5K races near Anaheim

Spooky Dash is a Halloween-themed race series in Long Beach offering four distances: 5k, 10k, 15k, and half marathon. It accommodates a broad range of participants, from families and novices to those seeking a longer beach run. The course is straightforward: runners use a public path, sharing it with pedestrians and cyclists, and follow marked out-and-back loops. The 5k is a single out-and-back, the 10k is two laps, and the 15k is three laps. The half marathon consists of three 4.36-mile loops, making the structure clear before race day. Aid stations are located at turnarounds and the start/finish, providing water, Gatorade, and Gu. Registration includes a custom finisher medal, a drawstring bag, complimentary race photos, snacks, samples, and online results available soon after the event.

Superheroes Triumph! 5K OC is an annual 5K run, walk, and roll at Mason Regional Park in Irvine, California. The event accommodates a wide range of abilities, with a superhero theme reflected in participant perks: every participant receives a cape, a race bib, and a finisher medal. The course is chip timed, fast, and gently rolling, allowing runners a competitive 5K while walkers and rollers navigate a manageable park route. The setup is straightforward: snacks are provided before and after the race, the theme encourages costumes, and the format places first-timers, families, and regular runners on the same course.

The Cabrillo Beach 5K is a running event held at Cabrillo Beach in San Pedro, Los Angeles, on an October morning. The race offers a 5K, a 10K, and a Top Dog Division for participants running with a dog; the dog entry is listed separately and does not include a shirt. The course is flat, following the oceanfront from the Cabrillo Beach area near 3800 Stephen M White Drive. This makes it suitable for first-time runners, walkers, and those seeking a simple road race over a technical course. This event is noted as the first annual Cabrillo Beach Run. Standard race registration includes a T-shirt and finisher medal with packet pickup. Race-day registration closes before the events begin, with the 10K starting before the 5K.

The Palos Verdes Trails 5K is a trail run and walk held at Ernie Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates. The route utilizes the Palos Verdes horse trails, avoiding paved roads and street crossings. The course consists of well-maintained dirt paths across gently rolling terrain, shaded by eucalyptus trees. Funds raised benefit Strides in Recovery, a local nonprofit assisting individuals in Los Angeles County addiction treatment programs with goal-setting and physical conditioning, from 5K distances to marathons.

The Long Beach Race for Rare is a 5K run and walk held at Granada Launch Ramp on East Ocean Boulevard in Long Beach, California. The morning features a timed 5K run, a 5K walk, a virtual 5K option, and a picnic-only entry for those wishing to support the cause without participating in the course. Local hosts Lynn and Scott Hopkins coordinate the event with the National MPS Society, with proceeds benefiting that group’s efforts for families affected by MPS and ML conditions. The event begins with onsite registration, packet pickup, and pre-race entertainment prior to the 5K. It then proceeds to awards, a raffle, and a beachside picnic with lunch included in registration. The cause is the primary motivation for attendance: rare diseases impact approximately 10% of Americans, fewer than 5% have an FDA-approved treatment, and many children with rare conditions pass away at a young age. This is a community race, not an elite competition, centered on families, local supporters, walkers, runners, and individuals raising awareness for rare disease care and research.

Bubble Run Irvine is a family-friendly foam run at Oak Canyon Park in Silverado, California, near Irvine. It follows a relaxed 5K-style format, focusing on participation rather than speed: adults, kids, and people with strollers can run, walk, dance, or play their way across up to 3 miles. Participants typically begin in white T-shirts, allowing the colored foam to create a visual effect by the finish. The course guides participants through Foam Bogs, each containing a different color of 100% safe foam and ample bubbles to coat everyone from head to toe. Staff, known as Bubble-teers, assist in ensuring participants are thoroughly foamed. The event's description likens the experience to moving through Willy Wonka’s factory. Starts are organized in waves, with heats divided into smaller groups, contributing to a day that feels more like a continuous family festival than a standard road race.

Before sunrise, runners begin on Shoreline Drive for the 2XU Long Beach Marathon, a 26-mile, 385-yard road race in Long Beach, California. The race weekend also features a half marathon, which can attract a larger field than the full marathon. The event originated in the early 1980s, paused during the 1990s due to financial difficulties, and then resumed under new leadership. Recent marathons have seen thousands of participants, a full half marathon field, and runners representing dozens of countries. The course covers much of Long Beach in a single loop. It directs runners through The Pike at Rainbow Harbor, onto a 710 Freeway on-ramp, over Queensway Bridge toward the Queen Mary, around the Rainbow Harbor lighthouse, and returns through the start area before heading toward the ocean. The middle section runs alongside the Pacific, through Belmont Shore, past Marine Stadium, around Colorado Lagoon, and by Long Beach Recreation Golf Course. Miles 16 to 20 involve a loop through Cal State Long Beach, after which Ocean Boulevard leads runners back to the Shoreline Drive finish. Local runner Kenny Williams completed every edition for the race's first forty years, and multiple other individuals had not missed a race weekend.

The RunThrough USA Long Beach Race Weekend offers a 5K, 10K, and half marathon, starting at Shoreline Aquatic Park in Long Beach, California. Participants can select from 3.1 miles, 6.2 miles, or 13.1 miles along the coast of the Los Angeles area. The course is designed for fast times, with the Long Beach coastline serving as the primary scenery. RunThrough organizes the event, providing marshals to direct runners and encourage them at the finish. Post-race, the event village will offer food and beverages, including hot coffee and complimentary partner items.

The Montebello Heritage 5K/10K is an annual October running event in Montebello, California, offering both 5K and 10K distances. Both races begin at 1301 W. Whittier Boulevard, with the 5K starting at Montebello City Park. The event commences in the morning and is part of the Montebello Heritage Festival. The course follows historic Whittier Boulevard, connecting the race to a central Montebello street. This is a community-focused race, not exclusively for elite runners. The entry fee is the same for both distances, and all participants receive a shirt and medal.

The Boyle Heights 5K Run/Walk is a community race in Los Angeles, starting and finishing at Mariachi Plaza. Participants cover 3.1 miles in the 5K event, which takes place in October with a morning start and late-morning finish. The day includes more than just the main 5K. A Munchkin Run is available for younger children, and a Classic Car Show is part of the gathering, contributing to a neighborhood feel rather than a standard road race. The Mariachi Plaza start and finish locate the race in one of Boyle Heights’ most recognizable public spaces.

The Monster Dash is a Halloween-season beach-path race series offering four distances that begin simultaneously at 7:30 AM: 5k, 10k, 15k, and half marathon. It is designed for runners seeking a straightforward, uncomplicated morning race, featuring bib pickup prior to the start, custom finisher medals, drawstring goodie bags, complimentary participant photos, snacks and samples, and results published online within 12 to 24 hours. The course consists of marked out-and-back loops on an open beach path, meaning runners will share the route with other pedestrians, runners, and cyclists. The 5k comprises a single out-and-back, the 10k involves completing that loop twice, the 15k requires three repetitions of the loop, and the half marathon utilizes three longer loops, each measuring 4.36 miles. The turnaround aid station is equipped with water cups, water bottles, Gatorade, and Gu gels. Groups of five or more runners are eligible for a discount, and volunteering provides a free race entry, even if a friend or family member volunteers while the runner participates.