RunTough
About this race
ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation is excited to announce our 13th Annual RunTough event, which will be held both virtually and in person at Saline High School's Hornet Stadium in the afternoon on SUNDAY, September 27, 2026. RunTough is the foundation’s longest-running event, and due to popular demand we are bringing back our traditional 5K & 1M races in Saline!
The 13th Annual RunTough will have all of the following ways to participate:
- RETURNING RACE FORMATS FOR THE SALINE LOCAL EVENT! — We are back to our traditional 5K road race through the Saline High School Campus and Chad's neighborhood next door, along with our 1M Fun Run that is an out and back along Campus Drive.
- FAMILY FUN ZONE (LOCAL ONLY) — Come for the races, stay for the Family Fun Zone featuring kids games and activities in the main Hornet Stadium this year!
- TOT SPRINT (LOCAL ONLY) — We will once again host the adorable Tot Sprint on the main Hornet Stadium football field at 3:15pm for our toddler crowd!
- VIRTUAL 5K WITH OR WITHOUT A SHIRT — You can register for our virtual race with or without a shirt. You choose the date, the time, and the location to run, walk, or do the activity of your choice (or not — we won't tell!). If you register for a shirt, we'll mail you a race packet. VIRTUAL REGISTRATIONS AFTER 9/2/26 WILL NOT RECEIVE THEIR PACKETS IN THE MAIL UNTIL OCTOBER!
- ADDITIONAL EFFORTS — For more information about efforts being led by our Family Partners as well as other families affected by pediatric brain cancer, please go to www.chadtough.org/runtough. Information for these efforts will be updated as it becomes available.
Packet pickup for the local Saline event will be Friday, Sept 25, from 12-6pm at the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation office in Saline (201 W. Michigan Ave) or starting at 1pm on event day at Hornet Stadium.
***Please note that NO DOGS are permitted at this event!***
RunTough originated in 2014 when a group of neighbors in the Saline area came together in support of Chad Carr, a 3-year-old boy who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer called DIPG. Since then, RunTough alone has raised over $3 million for pediatric brain cancer research and inspired more than 19,000 registrations.
Brain cancer kills more kids than any other type, and DIPG is responsible for almost half of all pediatric brain cancer deaths. With a nearly 0% survival rate and less than 1% of federal cancer research funding earmarked for ALL types of pediatric brain cancer, it’s no surprise that the standard of care has not changed in the six decades since Neil Armstrong’s daughter died of DIPG. But thanks primarily to DIPG families like the Carrs, who have channeled their grief into an effort to fund game-changing research on DIPG, doctors have begun to discover breakthrough treatments that are showing great promise, so much so that they now believe a cure will be found in our lifetime.
All proceeds will go to the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation, whose mission is to inspire and fund game-changing research to discover effective treatments for pediatric brain cancer, with an emphasis on diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG). Brain cancer kills more kids than any other type of cancer, and DIPG is responsible for almost half of all pediatric brain cancer deaths. Finding effective treatment options for this complex disease is one of the best ways to save kids from cancer!
To learn more about the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation, go to www.chadtough.org.
Join fellow runners on September 29, 2018 for the RunTough. It's a fantastic 5K, 1.6K featuring a flat and fast course in Saline.
Pick your distance
Running
Virtual (If registering after 9/14, shirts will arrive in late October)
Registering after 9/12? Your shirt & bib will arrive in late October. Date, time or location an issue? Then join us in spirit by taking a 5K or 1 Mile run or walk either at the same time as the RunTough for ChadTough race or any time that works for you. This can be done anywhere -- it can take place on one of our same race paths, your neighborhood, any track or treadmill. Register before September 7 to ensure you receive a race shirt and bib before race day. All virtual runners are also eligible to win fundraising prizes. Be sure to share your photos on our Facebook page to participate in the excitement. For a printable brochure to share with others about the ChadTough Foundation, go to http://www.chadtough.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/chadtough-brochure.pdf.
5K Race
We encourage you to be ChadTough and challenge yourself in some way to celebrate your own inner strength and courage. Run further, run faster, bring more friends, or raise more money for DIPG than last year. If this is your first year, set a goal: pace, fundraising amount, # of people recruited to join you, etc... For everyone's safety, bikes, wagons and dogs will be prohibited on the race course. Strollers are okay, but we ask that you line up towards the back of the pack and use caution. All participants registered by September 7th are guaranteed to receive a race shirt. Shirts may be available after September 7th, but cannot be guaranteed.
1 Mile Fun Run
We encourage you to be ChadTough and challenge yourself in some way to celebrate your own inner strength and courage. Run further, run faster, bring more friends, or raise more money for DIPG than last year. If this is your first year, set a goal: pace, fundraising amount, # of people recruited to join you. We are pleased to offer a special rate for our 5 & under crowd of $5. Please sign up for the Toddler 1M Fun Run held at the same time and route. Only available at the local race (not virtual). For everyone's safety, bikes, wagons and dogs will be prohibited on the race course. Strollers are okay, but we ask that you line up towards the back of the pack and use caution. All participants registered by September 7th are guaranteed a race shirt. Shirts may be available after September 7th, but cannot be guaranteed.
Toddler 1M Fun Run
LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR SHIRTS IN EACH SIZE ... SOME SIZES ARE SOLD OUT. We are pleased to offer a special rate for our 5 & under crowd* for the LOCAL RACE ONLY - not valid for the Virtual Race. Toddler 1M Fun Run is held at the same time and on same route as regular 1 Mile Fun Run. All participants registered by September 7th are guaranteed to receive a race shirt. Shirts may be available after September 7th, but cannot be guaranteed. * Pricing valid for ages 5 and under only.
About Saline
RunTough takes place in Saline, Michigan, United States. The local timezone is America/Detroit.
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Race information has been sourced from the event's official website and other publicly available resources. For the most up-to-date details, please refer to the official website directly. If you notice any incorrect or missing information, don't hesitate to reach out to us by email.