Mayor Bowser and the DC Department of Parks and Recreation invite residents to kick off the New Year strong by registering for the annual FITDC Fresh Start 5k on Thursday, Jan. 1, at 11 a.m.
On Dec. 22, Mayor Bowser and DC Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) Director Thennie Freeman walked the New Fredrick Douglass Bridge, where the event takes place. Bowser said that she created the event, now in its 12th year, after seeing the way that races brought the entire city together. The site was chosen, she told Freeman, because it is a new iconic District landmark but also a personal one — her daughter calls it “mommy’s bridge,” she said, and “we are just so proud of it.”
5Ks make the whole city a fitness center.
This weekend, @DCDPR Director Thennie Freeman and I walked the Frederick Douglass Memorial Bridge to get ready for the Fresh Start 5K.
We’ll meet you here in 10 days: https://t.co/XyIJESDxB2 pic.twitter.com/7DlWwJjk9M
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) December 22, 2025
The free, family-friendly event is open to all ages and abilities and includes a Kids Dash plus a pre-race festival with refreshments, music, and vendors.
Participants can register at fitdcfreshstart5k2026.splashthat.com to receive a commemorative T-shirt, timed bib, and medal while supplies last.
Same-day registration begins at 9 a.m., with the Kids Dash at 10:15 a.m. Volunteers are also needed for race-day support, including registration and refreshments; sign up at fitdcfreshstart5k26.splashthat.com.
