Home / Races / Flower City Challenge Half Marathon & 5k

Flower City Challenge Half Marathon & 5k

April 27, 2025

Rochester

Road

Distances

Half-Marathon, 5k

Starting Time

7:30 AM

Fees

$80+

Perfect For

Ready to sign up?

500-1000

Fast & Flat

Small Town

High: 56°

/ Low: 39°

The races are all part of what the event organizers call the Flower City Challenge, named for the city’s legacy as a center of flower growing, plant nurseries and gardening dating back to the 19th century.

That legacy is carried on today with Rochester’s annual Lilac Festival, which draws an estimated 100,000 visitors each year in May to see more than 400 varieties of lilacs in bloom around the city.

The course for the half marathon — officially titled the Rochester Regional Health Flower City Half Marathon — takes runners on an out-and-back course that starts and finishes at downtown Rochester’s Blue Cross Arena, which looks out onto the Genesee River flowing through the city. From there, the course will take runners along downtown city streets as well as through its most scenic neighborhoods and historic areas, and will finish back downtown at the river. On the day of the race, the event is scheduled to kick off with the start of the half marathon at 7:30 AM and the Wegmans Family 5K race at 7:45 AM, followed by post-race festivities and food at the finish line.

Flower City Challenge Half Marathon & 5k Results

Overview

Set for its 15th annual running in the Rochester area this fall, this race is part of a weekend filled with race events that also includes the River Challenge Duathlon and the River Challenge Paddle Triathlon on Saturday, followed by the 13.1-mile race and the 5K on Sunday. The races are all part of what the event organizers call the Flower City Challenge, named for the city’s legacy as a center of flower growing, plant nurseries and gardening dating back to the 19th century. That legacy is carried on today with Rochester’s annual Lilac Festival, which draws an estimated 100,000 visitors each year in May to see more than 400 varieties of lilacs in bloom around the city.

Course Description

Past Results

Flower City Challenge Half Marathon & 5k Results