Cycling & running events in Janesville-Beloit, 2026

Janesville-Beloit Training Notes

Running: Locals run Janesville-Beloit through parks first, then link streets when they want cleaner mileage. Palmer Park, Riverside Park, Rockport Park, and the Robert O Cook Memorial Arboretum give the week its shape, and Turtle Creek brings a series of winding trails mostly shaded under the cover of the tree line. The Turtle Creek trails run 03 km and gain +119 m, so locals use them when Z2 needs a little bite. Locals lean on the race calendar more than a named run club here, with Race for Freedom 5K Run/Walk, Race for a Place to Call Home, and Festival Foods Turkey Trot Janesville as anchor dates.

Cycling: Locals ride the 31 miles of paved trail for base miles, then swing south when gravel sounds better. The trail runs 5 miles from Tripp Road to Afton. The route options range from 8 miles to 103 miles. Rockport Park handles the singletrack mood, and Palmer Park has The Pump. Wuthering Hills is the named climb marker, and Friends of Rock County Parks Bicycle Tour is the anchor bike event.

Season: Mid-April through mid-October feels like the clean training window because restrooms are available from April 15 through October 15. Summer keeps the parks busy and simple, but city parks and trails do not allow pets from May 15 through September 15. Locals still get intervals, Z2, and long rides done on the paved system, the Peace Trail, and Rockport Park. Winter changes the surface more than the routine, since the trails stay available for cross country skiing and snowshoeing, and Janesville Velo Club keeps people honest with the 2026 Winter Challenge.