Race Week Information
Getting to the Flutie 5K
- Assigned Parking: To help alleviate traffic patterns and safety concerns on the tight roads around Natick High School, ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL BE ASSIGNED TO A SPECIFIC PARKING LOT. The large majority of folks will be assigned to our Park-and-Ride Shuttle Parking at MathWorks' Apple Hill Campus (1 Apple Hill Dr. Natick, MA 01760). PLEASE DO NOT PARK ANYWHERE OTHER THAN WHERE YOU ARE ASSIGNED. Please pay attention to text and email communication from the Flutie 5K and RunSignUp to see your assigned parking, and THANK YOU for helping us maintain safety regulations on Race Day.
- Plan to Arrive Early: Since most participants will be shuttling in, we recommend giving yourself 30 extra minutes to make sure you have time to park, take the shuttle, and pickup your race materials before the race.
- Wheelchair-Accessible Parking: ADA Parking is available at all of the lots on Race Day. For those that need Wheelchair Accessible parking, please proceed directly to Memorial Field and our volunteers and race officials will show you where to park.
- Shuttles: Shuttles to and from Memorial Field and our Park-and-ride lot at MathWorks will run on the following schedule. Please make sure to give yourselves plenty of time as the shuttle ride is about 15-minutes each way.
- 6:30AM - All Parking Lots Open
- 6:45AM - First Shuttles depart MathWorks towards Memorial Field
- 8:15AM - Participants shuttling in from our Park-and-ride lots at MathWorks MUST BE ON SITE by 8:15AM at MathWorks to catch the last shuttle.
- Shuttles will resume service from Memorial Field to MathWorks by 10AM
- 11:45AM - Final Shuttles from Memorial Field back to MathWorks Parking
- Map: Please click here to see a detailed map of the event space.
Please Note: If you need specific accommodations for an individual on the Autism Spectrum, please let us know ASAP and accommodations will be provided.
Bib Pickup -- 2 Options:
- Pre-Race Day (ENCOURAGED): Saturday, October 24th, 12-6PM at the Memorial Field Ticket Booth (approx 40 West St. Natick, MA). Get your shirt and bib early and avoid the lines on race day morning!
- Race Day: Sunday, October 25th, 7-8:45AM at Memorial Field at Check In
Race Day Schedule
- 6:30AM
- Parking Lots Open
- 6:45AM
- First Shuttles from MathWorks Parking to Memorial Field
- 7:00AM
- Race Day Bib Pickup Opens at Memorial Field
- 8:00AM
- Live Entertainment Begins
- 8:15AM
- Final Shuttle from MathWorks Parking to Memorial Field
- 8:30AM
- Opening Ceremonies Begin
- 8:45AM
- Race Day Bib Pickup Closes
- Memorial Field Opens (All participants with bibs proceed to start line. No non-participants, food, or drinks permitted on Memorial Field or Track)
- *KIDS' FUN RUN STARTS AT START LINE*
- 8:55AM
- National Anthem
- 9:00AM
- *5K & 1/2 5K START AT THE START LINE*
- 10:30AM
- Closing Ceremony and Award Presentation at Event Stage
- 11:30AM
- Live Entertainment Ends
- 11:45AM
- Final Shuttles Back To MathWorks Parking
- 12:00PM
- Post Race Event Concludes
PLEASE TAKE SPECIAL NOTE OF THE FOLLOWING
- We are all parents and caretakers of the autism community on Race Day--this event will be largely attended by families with one or more individuals on the autism spectrum. Be aware of those around you, be kind, and if you see someone that needs support, please offer support or notify a race official or volunteer immediately.
- Please wear your bibs--there will be nearly 2,000 participants on the course on race day and we must require that all of you wear your bib on the course so that you are easily idetifiable by volunteers and Natick Police as a participant of the Flutie 5K while on the streets of Natick.
- No dogs--due to safety regulations, we can only allow registered safety or guide dogs to attend this event.
- No food, drink, or people without bibs on Memorial Field or the track.
Frequently Asked Questions
October 25th, 2026 at 9AM - Memorial Field at Natick High School
We do our best to provide as many registrants as possible with a shirt and medal on race day! Register early before they sell out!
Yes! Although we only allow participants in the field area, one parent per child is allowed in during the kids race. We kindly ask all other members of you party cheer on from the spectator viewing area.
No. Unfortunately, dogs are not permitted. Exceptions will be made for service animals. If you plan to attend with a service animal, please email 5K@flutiefoundation.org
Yes, registered participants can push children in strollers on the course as long as they are registered in the 5K Roll or 1/2 5K Walk category.
Please watch this video to learn how to register.
Please watch this video to learn how to donate.
Please watch this video to learn how to create or join a team.
Writing a check or donating offline in another way? Make your donation out to the Flutie 5K, be sure to include your preferred Charity in the memo and mail it to our office at 42 Felton St. 3R, Waltham, MA 02453. Once we receive your donation, we will add it to the page!
There are 2 options for Packet Pickup:
- (ENCOURAGED) PRE-RACE Day: Saturday, October 24 at the Memorial Field Ticket Booth in Natick - Skip the lines on race day and come pickup your packet between 12-6pm.
- Arrive EARLY on Race Day to park and get to Memorial Field - bib pickup will open at 7AM.
This race will sell out and we will not have race day registration.
Yes, as long as they have your confirmation email.
The start and finish line is located directly on the track at Memorial Field!
The parking lots closest to Memorial Field will be reserved for Wheelchair Accessible parking, vendors, and volunteers. To alleviate traffic and safety concerns, all race participants will be assigned to a specific parking lot with the large majority assigned to our Shuttle Parking at MathWorks Apple Hill Campus (1 Apple Hill Dr. Natick, MA 01760). For more information on shuttle timing, please refer back to the FAQ page.
Yes, there will be one water station on the course.
Portapotties will be available at Memorial Field
Since 2000, the Flutie 5K for Autism has always been a peer-to-peer fundraising event where our participants drive the impact by fundraising within their own networks.
That being said, fundraising is not a requirement, however all participants are automatically given a fundraising page and have the option to raise additional funds by sharing the link to their personal pages.
Once a participant raises over $150, they are automatically reimbursed for their registration fee and become eligible for limited edition Flutie 5K merchandise.
You can see our 5K and 1/2 5K Courses at the links below:
Douglas
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