Kennedy Park overlooks Great Egg Harbor Bay west of Ocean City. To be exact, the park lies 3.1 miles from the Ocean City Transportation Center off of 9th Street. Not much in a car, but by foot it’s quite a jaunt. For the last 29 years, runners and joggers joined together for the early morning romp known as the Trail of Two Cities 5K Run/Walk on the first Saturday in November. You can still join the contingent limbering their legs for year 30 always, a special anniversary of a unique fall event.
The trail is one of the few events that joins two neighboring municipalities. But this one bears the distinctive hand of former Ocean City Public Relations Director Mark Soifer. “Mark loved a good pun and a good run,” Doug Bergen, Ocean City public information officer, said.
In the early days, the race provided a unique opportunity for runners to cross a causeway which prohibited bikes and pedestrians at the time. “Since the completion of the elevated Route 52 causeway in 2012, the race has provided spectacular views of Great Egg Harbor Bay and its wetlands,” Bergen said.
Proceeds from entrance fees and other income also benefit the Somers Point Education Foundation and Ocean City Recreation scholarships
“The two towns work together to produce the annual event, and the two towns, of course, share a common interest in welcoming visitors to the shore,” Bergen said.
At one point, the day included a Rainbow Channel Swim, a point-to-point swimming race. Lately discussions have leaned towards a “Four Summits” run –a roughly 10-mile loop that would cover the two tall bridges of the Route 52 causeway, the Dolores Cooper Bridge along the Longport causeway, and the Ocean City-Longport Bridge at the north end of Ocean City, Bergen says.
The race start is at the Transportation Center. Buses will be available at the finish line at John F. Kennedy Park in Somers Point to transport runners to the start before the race. The last bus to the starting line in Ocean City from Kennedy Park will leave at 7:30 a.m. Buses will also be available to transport runners back to Ocean City at the conclusion of the race. The awards ceremony will be held at JFK Park in Somers Point after all participants complete the course.
“It’s a perfect spot for a finish and awards.”
If You Go:
Trail of Two Cities 5K Run/Walk
- Registration: 7-7:45 a.m.
- Start time, 8 a.m. Saturday November 1, 2025, at the Ocean City Transportation Center, 945 Haven Avenue
- Length: 5 kilometers (3.1 miles)
AWARD CATEGORIES
- Overall: Top Male, Female and Non-Binary finishers
- Age group: Top three in the following age groups: 8-and-under, 9-11, 12-14, 15-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, 80-and-over.
INFORMATION
https://www.ocnj.us/TrailofTwoCities5kRun/Walk.
Race Contact: recreation@ocnj.us or 609-398-6900
PRIOR RACE RESULTS
2024: https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/2190/?resultSetId=506551#resultSetId-506551;perpage:10
2023: https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/2190/
Video of prior race: https://youtu.be/FMFaYfZ3fyY
Top Male and Female finish in 2024.
Jessica Rosetti, top female
5K, 6:54
Age 43, Ocean City, 10 of 334 participants
Valentin Grigoras, top male
5K, 6:01
Age 36, Somers Point, NJ
