
From the Organizer
Before you go out to celebrate on the 4th of July... spend the morning getting some healthy exercise in a fun family environment! The 2nd Annual Freedom 5k at Independence Bank in Paducah KY, invites you to bring out the family to run, walk, ruck and cheer your way into the holiday! All participants will receive great patriotic race gear, and fun awards will be given out for overall and age group winners for the Run and Ruck divisions.
All collected donations and a portion of race proceeds will go to the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org). WWP creates and funds programs that help wounded veterans get back on track and become positive forces in their communities. Please help us reach our goal of $7000 to give just a little back to those who gave so much for us.
This year's race will begin at 7am. Participants will gather in the Independence Bank parking lot on Buckner and Labelle Ave (Midtown Paducah, across from the Coke Plant) and head down Jefferson towards the flood wall. The course will turn on 17th street, and then left on Madison street. From there you will turn left onto Fountain Ave, and right on Jefferson street to return back the way you came. The start and finish line will be on Labelle Ave between the Coke Plant and Independence Bank. See map below
WALK: Sign up in the "Walk" division, and go for a great non-competitive morning walk. Note: there will be no awards given in the walking division.
RUN: The "Run" division is what you would see at most races. While you don't have to run competitively to sign up in this division, there are awards given for overall and age group finishers.
RUCK: The Ruck division requires you to wear a weighted vest or pack (Not provided at the race. You must bring your own). You can Ruck at any pace, and there will be overall awards given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place male and female. *** RUCK WEIGHT: If you weigh under 150lbs it is recommended you wear a minimum of a 20lbs weighted ruck. If you weight over 150lbs you it is recommended you wear a 30lbs minimum ruck. We will not be checking actual weight, as we rely on you to choose and appropriately honest weight based on your fitness level.
Events
Weather
It's too far out for a forecast, so here's what weather on this date is normally like in the area. A race day forecast will replace this as race week approaches.
Typical High
88°
Typical Low
68°
Chance of Rain
26%
Based on US Climate Normals data from Brookport Dam 52, 5 mi from the venue.
Host City
Population
26,894
as of 2023
Elevation
424 ft
Nearest Airport
PAH
Barkley Regional Airport · 6 mi
Major Hub
BNA
Nashville International Airport · 127 mi
Time Zone
Central Time
From Endurance Grid
A mid-size host city. Enough lodging and amenities to keep race weekend easy, without big-city sprawl.
Race Location
Your Next Start Line
Every finish line starts with a single decision. Claim your spot at Freedom 5K Celebration @ Independence Bank, put it on the calendar, and turn “someday” into a start date.
26
Days to train
Coming Up
Super 5K Run/Walk
9 miles away
Just For The Health Of It 5K
16 miles away
Spokes for Strokes 2026
Less than a mile away
Moonlight Ride Paducah
Less than a mile away
From Endurance Grid
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it's the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer's event page.
With running, there's a distance for every fitness level, a community at every start line, and nothing beats the feeling of crossing a finish line you trained for.
Running is an endurance sport that rewards consistency, and showing up every week compounds in ways that will surprise you.
From 5K to marathon, running races are the most accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Freedom 5K Celebration @ Independence Bank
Jul 4, 2026