The Fwrc Celebration

The 2026 Fort Wayne Running Club Celebration and Fitness Expo and will take place Sunday February 1, 2026 at Ceruti's, 6601 Innovation Blvd., Fort Wayne, Indiana. (No parking charge!).

Zach Panning is the guest speaker, a Fort Wayne native who ran for Grand Valley State University and now is a professional marathon runner for the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance project. Panning qualified for the 2024 United States Olympic marathon trials following the Chicago Marathon, at the trials he finished 6th after leading for the majority of the race. 

The Sunday 2026 Annual Celebration begins at 3 PM and features a fitness expo, social time, autographs with Zach, dinner, and will honor members, volunteers, and outstanding area high school distance athletes. 

Join us Saturday January 31st, 10 AM for a 5km public group run/walk with Zach at Fleet Feet Southwest with check in beginning at 9:00 AM. No charge.  Following the run/walk Zach will offer an in-store appearance with pictures and autographs.

Join us Sunday February 1st, 11 am for a meet and greet with Zach at Three Rivers Running Company.  No charge. He will offer an in-store appearance with pictures and autographs.

Thank you sponsors for making the celebration possible:  Fleet Feet, Three Rivers Running Company, and Hansons Brooks

Sunday February 1st FWRC Celebration Schedule At Ceruti's:

3:00- 4:00 PM - Welcome/Check In, Fitness Expo, Cash Bar With Soda and Drinks, 2025 Points Series Picture Show, Raffle Drawing Sign Up,  Social, Zach Panning pictures and autographs

4:00-4:45 PM:  Celebration Welcome, Invocation, Dinner, and FWRC Update

4:45-5:15 PM:  Annual Awards

2025 Annual FWRC Awards:  Points Series Age Group Awards, Ironrunner Awards, Ironstrider Awards, Don Lindley’s Volunteer of the Year Award, Barbie Scrogham Spirit of Running Award, Golden Shoe Award,, Joe Ziegler’s Breaking Barriers Award, Presidents Award and Chris Brown Outstanding High School Distance Runners

5:15 PM: Zach's Presentation, Questions/Answers, Gift Drawings, Thank You's, and Closing Remarks

Zach is a professional marathon runner for the Hansons-Brooks Original Distance project. He ran collegiately at Grand Valley State University where he won an NCAA Division II Cross Country championship in 2018. He ran the marathon  for team USA at the 2023 Track and Field World  Championships in Budapest, Hungry where he finished 11th as the top American. Panning qualified for the 2024 United States Olympic marathon trials following the Chicago Marathon, at the trials he finished 6th after leading for the majority of the race. 

Zach is from Fort Wayne,  attended Concordia Lutheran High School. He did outstanding in cross country and track.  Spring 2014, he finished 4th in the state in the 3200 meter run. 

Zach’s presentation will address his life as a runner and achievements.  It will include stories of meaningful experiences and inspiration.

Come meet and listen to Zach's inspiring story, running experiences, and messages of perseverance. 

To protect yourself and others from spreading or ​contracting an ​illness use appropriate health ​precautions like using hand sanitizer, cover coughs/sneezes, and ​maintain other hygiene ​measures.

For questions contact Judy Tillapaugh at tillapau@pfw.edu