Kelly LaBare’s Legacy Continues to Unite Hundreds in Binghamton

There's one weekend in August when Otsiningo Park feels like the center of the universe for anyone living in Binghamton. The smell of marinated spiedies hits the grill, hot air balloons lift off into the morning sky, and the whole Southern Tier settles into the familiar buzz of Spiedie Fest weekend.

For the last 29 years, though, Sunday morning of that weekend has belonged to something a little quieter and a lot more personal. On Sunday, August 9th, hundreds of neighbors will lace up their sneakers for the annual Kelly LaBare 5K, a race that began out of grief and has become one of the biggest community gatherings of the summer.

Who Was Kelly LaBare? The History Behind the Binghamton 5K

To understand why this race feels different, you have to go back to 1997. Kelly LaBare was a standout athlete and a high-honors graduate of Cornell University with what looked like an open road ahead of her.

People who ran the local trails back then still remember her, blonde ponytail bouncing, often running stride for stride with her younger brother Byron close behind.

At 25 years old, Kelly died from an undiagnosed heart condition, but instead of letting her memory fade, her family and friends built something around it that would keep her name attached to the Southern Tier every summer.

What to Expect at the Kelly LaBare 5K in Otsiningo Park

Race morning at Otsiningo Park doesn't feel like a typical competitive 5K, even though it draws plenty of serious local runners.

The course is flat and fast, and some of the region's best distance runners do show up for it. But most people there aren't chasing a personal record. They're catching up with old friends, walking with family, or telling each other stories about the people they've lost.

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How to Register for the Spiedie Fest Weekend Kelly LaBare 5K

The race falls on the same weekend as the Spiedie Fest and Balloon Rally, so runners get to close out the festival with a Sunday morning that feels a little different from the rest of the weekend.

Whether you're racing for time, walking with your kids, or just want to be part of a morning that means something to many people around here, there is room for you at the starting line.

Registration is now open on the Kelly LaBare 5K page on RunSignUp. Grab your sneakers, bring your family, and come be part of a Binghamton tradition that has outlasted almost three decades.