It isn’t too often that I spontaneously sign up for a race, but when two friends messaged me about the All Paws on the Ground 5K that was happening the very next day, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for Dakota and me to run another 5K together!

All Paws on the Ground 5K was held on the beautiful grounds of Uncle John’s Cider Mill in St. Johns, Michigan. The race was part of the Giving Paw’s Dog Days of Summer event.

The Course

The All Paws on the Ground course was entirely unpaved and offered a special treat of running by pumpkin patches and through apple orchards. The terrain was a mix of flattened grass (by wagon wheels) and dirt road. There were no roots or rocks.

The hills were pretty limited too. A few gently rolling sections but for the most part a flat, runnable course that was easy to navigate.

This race was designed as a dog-friendly 5K. You didn’t need to have a dog to participate, but you should at least like dogs. There were several dogs that showed up to race with their owners.

The Goodies

One of my favorite parts of this race was that the dogs also received finisher medals! Dakota wasn’t sure what to think about it, but he worked hard and deserved it. And a treat, which he got from visiting vendors that had set up with lots of dog-themed attire for sale, information about canicross, and activities for the dogs.

Human participants also received a t-shirt and a finisher medal.

Giving Paws

Giving Paws is a non-profit organization with the mission to serve the community with trained support dogs and support programming that ensures the care of animals.

Learn more about Giving Paws.

Overall

This was a fun, last-minute 5K that both Dakota and I thoroughly enjoyed. It was a great community race that offered a fantastic opportunity for people and dogs alike to enjoy a beautiful, unique course.

For more information, visit All Paws on the Ground.