ROXBURY (September 6, 2023) — On Saturday, September 9th, The Dimock Center, HoodFit and the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) will host the 9th Annual Road to Wellness 5K Run/2-Mile Walk. The race will be staged at The Dimock Center at 55 Dimock Street in Roxbury and the 5K course route will weave through the streets of Roxbury. It is the only US Track and Field certified road race in Roxbury. Registration begins at 7:30am with a race start at 9:00am, followed by a Health and Fitness Pavilion featuring local health and wellness providers. Latoyia Edwards from NBC10 Boston will be the emcee for the opening and closing ceremonies.
The event has a mission to improve the health and wellness of the community and is free for all to enter in order to maximize participation. Since its inception in 2015, the Road to Wellness 5K Run/2-Mile Walk has become a popular local community event, inspiring residents to take manageable steps to improve their health and fitness. Free weekly trainings with professional coaches were offered at Franklin Park over 12 weeks this summer to prepare runners and walkers for race day. For many, it was their first experience running and completing a 5K. More than 1,000 runners and walker are expected to participate.
“We are so proud to empower our community to take steps toward their health through the Road to Wellness,” said Dr. Charles Anderson, President and CEO of The Dimock Center. “We are deeply grateful for the partnership of HoodFit and the B.A.A and for the generous support of our sponsors, especially our Lead Sponsor, John Hancock, who ensure the weekly summer trainings and the event are accessible to all.”
“Having the opportunity to bridge the beauty of Roxbury, over the past nine years, with the beauty of the people who live and work there is tremendous,” said Thaddeus Miles, Senior Director of Diversity Initiatives for MassHousing and founder of HoodFit. “It is HoodFit’s mission to amplify the positive contributions of residents who live in communities that are traditionally overlooked. Bringing activities that reinforce health and wellness, particularly to urban neighborhoods, is exactly where we want to partner.”
Jack Fleming, President and CEO of the B.A.A. said, “The Road to Wellness 5K Run and 2-Mile Walk embodies the mission of the B.A.A., which is to promote a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. Bringing this to life in our local communities is extremely important and we are proud to have been a partner since it began in 2015. Our team is delighted to be part of the event and the passion and positive outcomes it delivers.”
Register in advance online or in-person on race day beginning at 7:30a.m. For more information about the event and to sign up, visit roadtowellness5k.com
Find photos from last year’s race here.
About The Dimock Center: With the goal of breaking down barriers to care and correcting historic racial health inequities, The Dimock Center is meeting the complex health and wellness needs of all members of the community, right where they live. We provide over 19,000 local residents — primarily BIPOC — with affordable, high-quality medical and behavioral health care and early childhood education annually. At our welcoming nine-acre campus in Roxbury, our patients can access a full range of programs, including:
- Health Services — primary health care for adults and children and specialized clinics, including Women’s Health, HIV/AIDs support, eye care, and dental care
- Child and Family Services — quality early childhood education, early intervention, and family support.
- Behavioral Health Services — individual and group therapy, inpatient, residential and outpatient substance use treatment and recovery services, residential and supportive services for adults with developmental disabilities, shelter and supportive services for families who are homeless.
Founded in 1862 as the New England Hospital for Women and Children, we’re considered a national model for delivering comprehensive health care in an urban setting. While staying true to our original intent — serving Boston’s most vulnerable —we’ve continued to evolve and innovate to address the full scope of the physical, developmental, and behavioral needs of the community and its residents.
About HoodFit: HoodFit seeks to amplify the positive attributes in one’s neighborhood that have allowed them to grow strong, experience resilience and exercise strategic problem solving. When people are able to transfer those same skills to experiences outside of their “homes” they are “fit.” HoodFit acknowledges that protecting one’s “hood” with endurance, strength and perseverance often comes at the price of neglecting physical spirit.
About the Boston Athletic Association: Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A. manages the Boston Marathon, and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round programming. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.
