K9s For Warriors Tri-Bridge Challenge: November 14, 2026

The K9s For Warriors Armed Forces Tri-Bridge Challenge is a 10K and 5K that starts at Riverfront Plaza in downtown Jacksonville on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 8:00 AM. Registration is open on Race Roster and sponsorships are open through K9s For Warriors. Proceeds benefit K9s For Warriors and the Florida Historic Naval Ship Association.

• When: Saturday, November 14, 2026, 8:00 AM
• Where: Riverfront Plaza, 2 W. Independent Dr., downtown
• Distances: 10K and 5K, run or walk
• Cost: 10K $44.79, 5K $39.44. Military, dependents, and veterans pay $28.74 for either distance.
• Sign up: Register on Race Roster
• Sponsor: Become a sponsor

K9s For Warriors has paired more than 1,200 veterans with service dogs and pulled more than 2,500 dogs out of shelters to do it. Most of the dogs are rescues. The veterans pay nothing. A Saturday morning 10K is one of the ways that gets funded.

What to expect

Every entrant gets a long-sleeve shirt and every finisher gets a medal. There's a military display at the plaza, post-race food and beer, and awards for overall and age-group winners. More than 320 people had signed up by early October.

The race is older than the name on it. Retired Marines started it more than 20 years ago, and News4Jax counted the 2024 running as the 21st. K9s For Warriors is in the title for 2026, and the start moves to Riverfront Plaza, the park on the old Jacksonville Landing site. Some of us will run past the spot where we once ate food court pizza and watched the Main Street Bridge go up.

The 10K and 5K course

The 10K crosses three bridges: the Main Street, the Acosta, and the Fuller Warren. That's how the registration page describes it, and it's where the name comes from. The 5K listing doesn't say which bridges it crosses.

The organizer posted a map for each distance: the 10K course map and the 5K course map. Check them before race day. Both are labeled Riverwalk, and the 10K map shows about 62 feet of total climb, which reads low for three bridges. We'd train for the bridges.

How to sign up

Registration is on Race Roster. Prices as listed on October 8, 2026:

• 10K Tri Bridge Challenge: $44.79
• 5K: $39.44
• Military, dependents, and veterans, 10K or 5K: $28.74
• 5K High School Team Competition, cross country and NJROTC: $76.88 per team

The military price covers dependents too. ID or proof of service may be required at packet pickup. Bring it anyway.

High school teams run up to seven members, and the top four count in scoring. The team captain registers the team and pays the team entry, then emails events@1stplacesports.com to request a team promo code. Teammates register with that code and skip payment. The captain doesn't have to run, which is the best deal in the race.

Not running? The race also takes volunteers.

How to sponsor the race

K9s For Warriors handles sponsorship on its Tri-Bridge Challenge sponsor page. The organization says money raised at its events goes to training, care, and ongoing support for each veteran and service dog team.

For sponsor questions, the contact listed for the race is Kiersan Cue at K9s For Warriors: 904-656-1956 ext. 110 or kcue@k9sforwarriors.org.

Parking and getting there

Don't count on parking at the plaza itself. The old Landing lot under the Main Street Bridge is gone, and the city points visitors to garages, surface lots, and street spaces within a few blocks. Road races close streets along the course, so arrive early and park a few blocks north of the river.

Where to eat and drink nearby

Food and beer come with your bib. If you want a second round, the Riverside Arts Market runs every Saturday under the Fuller Warren Bridge, a short drive or a long cooldown walk down the Northbank Riverwalk. Our Jacksonville restaurant guide covers the rest.

Before you go

You'll get packet pickup times and locations after you register, so sign up first and sort out the logistics second. The Jacksonville Veterans Day Parade is downtown three days earlier, on Wednesday, November 11, if you want to make a week of it.

The date, time, location, prices, and race features come from the official Race Roster listing and K9s For Warriors. Register for the Tri-Bridge Challenge on Race Roster.