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A Race for Every Body

unified 5k

The Unified 5k is built on the idea that every person deserves to compete. Whether you’re running, walking, or rolling, we are creating opportunities globally for people with and without disabilities to cross the finish line.

Help us Make Fitness Accessible 

EDUCATION

AdaptX elevates expectations and rewrites the narrative on disability by teaching communities and companies how to design inclusive and accessible environments and events. We demonstrate the economic value of inclusion and how ability can be expressed when athletes have access to the tools and knowledge that they need.

ADVOCACY

We make physical activity accessible to the disabled community through our educational initiatives and by addressing socioeconomic barriers to participation and competition through our AdaptX Athlete and Ambassador Fund, providing scholarships for individuals with disabilities to train with certified coaches and compete in endurance sports.

OPPORTUNITY

Our network of AdaptX-coaches and Unified 5k Races create inclusive and accessible opportunities that facilitate participation in fitness and recreation for those with intellectual and physical disabilities.

The Unified 5k Impact

Making Fitness and Physical Activity Accessible in Every Race Community

What is the AdaptXpo?

Our expo connects companies and consumers to create inclusive and accessible communities. Our vendors and workshops introduce people with and without disabilities to the power and performance of adaptive sports.

Athletes with lower limb differences use forearm crutches during adaptive soccer practice on a grassy field. A goal, shed, and trees are in the background.
A man using a walker, wearing race bib number 108, participates in a 5K event with assistance from two supporters in AdaptX shirts. A crowd of spectators watches in the background.

What makes the Unified 5k unique?

The Rick Hoyt Research Lab

The Rick Hoyt Research Lab was established to perform impactful studies that improve fitness and reduce secondary health conditions for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities. We accomplish this by pursuing two lines of clinical and translational science:

1) The optimization of exercise delivery in people with ID/PD, and

2) The implementation of accessible and inclusive fitness environments.

Sponsors

Thank You to These Inclusion Champions!

Individual Sponsors

Make an individual donation or set up a Unified 5k Peer-to-Peer Fundraising page to support AdaptX or one of our charity partners

Community Sponsors

Community sponsors are acknowledged at an individual race and the incentives are exclusively reserved for that singular event.

Corporate Sponsors

Corporate sponsors are acknowledged and receive the associated incentives at every 2025 race. 
Visit the link below to learn more.

What Does Your Donation Support?

Click the button below to learn more about the impact of the Unified 5k and the initiatives of AdaptX

Upcoming Unified 5k Races

Cumberland, RI

Salt Lake City, UT

Lancaster, MA

Mechanicsburg, PA

Saint Paul, MN

Dexter, MI

Interested in bringing a Unified 5k to your community?

Click the button below to schedule a call with our team or email brendan@adaptx.org

Racing Toward Inclusion

Introducing people with and without disabilities to adaptive sports to rewrite the narrative on expectations.

Powered by our Partnerships

FAQs

Yes, we designed all of our courses to be wheelchair accessible. In the event that there are characteristics that would require a certain level of ability and experience (uphill, sharp turns, etc), these will be specified.

Registration fees are not refundable unless the event is cancelled due to weather or an unforeseen circumstance. 

Registration cannot be deferred to a future year’s event.

Registration cannot be transferred to another participant.

While we’re partnering with many like-minded charitable organizations and companies to make these events successful, AdaptX is the sole beneficiary of registration and fundraising.

Definitely not.

If you haven’t already registered, we would recommend registering in the Open category. If you registered in an adaptive division but don’t want to be eligible for winning a category award, you can email brendan@adaptx.org

No, you can opt to be included in the “open” field if you don’t want to be listed or included in an adaptive division.

We appreciate that the biomechanics and bioenergetics of running as a BK vs. an AK is significantly different and therefore, not necessarily a fair competition, however historically we haven’t had a large enough amputee field size to justify separate divisions. In the future we certainly hope to.

Yes! During registration it will give you the opportunity to specify what type of mobility aid or adaptive equipment you plan to use.

No – there is no fundraising obligation.

No – you can set a goal for your fundraising efforts but you certainly are not obligated to reach a certain amount. There are incentives at different levels which you can learn about here.

Yes, if you would like to specify where your contribution goes, email brendan@adaptx.org.

At the end of the race, you can visit the registration table and if we have extra inventory, you may, but it is not guaranteed.

Both events are one mile in distance. The “1 Mile Walk/Run/Roll” is for all ages and starts with the open field at 10:00am while the “Kids Fun Run” option is for kids 10 years old and under and starts at 9:35. If your child wants to start at 10am, we just ask that they be cognizant of crowds around them and ideally accompanied by an adult as we won’t have the same support staff that we have for the Kids Fun Run.

Additional Questions?

Our Commitment to Accessible Design 

AdaptX is committed to creating a web experience that is fully accessible and usable for everyone. We are dedicated to providing the best experience and upholding the highest standards of digital accessibility, but we are a small organization that is predominantly volunteer-driven. If you experience any issues navigating our website using your preferred method, or if you would like to provide feedback, please don’t hesitate to contact us at info@adaptx.org