FSU PANAMA CITY TO HOST ANNUAL 5K TORCH RUN ON JAN. 24, 2026

Tony Simmons

Florida State University Panama City will host the 37th Annual Torch Run 5K race and fun run from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, starting and ending at the Holley Academic Center, 4750 Collegiate Drive.
The Torch Run, an FSU Panama City tradition since 1989, is a timed 5K run. The race will wind through Carl Gray Park and the campuses of FSU PC and Gulf Coast State College.

Mason Brain

Students, alumni, the community and visitors of all ages are invited to run or walk. Strollers and pets are welcome. Awards will be given to first-, second- and third-place winners in various categories and age ranges; all participants will receive Torch Run medals. Packet pickup is from 7:30-8:45 a.m. race day at the Holley Academic Center.

“Traditions mean a lot for an institution, and this annual Torch Run does just that, but it’s also an opportunity for us to raise money for scholarships, and that’s critically important,” FSU Associate Dean Irvin Clark said.

Registration is $25 in advance ($30 the day prior and day of event) and includes a Torch Run T-shirt. All proceeds benefit the FSU PC Promise Scholarship Fund. Registration is free for all FSU PC and GCSC students. For more information and to register, visit https://fsupctorchrun.itsyourrace.com/.

The FSU Panama City Promise Scholarship was established as part of a commitment to accessibility and student success by making the cost of achieving a four-year degree more affordable. The FSU PC Promise Scholarship provides free tuition and fees to students who are residents of Northwest Florida and whose combined family and student income is less than $80,000 or Pell eligible.

Nearly 200 local runners braved the wintry weather to participate in the 2025 Torch Run, with 15-year-old Mason Brain of Panama City finishing first, clocking in at 20:05.

AT A GLANCE:
FSU Panama City Torch Run

  • What: Timed 5K through FSU PC and Gulf Coast State College campuses
  • When: 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Jan. 24; packet pickup at 7:30-8:45 a.m.
  • Where: Holley Academic Center, 4750 Collegiate Drive, Panama City
  • Registration: $25 in advance ($30 day prior and race day)
  • Details: https://fsupctorchrun.itsyourrace.com
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Press Release