5K races near Leesburg

The Fall Harvest 5K begins at 9:00 a.m. starting from BB&T Bank. Morning registration and packet pickup are at the Borough Building on Filbert Street. This is a 3.1-mile road race on a flat, fast, wheel-measured course. The plan is straightforward: arrive early, attach your bib, and complete a quick local 5K. Awards are presented to the top three men and women in each age group, with divisions from under 10 to 70+. The fastest overall male and female runners receive trophies. The current course records are 16:56.80 for men and 17:20.65 for women. A $200 prize is offered for the first man and first woman to break the record in the new 70+ age group.

The MoCo CARES Charity Race begins at 7503 Muncaster Mill Road in Gaithersburg, Maryland, offering 1.6 km, 5 km, and 10 km distances. This local charity run, organized by So What Else and Covenant Life School, focuses on fundraising for local charities and assisting children and families in need throughout Montgomery County. The course features short-distance paths arranged by volunteers, including a route similar to a 1-mile run and a 5K route. Local families, businesses, volunteers, and Companies Who CARE participate in the event. Capital Youth Outreach Club collaborates with So What Else for service support. Volunteers manage the event's logistics, such as setting up signs and booths, encouraging runners, ensuring children's safety, participating in a post-race service project, and assisting with cleanup. Formerly known as the LaunchCARES Charity Race, it originated as a small community gathering before growing into a county-wide initiative aimed at combating hunger.

Racin’ to Beat Cancer offers a 5K, 10K, and half marathon at Burke Lake Park. This event welcomes more than just runners; walkers are encouraged, strollers are permitted, and a virtual run option is available for those unable to attend in person. The event features chip timing, and all participants receive a finisher’s medal and a technical event shirt. The race supports We Rock Cancer, a charity assisting individuals impacted by cancer.

Freedom's Run ties its races to places where Civil War history is part of the ground underfoot: Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and the surrounding region. The series includes a May Harpers Ferry Half & 5K and an October Freedom's Run event, with distances ranging from a full marathon and half marathon to a 10K, 5K, and Kids Fun Run. The Harpers Ferry races run inside Harpers Ferry National Park, while the longer Freedom's Run routes connect runners with historic sites in and around the area. One runner remembered entering Antietam in cold rain, with mist rising from wet earth and the field going quiet as the group ran together. The series also links to Two Rivers Treads, a local running store with a foot-first approach to shoes and gait, and it raises money for a community grant fund supporting local health and community projects.

The Run for MWS 5K is a regional race for Mowat-Wilson Syndrome held in Monocacy Village Park in Frederick, Maryland. The event offers a 5K run/walk and a shorter Fun Run, both starting at 10am, catering to runners, walkers, families, and supporters, not exclusively competitive racers. The course is set within the park, presenting a local, park-based charity race with two distance options. Every registrant receives a Run for MWS: Mid-Atlantic Regional race t-shirt, and participants are entered into prize drawings. Non-runners can participate via a support/spectator option which also includes a shirt.

Run Like Michael centers on Michael’s 5K Run For Life, a July race connected to Michael’s Run for Life Festival in Peoria. Packet pickup is handled at RC Outfitters on SW Water Street before race day, and on-site registration is available at the festival. The run was created because Michael loved running, and it supports the foundation’s fight against signet ring colon cancer. The event’s message is direct: a large group of people can take on hard problems together. The race gathers runners and supporters around that cause, rather than around a complicated course or elite field.

The New Market STRONG Run/Walk and Festival is an annual 5K in New Market, Maryland. It honors Karen Durbin, the town clerk who served the community for over 14 years before passing away after a prolonged battle with breast cancer. This 3.1-mile event accommodates both runners and walkers, with timing provided by Racine MultiSports. Families, walkers, and leashed dogs are welcome. The course follows New Market’s historic streets and adjacent neighborhoods, keeping the race centered on the town it benefits. Proceeds are directed to the Hurwitz Breast Cancer Fund, supporting the Frederick Health Hospital Cancer Center. Following the race, the event transitions into a local festival featuring live music, vendors, food and beverage trucks, family activities, and a cornhole competition.

The 2nd Annual Creepy Crawl 5k is an October running event in Georgetown, Delaware. It starts at Revelation Craft Brewing on South Bedford Street. Despite the name, a 1.6 km option is also available, so runners do not have to commit to the full 5 km distance. The race follows a simple town course: start from the brewery, run through Georgetown, and finish in Georgetown. The “Creepy Crawl” name provides a Halloween-season feel, and the brewery start contributes to a local community run atmosphere rather than a big-city road race.

The Westover 5k & 10k is a flat road race held at Bluemont Park on North Manchester Street in Arlington, Virginia. Participants can select either the 5K or the 10K. The event is suited for those seeking a low-pressure local race instead of a complex destination event. The course winds through the park setting near 601 N Manchester St, with both distances described as flat. Walkers and strollers are permitted, allowing families, casual participants, and runners using the 5K or 10K for a steady effort to join. Virtual entries are also available, with choices for a medal, a shirt, both, or neither. Registration employs tiered pricing that adjusts based on entry periods.

The Linganore Haunted Wine Run 5k is a Halloween-themed run/walk held at Linganore Winecellars in Mt. Airy, Maryland. It is a timed 5k for runners and walkers, with chip timing provided by J3 Timing and results posted online post-race. Registration includes a pour of Linganore wine, a soft cotton T-shirt, a finisher medal, a chip-timed bib, and a portable collapsible wine glass. The course winds through the vineyard and wooded areas of the Linganore property, offering a fall outing feel rather than a standard road race. Participants can select their start time, accommodating groups of friends and mixed-pace runners. The appeal is straightforward: complete a 5k run or walk during Halloween season, return to the winery, and enjoy a glass of wine from the vineyard.