Speaking of festivals, the third and final race in The Greater L-A Triple Crown 5K Series will sprint through the Twin Cities on Sunday, wrapping up a successful blending of three popular annual road races.

Early this year, organizers of the annual YMCA Fit Fest, Emily’s Run and the LA Trails Bridge Run worked together to form the triple crown series, a celebration of fitness and community.

“As we were trying to operate each race individually, so many of the same faces were there, so many of the same volunteers were there, supporting each other, that we thought ‘why not combine all of our efforts and become a team,'” Fit Fest Race Director Trish Caldwell said.

The resulting combination created one series that is bigger than its three pieces. It’s a series that welcomes the most competitive runners alongside dedicated walkers who participate in the downtown events to raise money for academic scholarships, and community and environmental projects. And, on each race day, there is a children’s fun run designed to encourage youngsters to celebrate fitness.

In blending the three races, organizers were careful to maintain the distinct personality of each separate race, with the common feature being the landscape of the downtown, including its many hills, bridges and river views.

There is still time to join Sunday’s race, which starts at the Rollodrome in Auburn at 9 a.m. sharp. Registration begins at 8:30.

Run, walk or simply come downtown to cheer on the participants. This final leg in a festival of fitness is a showcase of collaboration.