Greta's Run 5K & Memory Walk

The 13th Annual Greta’s Run for Imagine will take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield, New Jersey. This year’s event will feature a USATF-certified 5K race at 9:00AM, followed by a Kids Fun Run at 10:00AM and conclude with a Memory Walk at 10:30AM. 

History of the Event

Greta’s Run was founded in 2012 in memory of Greta Schoenemann, a Westfield High School freshman who tragically died after sustaining injuries when a tree branch fell on her and her classmates during lunch. In 2019, Greta’s Run was proudly inherited by Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss, and continues with the support of the Schoenemann family and the greater Westfield community. Each year, participants run in memory of Greta and the many loved ones our community has lost, helping to honor their stories and keep their legacies alive.

Last year, thanks to the incredible generosity of our community, Greta’s Run raised over $250,000—an extraordinary achievement that directly supported Imagine’s free programs and services. As the demand for grief support continues to grow, so does our commitment to meeting the needs of our community. This year, we hope to raise $300,000 to allow Imagine to open additional Nights of Support, ensuring that even more children, families, and community members have access to the care they need.

About Imagine

Imagine, located in both Mountainside and Newark, NJ, provides FREE, year-round peer grief support groups for children and families coping with the death of a parent, sibling, or child. According to a 2025 study conducted by the Childhood Bereavement Estimate Model, 151,000 children in New Jersey will experience the loss of a parent or sibling before the age of 18—a number that more than doubles to 365,000 by age 25. Our work focuses on transforming grief into resilience, empathy, and compassion, ensuring that young people grow up emotionally healthy and able to lead meaningful and productive lives. In addition to support groups at our two centers, Imagine offers grief education and training to schools, agencies, and workplaces, as well as on-site support following traumatic loss. 

T-Shirt & Bib Pick Up

T-Shirt and Bib Pick Up will be available in advance of race day at Fleet Feet Westfield on:

Friday, May 15th: 4 - 7PM 

Saturday, May 16th: 9* - 1PM. *Fleet Feet will be opening an hour early for T-Shirt and Bib Pick Up this year. 

Shirts and bibs will also be available for pickup on the morning of the race beginning at 7:45 AM.

Register by May 9, 2025 for early bird pricing: 

Register by May 8, 2026:
5K: $35
Kids Fun Run: $15
Memory Walk: $20

Register between Saturday, May 9 - Sunday, May 17:
5K: $40
Kids Fun Run: $20
Memory Walk: $25

A $10 discount will be applied when you register for the 5K & Memory Walk to anyone 13 and older during any time period. 

For ages 12 and under, the price of the 5K is $15 during any time period. 

For ages 5 and under, the Memory Walk is free. 

Pick up your bib and t-shirt ahead of time at Fleet Feet in Westfield! Bib and t-shirt pick-up will be available on event day as well near the Same Day Registration tent starting at 7:45AM on Sunday, May 17.

Location:
Fleet Feet Westfield
123 Quimby Street
Westfield, NJ 07090

Early Pick-up Times:
Friday, May 15 @ 4pm - 7pm
Saturday, May 16 @ 9am* - 2pm

*Fleet Feet will be opening an hour early just for Greta's Run bib and t-shirt pick up!

Registration Opens
7:45 AM: Check-in at Roosevelt Intermediate School

Welcome & National Anthem
8:45 AM: Welcome from Lindsay Schambach
8:50 AM: National Anthem

Start Times
8:55 AM: Wheelchair Racers Start
9:00 AM: 5K Starts
9:30 AM: 5K Awards @ Imagine Tent Stage
10:00 AM: Kids Fun Run Starts
10:30 AM: Memory Walk Starts @ Imagine Tent Stage

Closing
11:00 AM: Dove Release @ Imagine Tent Stage

Memorialize your loved one by purchasing a lawn sign that will be displayed along the Memory Walk route.

Please use the box below to enter the name of the person you are memorializing and their year of death.

Note: Limited quantity available. Sales close on April 28.

You’re welcome to come decorate your sign at the center anytime from: Monday, May 11 through Wednesday, May 13. We’ll have all signs available in the breezeway on those days. We kindly ask that you decorate your sign at the center and don’t take it home with you.

*Please note: We will not be reusing signs from years past, nor will we be collecting signs after the event. If you would like to take your sign home after the event you are welcome to do so.  

Click here to buy a memory sign.