The 2026 Great Land Run brought together runners, walkers, volunteers, and supporters from across the community, raising funds for Enid Public Schools while delivering a day of memorable competition. Held Sept. 12 at Red Bird Farm, the event welcomed 294 registered participants and 194 finishers across the Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and virtual race categories. The day was highlighted by four new course records, making this year's race one of the most successful and competitive in event history.

“We had a great event this year,” said Bo Uhrmacher, EH&S Leader at Koch Fertilizer Enid and President of the Great Land Run Board. “We had runners of all ages compete. While the weather was hot and humid it didn't cause any significant issues for the participants. The runners and volunteers that put on the event had a great time, our sponsors really delivered, and we were able to raise a lot of money again this year for Enid Public Schools. I hope we can continue to make this a bigger event each successive year and deliver even more value to area schools.”

The Great Land Run Education Foundation, founded in 2008, has now contributed over $550,000 to Garfield County public schools. This year’s proceeds, of $34,711 will support Enid High School’s growing FFA program and a STEM initiative across all eleven elementary schools in the district.

“Thanks to the efforts of so many, the 2026 Great Land Run was a huge success!” said Dr. Dudley Darrow, Superintendent of Enid Public Schools. “Red Bird Farm was a wonderful host and a prime location for this event, too. EPS is extremely grateful for the annual donation to our overall financial budget.”

Several new course records were established across multiple race categories: In the men's 5K, Matthew Millard set a new course record with a time of 18:55, matching his gun time of 18:55. In the men's 10K, Jose Hernandez broke the previous course record, finishing in 34:51 with a gun time of 34:51. The women's 10K course record was also reset by Kasey Kerperin, who completed the race in 47:51 with a gun time of 47:56. In the half marathon men's division, Christian Fewr established a new course record with a finishing time of 1:28:40 and a gun time of 1:28:41. These outstanding performances made 2026 a record-setting year. Full race results, photos and award winners, go to the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/GreatLandRun.

The Great Land Run board wants to specifically thank Brown’s Shoe Fit for donating prizes, Brower Inc. for the porta potties, and Koch for the light plants, whose donations helped elevate the race experience for all.

For over 11 years, Dr. Eve H Switzer, Pediatrician at Northwest Pediatrics and Race Director for Great Land Run, has been involved in making the event possible.

“The Great Land Run is a true community effort — from Enid Public Schools to our title sponsors Wymer Brownlee and Koch Fertilizer, to the Garfield County Sheriff's Department and the Enid Running Club, everyone stepped up to make race day happen. Our volunteers, in particular, were incredible. We know we're not perfect, but we get a little better every year, and we're always grateful for feedback from everyone who's part of making this event happen."

The Great Land Run continues to grow, and helps educational funding in Enid, thanks to the support of title sponsors Koch Fertilizer Enid, Wymer Brownlee Wealth Strategies, the Enid Running Club, and Red Bird Farms, along with the dedication of volunteers and the Enid community.

For more information or to get involved in future events, visit www.greatlandrun.com.

EPS Academy -

Great Land Run Combines Community Spirit, Educational Support, and Record-Breaking Performances