Race morning

Photos

St. Nicholas Church, O'Fallon, on the second saturday in july, every year since 2019.

From the foundation's most recently published set, shot at the July 2024 race.

  • A roadside sign reading “Jenn Mueller Memorial 5K Run/Walk, 2nd Saturday in July, St. Nicholas Church”.
    Second Saturday in July. Same place, every year.
  • A large display board covered edge to edge with photographs of Jennifer Mueller with family and friends.
    The memory board: Jenn, in every year of her life.
  • A large group of runners in green shirts gathered under the inflatable finish arch.
    Everybody under the arch before the gun.
  • Dozens of children in green shirts running down the street during the Kids Fun Run.
    The Kids Fun Run, the loudest part of the morning.
  • Young children lined up and taking off from the start line of the Kids Fun Run.
    Go.
  • A close-up of the finisher medal: a hand-painted snowman inside a wooden hoop with a red and green wreath.
    Christmas in July: the 2024 finisher ornament.
  • Two snowman ornaments resting on a folded towel printed with “Jennifer Mueller”.
    Made by hand, every single year.
  • A table laid out with rows of green finisher medals and wooden ornament awards.
    The awards table, before anyone crosses the line.
  • Two runners in Santa hats and red outfits posing in front of the race clock reading 8:40.
    Santa hats in July. Nobody questions it anymore.
  • Two women in green “Christmas in July” race shirts smiling with their arms around each other.
  • Volunteers in green shirts working the registration and merchandise tent under the foundation banner.
    Registration opens at dawn.
  • Volunteers handing out food and drinks to runners under a white tent.
  • Volunteers serving pancakes to runners at the post-race tent.
    The pancakes the race is named for.
  • Four O’Fallon firefighters standing in front of their engine at the race.
    O’Fallon Fire shows up every year.
  • A man in a green race shirt speaking into a microphone beside a red fire engine.
    Pre-race announcements.
  • The printed 5K course map showing the route, the water stop and the splash zone.
    One water stop. One splash zone.
  • Runners and families gathered in the parking lot before the race, tents in the background.
  • Runners approaching the inflatable finish arch with spectators lining the road.
  • A crowd of walkers making their way through the finish arch together.
    Walkers welcome. Always have been.
  • Two young girls wearing race bibs 56 and 54 standing together before the start.
  • A child in a green race shirt with bib 24 running hard toward the camera.
  • A girl in a green race shirt cheering with her mouth wide open.
  • An older boy wearing bib 74 with his arm around a younger boy in sunglasses.
  • Two adults and a young boy posing together in front of the start arch.
  • A smiling man in a green race shirt and sunglasses at the finish area.
  • Four volunteers in matching green foundation shirts standing together in a parking lot.
  • Two volunteers in green shirts working together under the race tent.
  • Two people embracing beside the memorial table at the race.
    It is still, first and last, a day about Jenn.
  • A black and white display of framed family photographs of Jennifer Mueller.
  • Three women laughing together at the post-race tent.
  • A woman reacting with delight as she wins a raffle prize.
    The raffle table does real damage to the fundraising total.
  • A black dog wearing a green bandana waiting patiently at the race.
    Dogs run it too.
  • A close-up of a dog on a leash at the race, looking into the camera.
  • A large group of volunteers and family members posing together under the tent after the race.
    The people who put it on.

More photographs, including every year before this one, live on the foundation's Facebook page. Ran this year and want a photo taken down or added? Email us.

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