Ten years after it started as a grassroots effort to buy wigs for people losing their hair to autoimmune disease, the Hair Peace & Hope 5K Run/Walk returns to Miramar Regional Park on Oct. 24, with Local 10 News anchor Alexis Frazier stepping in as emcee and grand marshal. Registration opens at 6 a.m. and the race itself kicks off at 7:30 a.m., with awards and podium presentations following at 9 a.m.
The race was founded in 2016 and has grown into one of South Florida's steadier fundraising traditions for people living with mixed connective tissue disease, or MCTD, and related autoimmune conditions such as lupus, scleroderma and rheumatoid arthritis, according to hairpeace5k.com. What began as a push to provide custom hair prostheses for people losing their hair to autoimmune treatments and conditions has since widened into something closer to a full support network, now covering medical copays, transportation and other wellness needs, per the same site.
This year's run will be held at Miramar Regional Park, located at 16801 Miramar Parkway, and organizers say the event is meant to raise funds, awareness and direct support for people managing MCTD and similar conditions across South Florida. Kay Martinek, the founder of Hair Peace 5K, said the milestone 10th anniversary reflects community strength and the ongoing need for resources tied to autoimmune conditions, according to Miami's Community Newspapers.
Registration Costs and What Runners Get
General registration runs $35, while student registration for ages 5 to 18 is discounted to $20, and a virtual run/walk option is also available for $35, as reported by South Florida Caribbean News. The first 500 people to register are guaranteed a finisher medal and an official race T-shirt, the outlet notes, so early sign-ups come with a built-in incentive beyond just supporting the cause.
Would-be participants, donors or volunteers can handle all of that directly through HairPeace5K.com, where the race also lists options to form a team or explore sponsorship opportunities, per South Florida Caribbean News. People with autoimmune conditions who need resource assistance themselves can likewise sign up for help through the same channel. The event's online registration deadline is set for 11:59 p.m. EDT on race day itself, according to hairpeace5k.com.
Martinek said bringing Frazier on as host highlights how far the movement has reached across South Florida since its founding, per Miami's Community Newspapers. The event's own schedule lists race announcements and the national anthem at 6:45 a.m., though a separate listing on FindARace places that same portion of the program at 7 a.m., with the FindARace schedule agreeing with the official site that the race itself starts at 7:30 a.m.
The Disease Behind the Cause
MCTD is a rare autoimmune disorder that shares features with lupus, scleroderma and polymyositis, occurring when the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy tissue, according to the Cleveland Clinic. It can cause joint pain, muscle weakness, swelling, fatigue and hair loss. The Cleveland Clinic notes there is no cure for the disease, though medication can help manage symptoms and reduce inflammation.
Proceeds from the Miramar race go toward hair prostheses, medical copays and other vital care resources for local patients, organizers say, continuing the mission that started with a single focus on helping people cope with the visible effects of autoimmune treatment. A decade in, the race has become less a one-day event and more a recurring lifeline for a South Florida community still navigating a disease that has no cure, only management.
