5K races near Elk Grove

The Vampire Run - Unite for Bleeding Disorders begins and ends at Vernon Street Town Square in Downtown Roseville, California. This is a themed charity run with an attached community festival, focused on support for people affected by bleeding disorders. Participants can select a short 1.6 km option or a timed 5K. The event embraces its Halloween theme, encouraging capes, costumes, and vampire accessories. The 5K course follows local trails instead of a large city road course. All 5K finishers receive a special Vampire Run medal and entry to the festival. The day also features a Bleeding Disorders Remembrance Ceremony, adding a personal purpose beyond a typical fun run. Following the run, attendees can stay for coffee, juice, donuts, sno cones, popcorn, snacks, carnival games, and other festival activities.

Night Nation Run - Sacramento is an October fun run in Sacramento focused on music, lights, and a post-race party. The series describes itself as the world's first Running Music Festival, emphasizing a night event where participants wear glow gear and move through a party-style course, rather than a fast road race or a strictly competitive field. The route features live DJs, bubble zones, light shows, neon, and black lights, leading finishers to a main-stage after-party with headliner DJs. Registration provides a race bib, glow necklace, giveaways, after-party admission, and a T-shirt for Premium and VIP entries. The Night Nation Run community has over 2 million participants globally, and the series partners with Stand Up To Cancer as its official charity.

The Day of The Dead 5K & 10K is a Sacramento race held at North Natomas Regional Park. The in-person 5K begins at 9 a.m. A virtual 5K option is also available. Registration costs $40 per athlete and includes a race T-shirt. The race is open to youth, adult, and masters runners, accommodating a wide age range. It is sanctioned by USATF, and registration is managed through RunSignup.

The Haunted Sacramento 5K, 10K is a Halloween running event in Sacramento, California, offering 5K and 10K distances. It is structured less like a traditional road race and more like a Halloween exploration using a map, incorporating elements of adventure racing, mixed terrain, orienteering, and road running. Participants navigate East Sacramento's Fab 40s neighborhood, chosen for its streets decorated extensively for Halloween. The event is presented as trick-or-treating for adults and families. It accommodates teams of one to five, making it suitable for solo runners, small groups, and families seeking a race focused on costumes, neighborhood discovery, and Halloween decorations.

The Davis Turkey Trot, held on the Saturday before Thanksgiving in Davis, California, begins at 6th and C Streets for all timed races. It offers participants a choice of distances on one morning: 1 mile, 2 mile, 5K, 10K, and half marathon, along with a children's run. The event typically draws between 1,000 and 5,000 participants, creating a busy, community-focused atmosphere. The courses are noted for being fast and flat, suitable for beginners, families, and those aiming for a consistent pace. The half marathon is not a Boston Qualifier. The event incorporates the holiday spirit through its shirts, post-race activities, and finisher medals for human and canine participants. Packet pickup is offered the day before and on race morning, with parking at Davis High School and bib pickup located near the finish line on race day.

The Thanksgiving Turkey Gobble Trot is a Sacramento run and walk held at Sutter's Landing Regional Park during the Thanksgiving season. Runners and walkers can choose a 5K, 10K, or half marathon, and there is also a virtual option for people who want to cover the distance on their own. The event is built for families and casual participants as much as regular runners, with all ages and paces welcome and under-18s needing a guardian. The setup is simple: pick a distance, bring friends or family, and run or walk before the holiday meal. The organizer leans into the Thanksgiving theme with the line “run so we can feast,” and the event is promoted as a community outing rather than a race that demands special gear or experience. Coordinators are on hand to support participants, which fits the relaxed format and makes the longer distances less intimidating for people setting a holiday fitness goal.

Santa Hustle Roseville is a December holiday running event in Roseville, California, featuring a half marathon, 10K, 5K, and Kids Dash. It accommodates a broad range of participants, including adults, children, faster runners, walkers, families, and first-timers on race day. The race embraces the Christmas theme with holiday music, candy canes, and cookies for runners, creating a seasonal outing atmosphere rather than a standard road race. The variety of distances allows serious runners to focus on their times while families can opt for the 5K or Kids Dash, and volunteers contribute to the event.

The Buzz Oates RunSac Race Series connects Sacramento-area running events into a year-round challenge for local runners. It offers a variety of distances, allowing participants to build a season around multiple race types rather than entering a single standalone event. Runners can join a free Milestone Program to track their miles across the series and earn rewards. More competitive runners can enter an age-graded division, compare themselves with other strong local runners, and race for prize money. Team results have included Sacramento groups such as Fleet Feet Sacramento, River City Rebels, Buffalo Chips, and Arete.

The IPA Trail Runs guide participants along dirt paths beside Folsom Lake in Granite Bay, California, beginning near Douglas Boulevard. This short-distance trail event, offering 12K and 5K options, has been held annually since 2019. Both courses commence at approximately 430 feet elevation, with about 90 percent of the route unpaved, emphasizing footing, turns, and single-track rhythm over road-race speed. Both routes utilize clearly marked single-track trails adjacent to the lake, providing open water vistas. The event's conclusion incorporates a beer theme: participants aged 21 and older may receive a custom IPA Trail Run glass filled with local IPA. Post-race hot food is provided, and awards are presented to the top three finishers in each division. Entry fees remain affordable, and the absence of prize money contributes to a community trail gathering atmosphere rather than an elite competition.

The Gumby 5K & 10K Trail Runs begin and end at Granite Beach within Folsom Lake State Recreation Area. The 10K, covering 6.2 miles, starts at 8:00 am, followed by the 5K at 8:10 am, which covers 3.1 miles. Both events are trail runs, not road races. Packet pickup and registration will be available on race morning before the starts.

The Lost Trail 5K & Half Marathon begins at Granite Beach within Folsom Lake State Recreation Area, located in Granite Bay, California. This event offers both a 3.1-mile trail run and a 13.1-mile half marathon. The half marathon commences in the morning, followed shortly by the 5K. The courses are marked and traverse Folsom Lake terrain, featuring lake views and wildflowers. Aid stations for the half marathon are positioned at miles 2.2, 4.2, 6.2, 10, and 11.5. Both races provide finisher medals, overall awards for the top male and female finishers, and age-group awards for the top three in each category.