Columbus State Cougar 5k Challenge

Our Purpose:

Every year the Columbus State Staff Advisory Council hosts the Cougar 5K Challenge to raise money for student book scholarships. Last year the event was a huge success and raised over $10,000, despite switching to a virtual race format due to COVID-19 restrictions. The cost of books is a significant and often overlooked barrier to finishing college. While Columbus State makes every effort to provide students affordable options, sometimes there is no way around the costs of up-to-date, high-quality textbooks. Your participation and support of this race will help us to endow book scholarships so all students can “cross the finish line” of their education. This year, to continue doing our part in limiting the spread of COVID-19, we will again be holding the Cougar 5K Challenge in a virtual format.

How Does a Virtual 5K Work?:

Instead of gathering and running together on the Delaware Campus, each participant can run or walk the 5K wherever and whenever they choose between Saturday, May 1st, and Sunday, May 9th. We’ll send a follow-up email closer to the start date to explain how to submit your race time to qualify for some awesome prizes. Due to this being a virtual race where there will be inconsistencies in everyone’s chosen course, possible weather, tracking devices, etc., no placement medals will be awarded this year. Instead, everyone will receive a participation medal, a race shirt, and prizes will be awarded to the team with the most members, the team that raises the most donation money, and the team that has the most participants submit their race time.

Steps to Participate:

1. Register as an individual or register on a team
2. Run or walk a 5K anywhere and anytime between Saturday, May 1st to Sunday, May 9th, 2021
3. Submit your race time before midnight on May 9th to be eligible to win prizes

Swag Bag Pickup:

In place of a packet pickup, we’ll be handing out swag bags with each participant’s t-shirt and medal* sometime after we’re able to return to campus. If you’re not on campus, we will make plans to get you your swag bag another way.

*During the registration, you will have an option to not receive a shirt and/or medal. If you select not to receive one or both of these items, the savings from not having to purchase them will go directly back to student scholarships.

Prizes Awarded To:

The team with the most members
The team that raises the most donation money
The team that has the most people on their team submit their race times