The 2026 Triple J 5K Bubble Color Run, themed “Colors of Hope: Running Together, Rising Together,” returns Saturday, September 12 at the Garapan Fishing Base, with a 5 a.m. showtime and 6 a.m. start.
The Triple J family filled the Good Morning Marianas studio Wednesday in matching run shirts: Vice President Michael Sablan, Surf Club Manager Paul Manicad, Great Harvest and Surfrider Resort Hotel Manager Carol Lucerna, Jonah Jones, Caroline Jones of human resources, Rachel Roque, and Hertz Manager Kit Indalecio, a delegation one Jones short of the company’s full leadership.
Now in its seventh year, the run has grown into what Sablan described as the largest community event on the island, topping 1,300 participants a couple of years ago, a mark the team hopes to beat. “You don’t have to come and run,” he said. “You can come and walk and just have a good time.” Some participants chase qualifying times; most come for the bubbles.
Sablan said the run was originally planned for May and postponed as the community worked through typhoon recovery. “We’re really doing this to give the community something fun to do” through the hardships, he said, crediting the team’s work, the sponsors’ generosity, and community partners. “All the net proceeds this year are going to go to our usual beneficiaries, the Commonwealth Cancer Association and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. But this year we’re adding a third beneficiary, and that’s the Northern Marianas College in celebration of their 40th anniversary.” The college has been helping promote the run and invite registrants.
Registration is $10 in advance, $15 on race day, or $35 for a group of four registering before race day, with a free T-shirt for the first 1,000 runners. Registration opened August 12 and runs through the event at Triple J Motors on Beach Road, Payless Fresh Market and the Furniture and Appliance Store in Chalan Kanoa, and the Surfrider Resort Hotel, with shirts and bibs ready for pickup at registration. A grand prize raffle offers one United Airlines round-trip ticket for intra-Asia travel between Guam/Saipan, Micronesia, Manila, Palau and Japan. More information is at (670) 234-1795 or through Triple J affiliates on social media.
The team’s parting message was the simplest pitch of the morning: come out, join us, have fun.
