I Love Cats 5k & Meowy Mile

Calling all 🐱cat lovers and runners! Join us for the I Love Cats 5K Run/Walk & Meowy Mile, a purr-fectly fun event celebrating our feline friends while getting active. Whether you're a seasoned runner, a casual walker, or just love cats, this event is for you!

The event takes place on Sunday, May 3rd at ITC Community Sports Park in Northville. The event will kick off with the Meowy Mile at 9:30 am, followed by the 5k run/walk (3.1 miles) at 10:00 am. There is plenty of parking at the park and a beautiful playground right near the start/finish. Restrooms on site. 

Pricing: $30 until April 19th with a t-shirt guaranteed. $35 from 4/20 to 5/2 (limited shirts available), $40 race day. 

Discounted pricing for families: We're encouraging families to participate together and are offering special pricing for you! Save $15 when registering 3 or more people from the same household.  

Course: The start and finish is at the pavilion near the park at the corner of 8 mile and Napier. The 5k run/walk👟 is an out and back on the paved ITC trail. All ages and abilities are welcome, you can run or walk at your own pace. The Meowy Mile 🐾 is a shorter fun run for all ages - great for families and kids!  Runners, Walkers, Strollers and Wagons all allowed. No bicycles, skateboard or rollerblades please.  

🏅 Swag: All participants receive a cat-themed race shirt, a custom finisher medal, and post race refreshments. 

🐱 Support a Cause: A portion of the proceeds, and all donations, will benefit our local charity partner - Feral Kitty Trappers TNR, Inc. a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. Run by volunteers and funded by donations. All funds are used for cats. 😻

Packet Pickup: Will be held the morning of the event starting at 8:30 AM at the ITC Pavilion at the start/finish line. 

Awards: The Overall Male & Female winner of the 5k run/walk and Meowy Mile will receive a special cat themed gift.  

Results will be texted to you once you cross the finish line. They will also be live at the event and on this website afterwards. The race is professionally timed by the Michigan Running Foundation. 

Bring your cat-loving friends and let's run (or walk) for the cats! 🐾 Register now and let's make this a purr-fect day! ☀️🐱

This event is put on by Garr Event Solutions, an event management company that partners with non-profits to support local community initiatives. 💗 Good People. Great Events. Giving Back. 

The event takes place at ITC Community Sports Park located off of 8 Mile and Napier roads.  There is plenty of parking at the location. The start and finish will be at the ITC Pavilion and run on the ITC paved running and walking path. Bathrooms and located at the start/finish in the pavilion. Beautiful playground at the park near the start/finish. 

MapMyRun 5K Course - link HERE

MapMyRun 1 Mile Course - link HERE

5k Turnaround 

You have questions, we have answers!

Where do I park? Parking is available at the race location, ITC Community Sports Park, 5100 Eight Mile Road, Northville, MI US 48167. Enter off of 8 mile and the Pavilion where the start/finish and packet pickup is right there.  

When and where is packet pickup? Packet pickup will take place race day morning starting at 8:30 AM. 

When is the T-Shirt Deadline? Sunday, April 19th is the deadline to register and be guaranteed a t-shirt in your size. Limited shirts available after that date. 

What ages and abilities can participate in the event? All ages and abilities are welcome to participate in the run/walk. Strollers and Wagons are allowed, please no bicycles, rollerblades, scooters or skateboards. 

Where do the proceeds go? A portion of the proceeds and donations will support local animal shelters and cat rescue organizations

Are dogs allowed? No. For the safety of the participants and the dogs, no dogs allowed.  What about my cat? I'm sure they would prefer to lounge by the window while you're out doing your thing! 😼

Can I wear headphones? Sure, there's nothing like some good tunes while you run. We just ask that you can still hear and are aware of your surroundings.

Are there restrooms? Yes, the restrooms will be open at the pavilion. There are no restrooms along the course. 

Is there a water stop on the course? No, there is not water available on the course. Bottled water and snacks will be available after the race. 

This is my first 5k run/walk or Mile what should I expect?  Congrats, we're excited to have you! Plan on arriving on race day morning about 1 hour to 30 minutes prior to the start to park, get your shirt and bib number, and get warmed up. Wear the bib (your race number) on the outermost layer on your torso, we provide safety pins to pin it to your shirt. Pin in all four corners so the number does not flap when you're running/walking. Prior to the race the announcer will call everyone up to the start line. The speedy racers will line up at the front, everyone else lines up behind them. If you are running with a stroller we ask that you line up at the back. The race will start and off you go! There are plenty of other participants and course support to guide you along the way. Refreshments will be available after the finish. We will text you your results, and also have a QR code for you to scan to pull up your results. Lastly and most importantly HAVE FUN! You will love the energy from the race!

What if there is bad weather on the day of the event? The event will be held rain or shine, however if there are storms the morning of the event or forecasted during the event we will monitor and communicate any delays to participants via email. In the event of lightning, the event will be delayed a half hour until from the last lighting strike until we are 30 minutes without a lightning strike. Participants will be asked to remain in their vehicles during this time.  We will evaluate on race day if the race needs to be delayed or cancelled due to weather. If we have to cancel the race will be virtual.  Which means you run on your own at your own pace on a day that works for you. You'll receive your t-shirt, finishers medal and custom race bib. 

Are there refunds? This event will be held rain or shine, there are no refunds for this event. As you can imagine there is a lot of planning that goes into an event and costs associated with the event. T-shirts, awards, refreshments, etc. all have to be ordered ahead of time. If the race is cancelled for any reason, including weather, we will be unable to offer refunds, or if your plans change and you already signed up we are unable to offer refunds. If we have to cancel the race will be virtual.  Which means you run on your own at your own pace on a day that works for you. You'll receive your t-shirt, finishers medal and custom race bib. 

I wasn't able to attend the race, can I still get my shirt and medal? No shows to the event forfeit their shirt and medal. We do not have the option to pick up items after the race. Thank you for understanding.  

Will the race sell out? The race sold out in 2025. It's possible we will sell out again in 2026.   We have to order finishers medals well in advance and we want to ensure all participants receive one, thus we put a cap on the event. If you didn't get into the event this year please bookmark the first Sunday in 2027 for the event as we'll have it again next year. 

If your interested in becoming an event sponsor please review our sponsorship levels and benefits below. We'd love to you have you more prominently featured at our event!  Please email our Race Director, Michelle Garr to chat further - michelle@runningfoundation.com

Deadline for sponsorship commitments is Sunday, April 19th. 

All participants will receive a finishers medal and race shirt. Shirts are guaranteed with registrations by Sunday, April 20th. 

We 💗 VOLUNTEERS as much as we 💗 CATS! Join us for a fun filled morning. Use the Volunteer tab along the top/menu bar to sign up.