Sometimes the run is only part of the fun. Two races this weekend reward finishers with post-race festivities.

At 9 a.m. Saturday, The St. Barnabas Free Care 5K runs its familiar course in Gibsonia for the 35th time. The event hopes to raise $115,000 for those who could not otherwise afford the services of St. Barnabas Health System.

The St. Barnabas 5K has been gaining back participation since COVID-19 forced a virtual event in 2019. Last year saw more than 400 finishers. Race director Shelli Sommariva laughed when I asked how many participants were expected.

“We really don’t know,” she said. “A lot of people wait until race day to sign up.”

Sommariva is confident her experienced volunteers and crew can handle any number of runners and walkers. She’s been race director for 12 years but involved with the event for more than 20.

The St. Barnabas 5K course is USATF certified, a rolling out-and-back on Meridian Road. It’s open to runners and walkers of any ability, wheelchairs and strollers. Pets, however, are not allowed. The event is chip-timed with a starting and finishing mat, allowing runners to line up in corrals according to pace.

The St. Barnabas 5K offers cash awards for top three overall male and female finishers and awards for fastest wheelchair, masters (40-49), grand masters (50-plus) and top three in age groups from 9U through 80-plus. There’s also a team competition for co-ed teams of three or more. Last year’s race included 18 teams.

As runners cross the finish line, the party begins on the St. Barnabas front lawn. Finishers line up for an abundance of free food and beverages, including free beer for those ages 21 and over. There’s music and a random drawing for prizes including merchandise cards, passes to Pittsburgh Zoo and a perennial favorite, a case of beer.

Registration is open online until Friday afternoon. You may register in person at packet pickup from 3-7 p.m. Thursday at The Washington Place at St. Barnabas on Meridian Road or on race day beginning at 7 a.m.

The Moraine Regatta 5K (9 a.m. Sunday) is a race nested within a celebration of natural beauty and eco-recreation. With a course adjustment, this year’s event will be closer to other regatta activities.

This year’s Regatta 5K starts at Moraine’s Pleasant Valley Beach on paved surface, then enters Sunken Garden Trail’s unpaved loop with scenic views of Lake Arthur before returning to the main regatta area. Participation has grown over the past five years with 91 finishers last year. That still leaves plenty of room to run on the trail.

Organizers welcome runners and walkers of all abilities but will award competitors at the main stage following the race at 10:15 a.m. Awards include top male and female finishers and age groups from 17U through 60 and over.

Sign up for Regatta 5K online or in person on race day at the information tent beginning at 7:45 a.m. It’s too late to guarantee a commemorative shirt, but you may purchase Regatta 5K merch on the event’s website.

Don’t use all your energy running the 5K. There’s a full weekend of activities on and beside the lake. Check the event website for times and signups for kayaking, sailing, yoga, disc golf and more, all for free.

For kids, there’s fishing, seed planting, fizzy rockets from Kamin Science Center, Wildlife Games and Discovery Zone and Mini Kids Camp obstacle course. There’s also a car and motorcycle cruise and vendor marketplace with food vendors. The finale at 3:30 Sunday features Butler County Symphony.

For more information about Moraine Regatta or to sign up for Regatta 5K, visit morainestateparkregatta.org.

Saturday, 7:30 a.m.: Presque Isle Sprint Triathlon, Erie. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Erie/PresqueIsleSprintTriathlon

Saturday, 7:30 a.m.: Two Face 10K Road Race, North Park. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Wexford/TwoFace10K

Saturday, 8:30 p.m.: Howl at the Moon 5K, Beaver. Evening run. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Beaver/HowlattheMoon5K

Saturday, 9 a.m.: St. Barnabas Free Care 5K, Gibsonia. stbarnabashealthsystem.com/charities/annual-events/stbarnabas5k/ or 724-625-3770

Saturday, 9 a.m.: Two Face 10K Trail Run, North Park. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Wexford/TwoFace10K

Sunday, 9 a.m.: Moraine Regatta 5K, Portersville. Run on Sunken Gardens Trail at Moraine State Park. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Portersville/MoraineRegatta5k

