Youth Haven Miles for Smiles 5K

Youth Haven Miles for Smiles 5K takes place in Rives Junction, Michigan, on October 24, 2026. A one-mile kids' fun run starts at 11:30 a.m. and the 5K (3.1 miles) follows at noon.

A midday start is unusual and worth planning around. Eat your main meal early or keep it light, because racing 3.1 miles on a full stomach is miserable, and give yourself 15 to 20 minutes of easy jogging and strides before the gun rather than standing about. The late start also means you can travel on the morning of the race instead of staying over. Training for a 5K needs nothing elaborate: run four times a week for two months, make one of those a set of intervals at race effort, and keep the rest easy. The kids' mile half an hour earlier gives families a reason to arrive together.