Registration Open for Outrun Stigma 5K at Oviedo Mall Feb. 14

Registration is open for Lakewood Center’s second annual Outrun Stigma 5K, a chip-timed 3.1-mile run/walk set for Feb. 14 at Oviedo Mall. The Valentine’s Day event aims to raise awareness and funds for local mental-health services that support adults living with serious mental illness, and officials are encouraging participants of all abilities to join.

The event will begin with a warm-up at 7:45 a.m., with the race starting at 8 a.m. Day-of registration opens at 7 a.m., and the entry fee is $25. Organizers offered a special t-shirt and medal to participants who registered by Jan. 23. Registrants can use discount code WESH2 at checkout.

Proceeds from the Outrun Stigma 5K will support Lakewood Center’s programs, including residential care and therapeutic services. For Seminole County residents, those program dollars translate into local capacity for long-term housing and clinical care that many families rely on. Community fundraising events like this one provide a modest but visible funding stream that supplements public and private funding for behavioral health services in the county.

The chip-timed format will appeal to runners seeking measured results, while the walk option and the stated encouragement of participants of all abilities signal an inclusive approach intended to draw families, caregivers, and community advocates as much as competitive athletes. Holding the run at Oviedo Mall leverages a familiar Seminole County public space that is centrally located and accessible by local roads and public transit routes.

Beyond immediate fundraising, the race serves as a public-awareness campaign aimed at reducing stigma around serious mental illness. Community participation can increase visibility for Lakewood Center’s residential and therapeutic services and help build volunteer and donor networks that matter for long-term program sustainability. For local small businesses and vendors, increased foot traffic at Oviedo Mall on Feb. 14 may provide a modest economic bump tied to registration and race-day activity.

Seminole County residents interested in taking part should register online and enter discount code WESH2 where prompted; those who missed the Jan. 23 deadline for the t-shirt and medal will still be able to register the morning of the event starting at 7 a.m. The Outrun Stigma 5K offers a way for neighbors to support local mental-health care while getting outside and connecting on Valentine’s Day.