The Hero's Journey 5K

The 7/20 Foundation is proud to present the 5th annual Hero’s Journey 5k Run/Walk. This race makes its way through Aurora's City Center and the High Line canal trail with a start and finish in the 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden. For those over 21, this race includes admission into the 7/20 Foundation's annual beer festival.   

The Hero's Journey represents any person who faces a challenge, encounters struggles to overcome it, and returns home a Hero. We hope this 5k is a transformative experience as you run/walk together; whether you are a veteran runner or this is your first 5k. We chose to start the run across from the theater and end in the 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden as your return home/finish line to honor the journey from tragedy to hope. It is the perfect place for each of us to honor and celebrate our collective accomplishment as well as our heroes from the July 20, 2012 tragedy.

Proceeds raised through the event will go toward the Zack Golditch Opportunity Scholarship. 

The 7/20 Foundation was created to honor the lives taken on July 20, 2012 in the Aurora Theater Shooting. After the completion of the 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden in 2018, the organization now focuses on supporting communities across the nation who have suffered tragic events. The 7/20 Foundation is organizing the Hero's Journey 5k in partnership with Zack Golditch and the Aurora Public Schools Foundation, to raise funds for the Zack Golditch Opportunity Scholarship (ZGOS).

Zack Golditch grew up in Aurora, Colorado and attended Gateway High School. In 2012, just before beginning his senior year, he was wounded in the Aurora Theater Shooting. With time, support from the community, and his dedication to sports, Zack persisted through the final stretch of high school and graduated in 2013. He went on to play D1 football and complete his undergraduate degree from Colorado State University. Zack played for several teams in the NFL over a period of two years before coming back to the Front Range. His path to the NFL is chronicled in this article and Sports Center Featured video on ESPN. He now follows the path of the first responders who came to his aid in 2012, as a firefighter at South Metro Fire Rescue. The culmination of Zack's life experiences and dedication to his community, has sparked his passion to establish the Zack Golditch Opportunity Scholarship.

The Aurora Public Schools Foundation (APSF) is a collaborator to advance private, non-profit, public and philanthropic partnerships. Since 1987, we’ve served to develop and leverage resources for projects and programs that drive innovation and excellence for nearly 40,000 students, 5,000 educators, and 63 schools. We provide supplemental funding and resources to support possibility becoming reality for every APS student. Our programs are both longstanding in evidence and responsive to accommodate the shifting needs of our community. We prioritize programs that benefit students overcoming obstacles by addressing key barriers, increasing postsecondary readiness among our students, and closing opportunity gaps. The APSF will accept and manage the funds for the Zack Golditch Opportunity Scholarship. 

In the early hours of July 20th, 2012, the Aurora community was forever changed. In a matter of minutes, a single individual perpetrated a heinous act, claiming the lives of 13 innocent people and leaving countless others with physical and emotional wounds. However, from the depths of this tragedy emerged the 7/20 Memorial Foundation—a group of family members, survivors, determined to prove that there is more love in the world than hate. After spearheading efforts to construct "Ascentiate,", the poignant memorial honoring those impacted by the tragedy, the group has evolved into an organization that supports other communities affected by similar tragedy through efforts like the Paper Crane Peace Project and the Survivors of Tragedy Outreach Program (S.T.O.P.).

Each year, the foundation holds an annual fundraiser surrounding the memorial that is the centerpiece to Aurora’s Water Wise Garden. Our signature annual event’s name has changed from "Reflection Garden on Tap," to the “Day of Resilience.” The Day of Resilience is a beloved gathering that draws in over a dozen beer vendors, healing & wellness booths, food trucks, and sidewalk chalk artists, along with musical entertainment.  The festivities will kick off on Saturday July 20th, 2024 with DJ Sinna-G at 7:30 AM, followed by the start of the 3rd annual "The Hero's Journey" 5k Run/Walk at 8:00 AM, which is organized by Zack Golditch, a survivor of the shooting, former NFL player, and now a firefighter in Colorado. While attendees explore our wellness booths, hear live music, and partake in beer tasting (for those over 21) from 8:00 AM to 12:00 pm our talented chalk artists will be creating stunning works of art around our beautiful memorial. Each creation will reflect the event's theme of "Reflections of Resilience" and inspire attendees to spread hope, love, and positivity in their lives and communities.

We hope you will consider sponsoring the event to assist us in covering the operating expenses such as: marketing, port-o-lets, permits, t-shirts, and stipends for the chalk artists and breweries. Donations are appreciated and tax-deductible with our 501(c)(3) tax-exempt #46-2214380.

If you are interested in sponsoring the Day of Resilience, please contact Tiina Marie Coon at tmracoon@gmail.com or (303) 809-7275.

Pre-Race 

There will be a pre-race packet pickup at Runners Roost in Aurora on July 24th from 4pm to 7pm. Come by and grab everything you need before the run!  

Race Day

Packets will be available for pickup on race morning at the check-in tent from 7:00am to 7:45am.

When registering for the race, every participant will be emailed a confirmation email. In this confirmation email will be a unique link that can be shared with your friends and family.  

Register 5 people for this race using your unique link and you will win a pair of Goodr Sunglasses. 

Register 10 people for this race using your unique link and your registration fee will be refunded.

There are no refunds for this race. 

Race Logistics

For those that have participated in past years, please take note of the course change. This year the course will be a traditional "out and back" layout, removing the need for buses.

Start Line - 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden in front of the Aurora Municipal Center

Finish Line - 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden in front of the Aurora Municipal Center

Parking - 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden and Aurora Municipal Center parking lot

Day-of Packet Pick Up & Registration - Southeast corner of the Aurora Municipal Center building.

The Course Journey

Participants will begin and end on E. Alameda Pkwy near the entrance to the 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden. The course will move through the Aurora Municipality Headquarters, City Center Park, along the High Line Canal Trail, and back, culminating at the 7/20 Memorial Reflection Garden. Water stations will be located at registration and around the 1.5 mile marker. Participants will complete the course under the Runner's Roost inflatable tunnel, and are encouraged to stay for the awards ceremony immediately following. See the image below for a course map.

5K Course

Kids Fun Run

The Kids Fun Run will begin at 8:45am. This race is just for fun and not timed. Kids will run around the Great Lawn and into the Finish. 

If you are interested in volunteering for the Day of Resilience, please go to the Volunteer Website or contact Tiina Marie Coon at tmracoon@gmail.com. Thank you in advance for your interest.

BEER FESTIVAL ADMISSION

• Runners over 21 will receive a FREE wristband to taste some of Colorado and Aurora’s finest microbrews.
• Admission to Festival is FREE for all ages.
• Beer sampling without the run is $40.00 and can be purchased here. 

PHOTOS AND AWARDS

• Photos of finishers will be added to each individual finisher's result. 
• Awards for the Top Finishers in each age group!!
• Hero's Journey T-Shirt & custom 5k Finisher Medal