Milton Mayor's Run Canceled Due To Coronavirus Pandemic

MILTON, GA — Milton's traditional late winter 5K running race will not take place next month, with the city and its partner North Point Pediatrics prioritizing safety in the face of a still rapidly spreading COVID-19 virus.

The Milton Mayor's Run and Jog for a Cause had been scheduled to start and end the morning of Saturday, Feb. 27, outside Freedom Park in the city's Deerfield district. Yet Gov. Brian Kemp's statewide limitations on "gathering" sizes and other efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus prompted the race's cancellation.

This follows like-minded decisions by the city and its partners to call off other public events over the past 10 months. Similarly, numerous running races such as the Peachtree Road Race have been canceled for the same reasons.

Even with people starting to get vaccines, recent discouraging trends - including spikes in cases, hospitalizations and deaths - suggest COVID-19 will remain a serious issue next month. Organizers aren't assured the situation will improve sufficiently and quickly enough to conduct a safe, well-run race as in the past.

The Feb. 27 edition would have been the 11th annual Milton Mayor's Run and 17th annual Jog for a Cause, which raises money to support childhood cancer research and assist families dealing with diagnosis and treatment. The two races joined forces years ago in a partnership between the city of Milton and North Point Pediatrics.

The City of Milton and North Point Pediatrics look forward to bringing back this popular event better than ever on Feb. 26, 2022.