Sunday, 9 a.m.: Collins for a Cure 5K, Allison Park. Run/walk starts at North Park Boathouse to support pancreatic cancer research. runsignup.com/Race/PA/AllisonPark/CollinsForACure5k

Aug. 4, 7 p.m.: National First Night Out 5K, Punxsutawney. Flat and fast. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Punxsutawney/FirstNightOut5k

Aug. 7, 6 p.m.: Passavant Hospital Foundation 4K and 8K Run/Walk, Allison Park. Run/walk at North Park’s Pool Loop. runsignup.com/Race/PA/AllisonPark/PassavantHospitalFoundationAnnual26RunWalk

Aug. 8, 8 a.m.: Passavant Hospital Foundation Family Wellness 5K Run/Walk, Cranberry Township. Run in Graham Park. runsignup.com/Race/PA/CranberryTownship/PassavantHospitalFoundation5KRunWalk

Aug. 8, 8:30 a.m.: Slickville 5K Coal Mine Climb and 2-Mile Fun Walk, Slickville. New, still challenging course. Free pancake breakfast. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Slickville/Slickville5kCoalMineClimb2MIleFunWalk

Aug. 8, 9 a.m.: Brookline Breeze 5K Run

Aug. 8, 6 p.m.: Run for the Trail 7K Run and 2-Mile Fun Run/Walk, Dilltown. Run on Ghost Town Trail. www.indianaroadrunners.com or 724-840-5961

Aug. 9, 8 a.m.: Solar 5K/15K, Boston. Formerly Polar Vortex, run on Yough River Trail. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Boston/PolarVortex

Aug. 9, 9 a.m.: Kinzua Bridge Challenge, Mt. Jewett. Out and back 10K, 5K, 2-Mile Walk and 1 Mile Run 14U. runsignup.com/Race/PA/MountJewett/KinzuaBridgeChallenge

Aug. 12, 7 p.m.: Ice Cream Race 5K (QUAD 4) & Half-Mile Kids Race, Grove City. runhigh.com/cal/twilight_quad.html

Aug. 12, 7 p.m.: Tutu 2.2, Millvale. Run out and back on Riverfront Trail from Millvale Riverfront Park. Post-race refreshments with beer. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Pittsburgh/Tutu2Miler

Aug. 15, 7 a.m.: Drake Well Marathon and Half Marathon, Titusville. rddwm6.wixsite.com/thedrakewellmarathon

Aug. 22, 9 a.m.: Run Around the Square 5K, Pittsburgh. Run through Regent Square neighborhood. Also 1.5-mile run/walk at 8:15 a.m. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Pittsburgh/RunAroundtheSquare

Aug. 23, 7 a.m.: Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Half Marathon, 5K, 10K and Relay, Cleveland, OH. runsignup.com/Race/OH/Cleveland/RockHall

Aug. 23, 7:30 a.m.: The Ultimate Obstacle Course Race, Zelienople. runsignup.com/Race/PA/Zelienople/TheUltimateZelieChallenge

Aug. 23, 9 a.m.: Brady’s Run Happy 5K and 10K, Beaver Falls. Also free Kids Race. runsignup.com/Race/PA/BeaverFalls/BradysRunHappy

Beaver Volunteer Fire Department 10K, May 30: Eagon Molnar, 1st Overall M, 37:18; Jodi Patterson, 1st Overall W, 41:30; Matthew Montellanico, 1st 35-39 M, 39:50; Brian Tillett, 1st 45-49 M, 41:04; Mark Casteel, 3rd 55-59 M, 43:42; Robert Dummer, 2nd 35-39 M, 46:09; Andrew Wasko, 2nd 25-29 M, 46:17; Ed Stoughton, 3rd 50-54 M, 56:42; Curtis Irion, 1:01:50; Kelli Hillwig, 1:16:49; Jenna Caringola, 1:21:11; Bella Orr, 1:21:42; Ella Pierce, 1:21:42; Sadie Stewart, 1:21:42

