Littlest Bear Virtual 5K Run/Walk
Join the fun this July with the Littlest Bear Initiative, supporting D&I Fellowships for I School students.
This summer, Berkeley I School is committing to wellness and diversity in tech with the Littlest Bear Initiative. There are two ways to participate:
You can walk/run/roll at your own pace — invite friends and family to join in the fun too! Littlest Bear 5K registration includes a very limited edition athletic T-shirt, with a logo designed by our very own Michelle Peretz (MIMS '19)!
Net proceeds will be used to support Diversity & Inclusion fellowships for Berkeley I School students.
The first $1000 donated towards D&I Fellowships will be matched 2/1 by the I School and our event sponsor PwC so that your money goes even farther.
*Your gift to the annual fund will be directed toward the graduate opportunity fund which is in the process of being formally established. Please contact Tia Foss, Director of Philanthropy, with additional questions about your gift.
FAQS
How can I participate? You can register to run/walk/roll in the 5K, with all proceeds donated to the School of Information Graduate Opportunity Fund, and/or you can make a separate gift donation. All gift donations will be matched by I School and PwC - so that your contribution goes farther!
What will the Diversity & Inclusion Fellowships be used for? All money raised will provide D&I fellowships for Berkeley I School students who have overcome significant challenges in pursuing higher education; who have shown leadership in the fields of diversity, equity, and inclusion; or whose research addresses social inequality.
What is a virtual 5K? A virtual race is one that can be run (or walked or wheelchair rolled) from any location you choose. You can run, jog, walk, or roll on the road, on the treadmill, at the gym or on the track. 5K is 5 kilometers or 3.1 miles. Put them together and you get a Virtual 5k!
Who can participate in the 5k? I School students, alumni, faculty, staff, family members, and friends! There is no age limit and we encourage kids to get active and participate as well (there will be a youth size t-shirt available).
What do you get by joining the race? A chance to engage in a fun community event (with social media/Slack activities and prizes!), a special edition race T-Shirt, and a chance to earn a spot on the leaderboard!
Do I need to run the 5K? Participants can choose to run, jog, walk or otherwise traverse 5 km (or 3.1 miles). You can do it outside (on a trail, track, or sidewalk) or indoors (on a treadmill). This is an inclusive event and we encourage participation by people with disabilities — you’re welcome to roll the 5K in your wheelchair or use any regular personal assistive technology that you would typically use for a similar event.
Is there an exact date/time for the 5K? Participants will be given a three-day window during which to complete the 5k. The date range for the 5k is Thursday, July 26 through Saturday, July 28.
How will the 5K be tracked? Participants will be asked to track their own times and input them into our leaderboard form along with some additional details.
Participants may use the tracking method that is most convenient for them, so long as they are able to provide the time that it took them to traverse 5 km/3.1 miles. You can use a fitness tracker, a mobile phone app, or even just a stopwatch.
Looking for tracking recommendations or advice? When you register for the 5k, you will be prompted to provide your email address so that we can invite you to the #ischool5k slack channel in the Berkeley I School slack team (ucbischool.slack.com). This channel is a great way to tips from your fellow 5K participants!
What if I want to do the 5k with other I Schoolers? When you register for the 5k, you will be prompted provide your email address so that we can invite you to the #ischool5k slack channel in the Berkeley I School slack team (ucbischool.slack.com). Here you can find others running in your area!
What are the guidelines for safety, injury prevention, and self-care? You can find guidelines for preventing sports injuries, along with a few self-care tips for treating the minor sports-related health problems that happen from time to time on the University Health Services website.
We encourage you to run safely, following local traffic laws and exercising common sense precautions. Runner’s World provides some basic safety tips.
I’ve never run before, but I’d really like to run the 5K. The good news is that you can be trained and ready for a 5K in as few as 4 weeks! You can find plenty of training programs online that will help you prepare to run the distance. Here are just a few:
- Four-Week 5K Training Plan for Beginners (Very Well Fit)
- Run Your First 5K Like a Boss: The 4-Week Training Plan You Need (Women’s Health Mag)
- The 4-Week 5K Challenge Anyone Can Master (Refinery29)
We encourage you to train safely and exercise common sense. If this is your first time running, you may want to consult your doctor (we’re sure they’ll be very excited for you!) and to follow an approved training plan.
Little Bear — Big Winners
We’re upping the fun with participation based contest!
Winners will have an additional $10 donated to the Diversity & Inclusion initiative in their name, and will be sent a small token of our appreciation (I School swag!).
5k Participation
Check out the leaderboards for more participation stats
Best run times
| Best overall runtime: | Christopher Hall, 19:13; Anthony Mann, 20:37 |
| Students: | Jack Workman, 22:28; Kanitha Mann |
| Alumni: | Dan Tsai, 22:19; Daniel Griffin, 23:41 |
| Faculty: | Coye Cheshire, 27:50 |
| Staff: | Siu Yung Wong, 27:30; Catherine Browning 32:23 |
| Youth: | Eliza Ayres, 27:00; Bennet & Griffyn Basthemer, 34:00 |
Location-based winners:
| Participating the farthest from South Hall: | Elizabeth Resor (Ph.D. student), Watamu, Kenya (9,801 miles from South Hall) |
| Most Interesting Location: | Lisa Ho (staff), Ayung River, Ubud, Bali, Indonesia (8,332 miles from South Hall) |
Giving
| Biggest gift from an individual donor: | David Boyhan and Rhonda Griffin |
Social Media Participation Winners
| Most creative post of a child or pet getting active or participating in the 5k on Twitter or Instagram. Include #ISchool5k. | Laurie Haskell-Woerner (staff) with her doggies, Elvis and Winston |
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Random original Tweet that fills in the blanks: “I’m participating in the #ISchool5k bc _________________.” |
Daniel Griffin (Ph.D. student, MIMS alum) |
| 5th selfie on Twitter or Instagram promoting or participating in the 5k. Include #ISchool5k. | Jane Allen, PwC |
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Leaderboards
Check out the top finishers and submit your own time.
Contests
See the winners of our 5k and social media participation contests!
