GRAND RAPIDS, Mich., Feb. 7, 2022 – The 38th Annual Spectrum Health Irish Jig 5k is back for racers and race fans and will take place on Saturday, March 19, 2022, in East Grand Rapids. 

The Irish Jig has grown to become one of Michigan’s premier 5K (3.1 mile) road races. Spectrum Health is proud to host this event to promote colorectal cancer awareness. 

The USA Track & Field certified course is mostly flat with a few gentle hills through East Grand Rapids. Top age group winners and qualifying teams receive prizes, and top overall finishers receive cash awards.  Teams must have a minimum of five and a maximum of ten members to qualify for team awards. 

The 2022 Irish Jig will feature a “staggered” start, beginning at 8:30 a.m. Walkers will start after all runners have crossed the starting line at approximately 8:45 a.m. 

Register online for a discounted rate through 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 17, 2022. Online registration will close early if participation approaches race capacity of 2,500 participants.  Late registration will be available during event check-in on Friday, March 18 and Saturday, March 19. Irish Jig team competition is offered in three divisions (Large Companies, Small Companies and the Social Division). Costumes are encouraged, but not required. All participants will receive a race shirt. 

When participants check-in for the Irish Jig race weekend, they will receive their assigned bib number while also being able to select a bib or bibs to wear on their back: a green bib that honors a friend or family member dealing with cancer or a blue bib celebrating health care workers who have worked tirelessly through the COVID-19 pandemic. All participants are encouraged to wear blue or green clothing on race day to celebrate health care workers.

Spectrum Health continues to closely monitor COVID-19 and adhere to local, state and federal health and safety standards. Spectrum Health will work to mitigate risks related to COVID-19, which may include changing, postponing or cancelling portions or the entirety of the event if necessary for safety. Participants are expected to adhere to all rules and guidance. 

Colorectal Cancer Awareness 

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness month. Spectrum Health is proud to provide net proceeds from the event to the Spectrum Health Cancer Center colorectal cancer fund, providing colorectal cancer screenings, prevention and diagnostic services here in West Michigan. 

Among cancers that affect men and women, colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States, yet it is preventable. Thanks to increased awareness of the risks and symptoms, advances in screening tests and evolving treatment options, the number of people diagnosed and dying from colorectal cancer continues to decline. Now in 2022, new screening guidelines encourage people between the ages of 45 and 50 to schedule an annual screening and improve efforts for early detection. For more information, visit spectrumhealth.org/colon-rectal-cancer. 

Please help us in supporting colorectal cancer awareness through the Irish Jig 5K by making a donation during event registration at Spectrum Health Irish Jig Online Donations.    

About Spectrum Health 

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system that provides care and coverage, comprising 31,000+ team members, 14 hospitals (including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital), a robust network of care facilities, teams of nationally recognized doctors and providers, and the nation’s third-largest provider-sponsored health plan, Priority Health, currently serving over 1 million members across the state of Michigan.

People are at the heart of everything we do. Locally governed and headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan, we are focused on our mission: to improve health, inspire hope and save lives. Spectrum Health has a legacy of strong community partnerships, philanthropy and transparency. Through experience, innovation and collaboration, we are reimagining a better, more equitable model of health and wellness.