Beaver Volunteer Fire Department 5K, May 30: Ed Barcof, 1st Overall M, 16:05; Sam Elston, 2nd Overall M, 17:22; Gretchen Swabe, 1st Overall W, 19:33; Nick Phillips, 2nd 30-34 M, 22:23; Morgan Stull, 1st 25-29 M, 23:48; Andrew Wasko, 2nd 25-29 M, 23:50; Karen Weiss, 1st 50-54 W, 27:56; Jazmyn Phillips, 3rd 25-29 W, 28:39; Lori Perini, 3rd 60-64 W, 33:33; Matthew Montellanico, 24:14; Elaine Roboski, 31:08; Anthony Sunseri, 33:21; Gary Chabala, 33:47; Julie Chwalik, 34:21; Christen Dummer, 34:48; Jessica Chwalik, 46:37; Suzie Olszewski, 55:04

Run to Breathe Half Marathon, June 7: Alan Francis Kasmer, 1st Overall M, 1:15:40; Allyson Rust, 1st Overall W, 1:33:59; Adam Leskanic, 1st 50-54 M, 1:37:17; Mark Casteel, 3rd 55-59 M, 1:46:33; Timothy James, 2nd 45-49 M, 1:57:47; Morgan Miller, 3rd 19U W, 2:02:58; Morgan Stull, 2nd 25-29 M, 2:07:29; Hannah Hall, 3rd 20-24 W, 2:17:26; Peter Frank, 1:45:29; Kevin May, 1:51:02; Nicholas Berger, 1:52:46; Sara Nuss, 1:53:55; Samuel Lentz, 2:02:06; David Miller, 2:08:10; Michelle Dlugas, 2:09:35; Emily Conner, 2:12:36; Tristan Blain, 2:17:20; Madison Hunt, 2:18:05; Mandy Matus, 2:18:05; Janel Edwards, 2:18:29; Jarrod Sleppy, 2:19:22; Breanna Goerl, 2:20:15; Ashley Hogsett, 2:20:30; Ed Stoughton, 2:22:12; Shana Hutchins, 2:27:28; Katie Mentzer, 2:28:29; James Rosenblatt, 2:29:11; Liba Rosenblatt, 2:29:13; Sean Hutchins, 2:33:51; Dianna Craig, 2:40:12; Jonathan Hall, 2:41:59; Chelsea Davis, 2:43:18; Doug Titchen, 2:45:14; Pamela Beck, 3:10:38; Tricia Corrado, 3:37:54

Run to Breathe 5K, June 7: Cameron Bucuren, 1st Overall M, 20:26; Ava Antoszewski, 1st Overall W, 21:19; Kyler Leroy, 2nd 14U M, 24:54; Jeff Miller, 2nd 50-54 M, 25:20; Hannah Plunkard, 1st 20-24 W, 26:06; Ashley Ryan, 2nd 35-39 W, 26:41; Abedalaziz Alboo, 3rd 30-34 M, 26:47; Henry Nolan, 2nd 60-64 M, 29:44; Megan Plunkard, 2nd 45-49 W, 30:28; Alex Eppinger, 1st 15-19 M, 30:34; Doris Chen, 2nd 40-44 W, 32:01; Anthony Sunseri, 1st 75-79 M, 33:49; Lauren Mildren, 3rd 30-34 W, 34:30; Robin Trinko, 1st 60-64 W, 35:12; Rick Orlowski, 1st 65-69 M, 37:59; Jennifer McCurdy, 3rd 60-64 W, 42:20; Dorothy Tatrn, 2nd 70-74 W, 48:25; Johnathan Jefferson, 29:08; Sarah McAfee, 31:29; Stephanie Pogue, 37:03; Jenna Schillinger, 46:07; Faith Stoughton, 50:24; Paula Neu, 51:22; Alexis Vogan, 52:08

Pat Neubert is a running columnist for the Butler Eagle. Send comments and suggestions: Patricia Neubert, phone 724-822-1577; email lotzak@consolidated.net