5K races near Lillington

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 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.

The Puppy Creek Fire Department “Run for a Cure” 5K is a self-timed run/walk held at Cape Fear Valley Hoke Hospital in Raeford, North Carolina. The event begins and ends on hospital grounds, with sign-in on the back lawn and a virtual 5K option for remote participation. The race funds free breast exams, wig assistance, and other breast-cancer support for Hoke County residents lacking resources. It is designed for neighbors, families, and friends, accommodating all paces from walking to running. Children age seven and under participate free, baby strollers are welcome, but pets, bikes, and scooters are prohibited. The Hoke County Sheriff’s Office and Hoke County EMS provide support, and finishers with a runner’s bib receive a medal.

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.

HBOT4Heroes Run 4 Their Lives 5K is a Halloween 5K in Apex, North Carolina, near Raleigh. The race starts at 8 AM EDT from 1305 White Oak Church Rd and is organized by HBOT4Heroes. The distance is a straightforward 5K, so it suits walkers, casual runners, families, and people using the day as a themed fall outing. The event raises money for veterans living with traumatic brain injury and PTSD, and the Halloween angle gives runners a reason to show up in costume rather than treating it like a standard road race.

The Martin Marietta City of Oaks Marathon is Raleigh’s hometown running event, held in North Carolina’s capital city in November. The start and finish are in the city center, offering runners four options: the full marathon, half marathon, 10K, and 5K. It is the city’s largest race, with over 7,600 participants and thousands of spectators along the streets. The longer courses go by downtown Raleigh landmarks, including the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts. Martin Marietta’s title sponsorship is visible on the shirts, finisher medals, and mile markers, with the race incorporating mining and rock puns. The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences benefits from the fundraising, with donations supporting local quarry specimens and geology education; dinosaur mascots have even appeared on race day.

The I Thought Turkeys Could Fly 5k is a November 5K held in Dunn, North Carolina. It starts at 8:00 a.m. on North General Lee Avenue, near Tyler Park. The race begins and ends in the same location and is chip-timed, providing runners with an official recorded result. The certified course is designed for speed, featuring only 56 feet of elevation change and a downhill finish. This marks the race's second year, and its proceeds benefit the local Toys for Tots chapter, giving this small-town 5K a distinct community purpose beyond the timing results.

The Hiester Cares 5K Run-Walk is a single-distance run or walk held entirely on the Fuquay-Varina High School campus in North Carolina. The Hiester Cares Foundation organizes it to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and offers participants a USATF-certified 5K course. The route stays within the school grounds and mostly uses broad sidewalks, making the setup compact and easy to follow. Over 700 runners have participated throughout the event's history, contributing to over $350,000 raised for suicide prevention. Finishers can compete for overall male and female awards, as well as age-group awards from 15-and-under through 70-plus. Registered participants receive a race shirt and swag bag.

The Holly Springs Half Marathon, 10K & 5K begins near the stadium at Ting Park, within the North Main Athletic Complex in Holly Springs, North Carolina. This annual road race offers half marathon, 10K, and 5K distances, along with ruck divisions for each. The course presents runners with a combination of rolling hills, flatter sections, neighborhood streets, greenway trails, and a run down Main Street, avoiding a monotonous out-and-back on empty pavement. All races start with a descent from Ting Park toward North Main Street, then encounter the rolling hills of Anchor Creek in the initial mile before reaching Middle Creek Greenway. The half marathon proceeds south through Bridgewater, Windcrest, Sunset Ridge, Veterans Park, Jones Park, the historic district, Main Street, and Womble Park. In Womble Park, participants navigate a figure-eight loop before rejoining the greenway around mile seven. The half marathon then follows Middle Creek Greenway for approximately five miles, with turnarounds at both extremities, before returning via Anchor Creek Way for the final mile to the finish. The 10K and 5K share the same initial section and enter Middle Creek Greenway, providing shorter-distance runners a sample of the varied terrain.

Oakwood 24 at Lakeside Retreats is a community endurance event held at Lakeside Retreats in Raleigh, North Carolina. The primary event is a 24-hour race, with alternative options including 12-hour, 6-hour, 4-hour, and 2-hour challenges. A 5K walk or run and relay teams are also available. The event accommodates more than just ultrarunners; participants can run, walk, bike, support others, or join for shorter distances during the event. The course features a flat 2-mile loop around the property, requiring participants in the longer races to repeat a short route while managing time, energy, and support. The loop encircles the lake, follows dirt country roads, passes cow pastures, and winds through mature hardwoods. All proceeds benefit Healing Transitions, a Raleigh-based organization offering recovery, shelter, and peer-support services for individuals with substance use challenges.

Participants should bring at least five canned food items, as the Gobble Waddle combines a Thanksgiving-season race with a local donation drive. This event offers a 5K run/walk and a 10K run, presented by HealthQuest Fitness and Wellness Center. It includes timing for runners and a fun-walk option for those preferring a more relaxed pace. The event is designed for a wide local audience: strollers are permitted, leashed dogs are welcome, and youth under 17 will receive a finisher prize. Registration includes a shirt, medal, snacks, water, timing services, and a post-race awards ceremony. Food donations will benefit local food bank agencies and the SECU Hospice House.