Dorothy's Dash Returns to Bakersfield Park on Nov. 7 for Its 22nd Year

Dorothy’s Dash Marks 22 Years of Running for MS on Nov. 7

For more than two decades, Flower Mound runners have laced up on a November morning to honor a woman who spent her career serving this town. Dorothy’s Dash 5K and Kid’s K returns to Bakersfield Park, 1201 Duncan Lane, on Saturday, November 7, 2026, with a start time of 8:00 AM.

The race honors Dorothy Walkup, a former Town of Flower Mound employee, and channels participant energy directly into the fight against multiple sclerosis. Proceeds benefit the Texas Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society, making this one of the rare community races where every mile has a clear destination.

What the Course Offers

Bakersfield Park sits in the southwestern part of Flower Mound, a stretch of open green space along Duncan Lane that gives the 5K room to breathe. The route is suited for runners across the ability spectrum — competitive enough that the 5K includes age-group awards for those chasing a podium finish, accessible enough that families show up year after year to participate together.

The Kid’s K is a particular draw for households with younger children. Every finisher in the Kid’s K receives a medal, which tends to matter considerably more to a seven-year-old than any overall placement. It is a straightforward incentive, and it works: the event has sustained 22 consecutive years of participation.

Why the 22-Year Mark Matters

Community races come and go. Flower Mound has seen events launch with fanfare and quietly disappear within a few cycles. Dorothy’s Dash is the exception. Reaching a 22nd edition signals something beyond novelty — it reflects consistent volunteer coordination, a cause that resonates locally, and enough institutional memory to keep the logistics running smoothly even as the faces organizing it evolve.

The connection to Dorothy Walkup gives the event a specificity that generic charity 5Ks often lack. Residents who worked alongside Walkup during her tenure with the Town, or who have simply heard her story passed along through the Flower Mound running community, show up with a sense of purpose that a corporate-sponsored race rarely replicates.

Multiple Sclerosis and the Local Connection

The Texas Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society serves one of the largest MS populations in the country. Texas’s climate, combined with the sheer size of the state, means the chapter manages an unusually broad range of support programs — from financial assistance to research funding. Dorothy’s Dash feeds directly into that infrastructure, which means funds raised at Bakersfield Park on November 7 do not stay abstract. They move into programs that serve Texans living with MS.

For Flower Mound specifically, the race is one of the community’s longer-running charitable athletic events, sitting alongside a calendar that increasingly fills with 5Ks, fun runs, and relay races throughout the fall season.

Logistics at a Glance

• Date: Saturday, November 7, 2026
• Start time: 8:00 AM
• Location: Bakersfield Park, 1201 Duncan Lane, Flower Mound
• Races offered: 5K (with age-group awards) and Kid’s K (medals for all finishers)
• Beneficiary: Texas Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society

November mornings in Flower Mound tend to run cool — typically in the low 50s by race time — which makes for reasonable running conditions. Bakersfield Park has parking along Duncan Lane, and the surrounding neighborhood streets generally absorb overflow on weekend mornings without significant difficulty.

Getting Registered

Registration details were not available through official town sources at press time, so prospective participants should monitor the Town’s community calendar and local race-listing sites in the coming days for entry links and fee information. Given the event’s 22-year track record, registration infrastructure is well established and typically opens several weeks before race day.

For Flower Mound residents who want a race on the fall calendar that combines a genuine community story, a credible charitable beneficiary, and a manageable distance for runners of most experience levels, Dorothy’s Dash on November 7 is the straightforward answer.