Scrub Jay Races

🏃‍♂️ Event Overview

Join us for the 26th annual 5K and Scramble 10K.

• Different Courses: The 5K is more road-runner friendly with some trails.
• Challenging Terrain: The Scramble 10K is a challenging trail course.
• Convenient Location: All activities are near the Nature Center at Lake Osprey.
• Easy Access: Packet pick up, starts, finish, and post race events are within a short walk from the parking areas.

🌳 Scrub Jay 5K Details

The Scrub Jay 5K is a course designed with the road-runners in mind. There is still the beauty and nature of Oscar Scherer Park on mostly hard packed surfaces but there are still some tree roots and a section on the trails and a little bit of the dreaded "sugar sand." You will begin near the Nature Center and travel the length of the main entrance road just about to the entrance before turning onto the Lester Finley trail and South Creek Nature Trail on mostly prepared-surface park trails including crushed shell and paver paths then onto earthen trails for the last 3/4 mile with only a very small sandy area.

🌄 Scrub Jay Scramble 10K Details

The Scrub Jay Scramble 10K is a course on the trails, sugar-sand included, with some ups and downs using recently created pedestrian underpasses and overpasses. Designed by trail runners for trail runners using the parks' features to challenge even experienced trail runners. Check out the detailed description and map of the Scrub Jay Scramble 10K. For 2025 there will be a slight detour to avoid the damaged areas of the Orange Trail.

🥇 What Your Registration Includes

Your registration includes a custom finisher's medal for all finishers and a post-race featuring hot dogs (veggie dogs on request), fruit, and other snacks. Participants will receive a tech race shirt as long as supplies last.

• Shirt Availability: Race shirts will be ordered approximately three weeks before race day.
• Early Registration: Participants who register early will be sure to get the shirt size they select.
• Unclaimed Shirts: Any race shirts not picked up by the close of packet pick up race morning will be forfeited.
• Timing: 5K and Scramble 10K are gun start with a chip-timed finish.

🏅 Awards & Recognition

5K and 10K Overall and Category Awards: Overall, Masters (40+), Grandmasters (50+), Senior Grandmasters (60+), Veteran Grandmasters (70+) and Youth Overall (14 & under)

• 5K Age Group Awards: 3-deep in 9 & under, 10-12, 13-14 and 5-year increments 15-19 to 90 & over.
• Scramble 10K Age Group Awards: 3-deep 14 & under and 5-year increments 15-19 to 80 & over.

💰 Registration Discounts

Young runners receive special registration pricing compliments of the Friends of Oscar Scherer Park (applied automatically during checkout). Members of the Friends of Oscar Scherer Park can email for a discount coupon code. Members in good standing of local running and triathlon clubs with membership on RunSignUp will have their club membership discount applied automatically during registration.

📅 Event Details

The race will take place on January 24, 2026, at Oscar Scherer State Park, Osprey, FL. For more information and to register, visit: Scrub Jay Races.