Sarah Taylor, longtime Ilwaco schools running coach, has a collection of T-shirts with designs advertising the beach runs dating back years.

The annual Long Beach 5K race is back this summer, and for the first time doubling as a fundraising event for Ilwaco High School’s cross-country team.

The “World’s Longest Beach Run” is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. June 14. It’s a well-loved community event that’s been happening in Long Beach for decades. This year’s race is sponsored by the city of Long Beach and the Ilwaco Sports Boosters.

The run is an out-and-back 5K or 10K from the arch at the Bolstad Avenue Beach Approach. The 5K turns south and the 10K turns north.

Participants also have the choice to walk, making the event more family friendly and open to people of all skill levels.

Sarah Taylor, Ilwaco’s head cross-country coach, has organized the run this year. She’s been competing in it since she was a high school student.

People involved in organizing the race from the 1980s onward include David Aase, who acted as emcee, Dustin Mead, Jeff Harrell and Ralph Warner. Taylor’s predecessor as school running coach, Joe Williams, was very involved and a former IHS coach, Tom Millbrook, would bring his student runners from Camas.

“I have so many fond Beach Run memories as a kid, teen and adult,” Taylor said. “Hopefully, more people can create great memories with friends and family at this run.”

Age group awards will be handed out for runners after the race at Veterans Field at about 11:30 a.m.

Taylor said she wanted to make the event as local as possible, so it made sense to give it a dual purpose as a fundraiser for her cross-country runners.

“They’re a small and dedicated crew of kids,” Taylor said. Ilwaco runners have gone to the state championship for more than 30 years, she said.

Money raised will go to travel expenses, snacks and supplies and new running gear, including shoes.

“We’ve been fortunate the last few years to get shoe donations, but it would be nice to get the money for new running shoes,” Taylor said.

The team hopes to allocate some of the proceeds towards a summer camp, giving the students an opportunity to strengthen their long-distance running skills.

The annual race at Long Beach has a long history on the Long Beach Peninsula. Taylor has a T-shirt collection of race shirts dating back to the 1980s and 1990s. Over the years, shirts have featured all sorts of different colors and designs.

For the 2025 race, shirts and awards were designed by the commercial arts program at Ilwaco High School.

“It’s something fun for everyone to participate in and it benefits local youths,” Taylor said.

How to sign up

Registration for the “World’s Longest Beach Run” is open online through June 12 and costs $20 per person. Sign-ups can be done at www.evergreencoastwa.com/event/worlds-longest-beach-run-5k-10k/ or in person from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 13 or from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. June 14 at the old Train Depot in downtown Long Beach.