moving. You should see the faces when a whole crowd tries the same warm-up dance at 7 in the morning. Half determination, half giggles.
On the left, our morning emcee kept the crowd hyped with a microphone in hand. On the right, runners young and not-so-young bounced through the pre-race stretch, working out the nerves and the coffee jitters.
And They're Off!
At 7:30 sharp, the AccuChip Timing arch became the busiest spot in the park. The clock ticked past a minute and change as the front pack burst through, and wouldn't you know it, a couple of speedy kids were right up at the sharp end. We love that. Among the leaders off the line were Grace Gluski (bib 1789) and Mason Pence (bib 1687), with young guns A. Kaufer (bib 1819) and T. Dye (bib 1721) refusing to be left behind.
The Front of the Flock
Now let's talk speed. Leading everybody home was Gilles Bardoux (bib 1760), who traveled all the way from Rueil-Malmaison, France, and made it look easy. He crossed in 18:43 at a 6:02 pace to take the overall men's title. On the shaded stretch of trail, he was calm, smooth, and already well clear of the field. Here's a little insider truth from behind the camera: the fast ones give you about one second to nail the shot before they're gone, so we're always set up and waiting long before we see them. Right behind him, Ivan Tkachenko (bib 1806) of Fort Lauderdale grabbed second in 19:14, and clearly felt good enough to throw double shaka signs at us on the way by. We'll take it.
The women's race was every bit as exciting up front. Remember young Grace Gluski (bib 1789) from the start-line photo? The 14-year-old from right here in Jupiter didn't just hang with the lead group, she ran away with the overall women's title in 21:10. Homegrown talent, and a finish the whole town can be proud of. It's the kind of story that makes shooting a local race so rewarding, you never know when you're photographing somebody's breakout morning.
The masters crowd brought the heat too. Michael Johnston (bib 1862) of Port Saint Lucie ran a strong race for second in the men's 50-59 group, and he had the thumbs-up to prove he was enjoying every step. And keep an eye on Rene Fonseca (bib 1874) of Royal Palm Beach, who topped the men's 60-69 division. (His bib number was tucked behind his hand for a beat, but the results tell the story.) Proof that fast has no age limit.
Flamingos on the Loose
Here's where the Flamingo Run really earns its name. Once the leaders cleared out, the course filled up with the most joyful parade of pink you'll ever see on a race trail. Case in point: somebody ran the entire 5K in a giant inflatable flamingo costume. In Florida humidity. That's commitment, and it's exactly the kind of good-sport spirit this race is built on. We honestly lost count of the flamingo hats, tutus, boas, and sunglasses out there, and every single one of them made our job more fun. This is the rare race where the back of the pack might just be more entertaining than the front. Meanwhile, champion Gilles Bardoux (bib 1760) circled back to pose with his medal beside the donation sign, a nice reminder that every finish here helps a rescue animal find its way home.
The details are what get us every time. Greg Jenkins (bib 1611) flew by in flamingo-print socks and matching double peace signs, while Dana Rymarz (bib 1722) went full tropical with a flamingo headband, aviators, and flamingo-print shorts. Coordinated head to toe, and grinning the whole way.
Pretty cool, right? It kept going. James Price (bib 1907) brought a throwback neon D.A.R.E. fanny pack and, you guessed it, more flamingo socks, powering down the path like it was nothing. And Alyssa Milo (bib 1828) kept it playful in a flamingo-print top and a bouncing pink tutu that had no business being that fun to watch.
We've got a soft spot for this next pair. Callie Young (bib 1761) ran in a knit flamingo hat and a shirt supporting Palm Beach Purrs, one of the very rescues this race benefits, complete with flamingo knee socks. That's the whole point of the day, right there on one runner. And T. Matzke (bib 1639) might've had the best form of the morning, catching serious air with a little flamingo plush clutched in one hand. Seriously, look at that hang time.
Crossing the Line
Every runner out here was chasing the same shiny prize, and what a prize it was. Those custom bronze flamingo finisher medals, a pink-legged bird in sneakers on a bright ribbon, are the kind of hardware you actually want to hang up. Here's a whole pile of them waiting for their new owners.
And then came the best part of any race, the finish line reunion. This foursome earned their medals and showed them off in matching flamingo shorts, still beaming under the AccuChip finish arch. Megan Morrison (bib 1694), Paige Johnston (bib 1696), and Erin Musso (bib 1698) made it look like the easiest 3.1 miles in the world.
The celebrations kept rolling in. Kelly Valdes (bib 1663) and Corina Hardcastle (bib 1922) struck a pose in head-to-toe pink next to a giant inflatable flamingo, medals shining. And this young finisher? Pure joy. She held up her flamingo medal like the trophy it is, flamingo headband on, flamingo plush along for the ride. Moments like hers are our favorite thing to catch.
More friends, more medals, more smiles. Ashley Rountree (bib 1655), Taylor Rountree (bib 1652), and Alisha Rountree (bib 1653) gathered up for a keeper of a finish-line photo, the kind you'll look back on next spring when registration opens again.
Honestly, the costumes only got better after the race. Ann Clark (bib 1645) and Maura McLaughlin (bib 1641) finished strong and stayed festive, one in a flamingo visor and flamingo-print skirt, the other rocking heart-shaped shades, a pink boa, and a tutu. Right nearby, Juliana Saez (bib 1642) and a friend posed in flamingo sunglasses while, of course, that inflatable flamingo made one more cameo in the background.
And because this race is really all about togetherness, we'll leave the course with this one. A whole family crew, grown-ups and kids alike, gathered under the finish arch with medals around every neck. Amber Waring (bib 1756), Joshua Waring (bib 1757), Steven Hallock (bib 1770), Caryn Hallock (bib 1771), Christopher Bruce (bib 1738), and C. Tinsley (bib 1836) reminded us that the Flamingo Run is a family affair, start to finish.
Why Jupiter Runners Trust Us With Race Day
Here's what we love about mornings like this one. A 5K is over in a flash, but the photos last forever. That flamingo headband, that leaping kid, that first medal held high, those are the moments families frame and share for years. And catching them takes more than luck. It takes knowing exactly where to stand when the pack breaks from the line, how to freeze a runner mid-stride on a shady trail, and how to be ready the second a finisher's face lights up.
We've shot tons of races all over South Florida, and Riverbend Park is one of our favorites, all those live oaks and that golden early light filtering through the Spanish moss. As your go-to Jupiter sports photographer, we know this course, we know this community, and we know how much a great race photo means when it's your big day. We know where the light falls best on the trail, which corner gives us that clean shot of the AccuChip arch, and how to catch a costume in full stride instead of a blur. Whether it's a themed 5K, a charity run, a triathlon, or a full marathon, we show up early, we stay late, and we deliver crisp, colorful images fast, so you can relive the fun while the endorphins are still going.
And because we're local, working with us is easy. No traveling crew, no guesswork about the venue, just a photographer who's probably already stood at that exact finish line a dozen times. That familiarity is what lets us focus on the moments that matter, the personal record, the proud parent, the kid who can't stop grinning at their first medal.
To every runner, walker, volunteer, and very good sport who dressed like a flamingo for a great cause, thank you for making this one so easy to love. The animals thank you too.
Find the complete set of race results at AccuChip Race Timing.
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