
From the Organizer
Early registration now open!
Welcome to the 48th Annual "Pittsburg Rotary Gorilla Grind 5K! The race starts and finishes on the campus of Pittsburg State University in front of Weede Gymnasium. The race will be chip timed by Runaround Racing. There will be water and light snacks at the finish line.
All proceeds from the Gorilla Grind 5K provides scholarships to local high school students entering Pittsburg State University. A scholarship also is awarded to a student entering PSU Army ROTC. Pittsburg Noon Rotary works hard to put on an exceptional event!
Runners must register online by September 29th to receive a shirt. Packets not picked up on race day will not be mailed. The weather at 7am in late October can be chilly so come prepared! Packet pickup will start at 6:00am in the entryway of Weede Gymnasium before the race starts. At 6:50 the race director will give some last minute instructions and The Gorilla Grind 5K will start promptly at 7:00am and help kick off PSU's Homecoming activities!
Age group awards will be given for the following categories:
We encourage all registrants to post pictures on our Facebook page @GorillaGrind5K.
Thank you to all our registrants and sponsors for making our event a great success!
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
70°
Typical Low
47°
Chance of Rain
25%
Based on US Climate Normals data from Pittsburg, 1 mi from the venue.
Host City
Population
20,606
as of 2023
Elevation
908 ft
Nearest Airport
JLN
Joplin Regional Airport · 20 mi
Major Hub
TUL
Tulsa International Airport · 105 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 Pittsburg Rotary Gorilla Grind 5K, put it on the calendar, and turn “someday” into a start date.
131
Days to train
Coming Up
Toes in the Grand 5K & Fun Run
55 miles away
EastTown Dreams District's Juneteenth 5k
25 miles away
Stars and Stripes 5K - Pittsburg, KS
Less than a mile away
27th ANNUAL RED, WHITE AND BOOM RUN 5K
27 miles 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)
Pittsburg Rotary Gorilla Grind 5K
Oct 17, 2026