5K races near Garner

The Carrboro 5K/10K offers runners a choice between a 6.2-mile 10K and a 3.1-mile 5K. Both races begin at 8 a.m. from McDougle Middle School in Carrboro, North Carolina. The 5K, a more recent addition, has a participant limit of 300 runners. The entry fee for either distance is $35. Both races traverse Carrboro neighborhoods before concluding on the McDougle track. This event is part of Le Tour de Carrboro, a three-race series benefiting Carrboro Area Charities. Participants in the series must select either the 5K or the 10K for this particular race, not both.

WoodCreek Cares is an annual charity 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run organized by the WoodCreek HOA Social Committee. This is the event's third year, and it raises money for families affected by STXBP1, a very rare disease, with proceeds directed to the STXBP1 Foundation. Participants can select the timed 5K or the shorter fun run, accommodating both competitive runners and families. The 5K awards the top three overall male and female finishers, and registration includes a race T-shirt, with supplies guaranteed.

The First Pentecostal Church Color Blast begins at Herndon Park in Durham, North Carolina, on a Saturday morning. Both the 5K Run & Walk and 1 Mile Run & Walk start at 8:00 AM. The entry fee for both distances is $30. Morning registration opens at 7:00 AM, and participants should assemble before the start. The course follows an out-and-back route on the American Tobacco Trail. Participants will be covered in colored corn starch during the event. Awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers overall, as well as top finishers in various age categories. Those who register early are assured a race T-shirt.

The Ostomy 5k in Durham, North Carolina, is a 5K run and walk held at Solite Park on the American Tobacco Trail. The event coincides with Ostomy Awareness Day and includes separate 5K divisions for open participants and ostomates, along with a 50-meter dash for children aged 2 to 8. The race benefits the United Ostomy Association of America, a nonprofit organization providing support, education, and advocacy for individuals living with an ostomy or continent diversion. Participants have the option to form or join teams, allowing families, friends, colleagues, and community groups to register collectively and compete.

The Haunted 5K & 10K is a Halloween-season US Road Running event held at Green Hills County Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both races begin at 9:00 AM. The 5K costs $30 and the 10K costs $45. Registration must be completed via RunSignup prior to race morning, as there will be no on-site sign-ups. Packet pickup is available only from 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM. The course is a concrete out-and-back route within the park, utilizing a 1.56-mile section. The 5K covers this loop twice, and the 10K covers it four times. All participants have a two-hour time limit. The park gate opens at 8:00 AM. Parking is located by the playground on the north side, where bathrooms are also situated. Finishers receive medals, and awards are presented. Runners can earn series points, with the best costume award highlighting the Halloween theme.

The Feel the Burn 5K & 10K is an evening road race benefiting the Princeton Volunteer Fire Department. Both the 5K and 10K races begin at 6:00 PM, with check-in available from 4:30 PM. Participants can select a USATF-certified 5K or a 10K. The event supports a fire department that relies solely on volunteers. The 10K course consists of running the 5K route twice. Awards are presented to the top two male and female finishers in each race within age categories ranging from under 14 to 60 and over. This structure accommodates participants of all ages, not just elite runners. Runners registering by the early deadline will receive a shirt, and early registration offers reduced fees for both distances.

The St. Paul 5K, 1 Mile Color Run, & Family Fun Day is a community run held at the WakeMed Cross Country Course in Apex, North Carolina. Check-in begins in the morning, with races starting at 9:00 am. St. Paul American Coptic Orthodox Church presents the 5K Run/Walk, and Alpha Pita sponsors the 1-mile Color Run for participants aged 5 and up. The event is designed for diverse groups: runners can compete in the 5K, walk it, add the optional color run to a 5K registration, or attend primarily for the family activities. The event offers the chance to run with Bishop Peter, Father Angelos Bishara, and Apex Mayor Jacques Gilbert, contributing to a local church-and-town atmosphere rather than a typical road race. 5K participants receive a shirt, medal, and post-run refreshments. Color run participants receive a shirt and refreshments. Stretch Zone Apex provides pre- or post-run stretching. The fastest male and female runners in each age bracket will receive Dick's Sporting Goods gift cards. The day also features food trucks, bouncy houses, face painting, yard games, a volleyball competition, childcare for registered runners, and a 100-meter dash. Fundraising benefits St. Paul's American Coptic Orthodox Church and its project to build a church in Apex.

The Haunted 5K & 13.1M is a Halloween-themed running race held at 9300 Deponie Drive in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both the 5K and half marathon begin at 9:00 AM. The park gate opens at 8:00 AM, and packet pickup is available shortly before the start. Registration must be completed on RunSignup, as there is no race-day sign-up at the venue. The course consists of concrete, out-and-back laps. The 5K covers the route twice, and the half marathon completes six out-and-back circuits. Parking and restrooms are located by the playground on the park's north side. The time limit for the race is three hours. Finishers will receive medals, and awards will be presented. Series points are awarded, and the costume award provides the race's distinct Halloween theme.

Rootrock lives up to its name: the trail run sends 5K, 10K, and half marathon runners onto single-track paths covered in roots and rocks at Briar Chapel, south of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It takes place on a mid-fall morning and utilizes the trail network within a 900-acre green community, featuring forested paths designed for hiking and mountain biking. Great Meadow Park is the start and finish area. Its lawn, stage, and pavilion provide a central gathering point for the race. This run is the first event of the Rootrock Trail Races and is paired with the Rootrock Mountain Bike Race; athletes registering for both receive a discount and a special award. Following the run, the event offers food, music, a kids' treasure race, and an awards ceremony with giveaways.

The Triangle edition of the Tunnel to Towers 5K Run & Walk is an October 3.1-mile run and walk held at 11455 Forest Pines Drive in Raleigh, North Carolina. This event is part of the Tunnel to Towers series, established to honor Stephen Siller, an FDNY firefighter who died responding to the World Trade Center attacks. The Raleigh event offers registration categories for adults, first responders and military, youth, and children, catering to families, walkers, runners, service members, and first responders, not exclusively competitive racers. The course is a 5K run or walk starting from the Forest Pines Drive event site, as a detailed street-by-street route is not provided. The Triangle event is in its 14th year and funds Tunnel to Towers programs that support first responders and military families. The series also highlights Siller’s story: following the attacks, he donned his firefighter gear and ran through the Brooklyn Battery Tunnel toward the Twin Towers.

Bull City Race Fest begins and ends at Diamond View Park on Durham's American Tobacco Campus. The DPAC lawn and Blackwell Street area serve as the event hub. This fall race festival offers a half marathon, a five-miler, and a one-mile run, accommodating competitive runners, casual runners, children, supporters, and families primarily attending for the food. The courses traverse downtown Durham, Duke University, and adjacent historic neighborhoods before concluding back at the American Tobacco Campus. The finish area transforms into a Food Truck Rodeo, a central feature of the event. The race benefits the Duke Cancer Institute, with volunteers assisting at the post-race gathering, which includes Duke Cancer Institute shirts and pet therapy dogs.

The Day of the Dead 5K & Street Festival is a 5K race in downtown Raleigh, beginning at Centro Mexican Restaurant at 9:00 AM. The event honors Día de los Muertos and serves as a fundraiser for the Fox Road Boys & Girls Club. The course goes through historic Oakwood Cemetery, offering a setting more fitting for the holiday than a typical urban route. Following the race, Wilmington Street transforms into a street festival featuring local vendors, food, music, traditional dancers, family activities, Día de los Muertos altars, and a costume contest. This marks the event's fourteenth year, and it is recognized locally as a Raleigh tradition.