More than a 5K

On paper and on the pavement, it’s a 5K.

In a broader sense, it’s one of the largest moving communities you’ll see on campus all year.

The Izzo Run/Walk/Roll draws thousands to MSU each spring, filling familiar paths with runners, walkers and families. The 2026 event takes place this Sunday, April 26. But what keeps it growing — nearly 10,000 participants are expected this year — isn’t the exercise or the challenge.

“It’s become more than that,” said Lupe Izzo, who founded the event. “It’s become a really great event that brings people together.”

Now in its seventh year, the event has evolved from a simple campus race into a statewide force for community impact. Organized in partnership with the Playmakers Foundation, the run/walk/roll has raised more than $1.55 million for nonprofit organizations, with support expanding beyond Greater Lansing to communities across Michigan.

For race director Joe Dimambro, that growth is both visible and intentional.

“We’re now at the point where this race has become so large that we’re teetering on the five digits category,” Dimambro said. “That rapid growth is something we want to continue to lean into.”

But the numbers only tell part of the story.

The course itself is currently fully contained on campus and doubles as a moving tour of Michigan State. Participants wind past landmarks like Beaumont Tower, the MSU Library and Cowles House, experiencing the campus at its most vibrant, often timed with spring in full bloom.

“There’s really no better way to experience it than doing this,” said Marcy Gillespie Kinzer, executive director of The Izzo Legacy.

Still, organizers are quick to point out that the event’s defining feature isn’t the route or even the race. It’s the inclusivity built into it from the start.

“We talk about it being a race,” Gillespie Kinzer said, “but Lupe’s original vision for this was an inclusive community charitable event.”

That vision shows up in the variety of ways people participate. Alongside competitive runners are walkers, participants in the “roll” category for individuals with physical disabilities, children in youth races and first-time 5K participants.

“It really is an event for everybody,” Dimambro said.

The reach extends even further through a growing virtual component, which now includes participants from all 50 states and beyond. For alumni and supporters who can’t make it to East Lansing, the virtual race offers a way to stay connected.

“There’s really no boundary for people getting involved,” Dimambro said.

Behind the scenes, the scale of the event is matched by the effort required to make it happen. More than 300 volunteers help run the race, from handing out medals to directing participants along the course. Planning is year-round, involving a large committee of university and community partners.

“It takes a community to help host this event successfully,” Dimambro said.

For Izzo, that community focus traces back to the race’s origin. She launched the event during a difficult period for the university, with a goal of reinforcing connection and pride.

“I said, ‘You’re not going to tell us who we are. We know who we are,’” she said.

That sense of identity continues to shape the event today, not just as a fundraiser, but as a shared experience. Participants can engage in multiple ways: by running, walking or rolling the course, volunteering, cheering from the sidelines or donating directly to charity partners. For those on the fence, Izzo offers a simple invitation: stop by and watch.

“Once they see it, they’ll be hooked,” she said.

Because for all its growth, the Izzo Run/Walk/Roll still comes back to something simple: people showing up for each other and for a cause that keeps getting bigger with every step.