Just days before the Philadelphia Phillies will (hopefully) be running the bases for Opening Day 2026, thousands of people took part in a 5K race for a good cause outside Citizens Bank Park in South Philadelphia.
The Phillies said 7,000 people were registered for the sold-out Phillies Charities 5K with Fox Chase Cancer Center on Saturday. The race took runners around the ballpark and Xfinity Mobile Arena and through the Navy Yard, all for a good cause: providing grants to local organizations.
This was the race’s 16th year running. One runner, Jenn Kaliser of Bucks County, came with the American Cancer Society’s Team Determination.Â
She is battling cancer and recently underwent surgery.
“There’s so much energy for a race,” Kaliser said. “I’ve been walking a lot post my surgery and during chemotherapy. … The excitement of everyone getting ready to run or walk, it feels good. My brain stops focusing on my cancer and on my treatments and on the long road I still have ahead of me.”
“Instead it just focuses on the enjoyment of being here, and getting to run, move my body and do something good for myself,” Kaliser added.
The Phillie Phanatic kicked off the race, and the Phillies Ballgirls distributed medals to the race winners.
The Phils kick off the regular season at home on Thursday, March 26 against the Texas Rangers.