5K races near Massillon

KJ's 5K for Mental Health and Animal Rescue is a community 5K run/walk held at Portage Lakes State Park in Akron, Ohio. The in-person race begins at 9:00 am. A virtual 5K option is also available, allowing participants to complete the distance anywhere within its early-fall timeframe. This event is designed for local runners, walkers, families, and supporters, not exclusively competitive racers, with discounted entry fees for children aged 1 to 15. The park location provides a straightforward 3.1-mile course for the in-person event. The virtual option permits participants to cover the distance by running, walking, biking, crawling, or any other method away from the designated start line. Proceeds benefit local mental health and animal rescue organizations. The day features awards for the top three male, female, and youth finishers, followed by a remembrance and presentation. Virtual race packets contain a custom KJ's 5K shirt and a finisher medal.

Cere-bration Walk, Roll, Run Akron is a community race day in October featuring a timed 5K, a 1-mile walk/roll, a Kids Dash, and a virtual 5K for participants at home. The Akron event supports traumatic brain injury support in Ohio, where over 1.9 million people live with lasting effects from a TBI. Both the 5K and 1-mile events begin in the morning, accommodating runners, walkers, wheelchair users, families, supporters, and spectators. The event focuses on bringing together survivors, caregivers, teams, and fundraisers. All proceeds fund free programs and services for brain injury survivors and caregivers throughout Ohio. The day includes a Survivor Celebration Zone, food, team recognition, and awards for the largest team, top fundraising team, top individual fundraiser, and best submitted team photo.

The Green Bulldog Dash is a school-community running event in Uniontown, Ohio, held at Green High School Athletic Stadium on Steese Road. Each October, runners and walkers can choose from a certified 5K, a 1 Mile Run/Walk, or a 200 Meter Dash Family Fun Run. The 5K route circles the high school athletic stadium. The shorter options accommodate families, younger children, walkers, and first-time participants. Green Local Schools organizes this 15-year-old event, with proceeds benefiting nearly 2,000 students at Green Primary School and Green Elementary School.

At the Sancta Clara Nun Run, nuns cheer participants as the 5K enters the monastery grounds. The Saturday morning run/walk starts at St George Byzantine Catholic in Canton, Ohio. Registration is capped at 300 due to fire-code and parking limitations. The event benefits the Poor Clares sisters, with proceeds supporting the nuns and the renovation of Sancta Clara Monastery. The course includes local streets, the Middlebranch trail, and the monastery grounds, giving it the feel of a parish-and-neighborhood fundraiser rather than a typical road race. Strollers are permitted, and those not participating in the run or walk can opt for a shirt-only package. A kids fun run precedes the 5K, followed by awards, refreshments, food, face painting, and a balloon artist. All finishers get a running nun medal, and the race marks the start of the Poor Clares' anniversary observance in Canton.

The Monster Dash is a Halloween-season 5K and kids’ fun run in Spokane, held in Manito Park on the South Hill. The 5K starts in the morning and uses chip timing, while the Kids’ Fun Run follows with 1-mile, half-mile, and quarter-mile options. This setup allows parents to run the 5K first, then join their children for the shorter race. The kids’ races finish with candy goodie bags, and grownups can walk or run beside children for the whole course. Costumes are a significant part of the day, with most participants dressing up, and dogs and strollers are welcome. The MonsterDash series changes theme each year, with past themes including Dracula, spiders, skeletons, Frankenstein, aliens, and witches; music, food, expo items, gifts, collector bibs, and costume awards align with the theme. Race proceeds support Active4Youth, a local nonprofit focused on getting children into sports and healthy activity.

The TuscParks Annual Canal Tavern of Zoar 5K Run and Walk is an afternoon 5K on the Towpath trail in Tuscarawas County, Ohio. It starts at Fort Laurens Museum and finishes at the Canal Lands Park trailhead near Zoar, with runners and walkers using the same point-to-point trail route. Parking and registration are handled at the Canal Lands Park trailhead, and a free shuttle carries participants to the start at Fort Laurens. The race is hosted by TuscParks and the Canal Tavern of Zoar, with proceeds going to upkeep of the Towpath trail and nearby features. After the finish, awards and door prizes move to the Canal Tavern, where the day ends with an Octoberfest-style patio party with bratwurst, beer, and music.

The RePlay for Kids Halloween Run is a charity race in Medina, Ohio, hosted at the Medina County Board of Developmental Disabilities. It offers a chip-timed 5K for runners, an untimed 1 Mile Fun Walk for a more casual outing, and a virtual option for people who want to support the event from elsewhere. The race supports RePlay for Kids, a nonprofit that repairs, adapts, and gives toys and assistive devices to children with disabilities. Costumes are encouraged, so the event leans more family-friendly and playful than strictly competitive. People can sign up on their own or join a team, and virtual participants receive mailed race shirts and gift bags. The 5K still has a competitive side, with awards for the top overall male and female finishers and age-group winners.

The Kent Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving morning family race in Kent, Ohio, featuring a 5K run/walk and a short Fun Run/Walk. The Fun Run begins at 9:00 a.m. and is under 800 meters. The 5K starts at 9:15 a.m., with awards presented later in the morning. The event is based out of Kent Park and Rec’s Shelter House, the location for pre-race packet pickup. There is no same-day registration. Last year's event sold out due to demand. The first 700 pre-registered 5K participants receive a fleece blanket or a soft crew sweatshirt. Fun Run participants receive T-shirts and ribbons. Awards for the 5K are given to overall winners and age-group runners from 14-and-under through 80-plus.

Run Santa Run 5K & Reindeer Ramble is a December holiday run based at Louisville High School in Louisville, Ohio, a short drive from Canton. The morning starts with a 400-meter Reindeer Ramble for kids or short-distance participants, followed by a chip-timed 5K run/walk from the front of the high school. It is a festive community race rather than a serious road-racing showcase, with hundreds of runners and walkers encouraged to show up in holiday outfits. The 5K uses an out-and-back course from the high school, so the setup is simple for runners, walkers, families, and spectators. GCXC Racing organizes the event, and the registration extras lean hard into the holiday theme: 5K entrants get a fleece blanket, finisher medal, Santa hat, custom bib, and swag bag, while Reindeer Ramble entrants get a medal, custom bib, and reindeer item. Early packet pickup is held at UnHitched Brewing Company, with race-day pickup and registration inside the school.

The Holiday Duo consists of two December 5K run/walks in Canton, Ohio: Spirit of the Season and Frosty Frolic. Both events are centered around the William McKinley Presidential Library & Museum and Stadium Park. Participants can register for individual races or combine both with adult and student combo entries, which include a discount and an additional gift. Spirit of the Season takes place in the morning, followed by Frosty Frolic in the evening, which is designed to showcase the park’s Christmas lights. Both races provide adult and youth categories. Every participant in Spirit of the Season receives a knit hat, with shirts available for purchase as an add-on. The Spirit of the Season course begins and ends at the McKinley Presidential Monument. It proceeds north on Stadium Park Drive towards Fulton Drive NW, turns back before Fulton, and utilizes a rubberized running trail near 12th Street NW before returning to the monument. Frosty Frolic commences and concludes near the Marion Motley Statue in Stadium Park, winding past the holiday light displays. This second race is geared towards families, encouraging participants to wear festive attire like ugly sweaters, Santa hats, or holiday costumes, and to enjoy cookies and hot chocolate post-race.

The Great New Year's Eve Race 5K is a Chicago lakefront 5K starting at Theater on the Lake, organized by Chicago Sport & Social Club. It accommodates runners of all ages and paces, from those aiming for a fast time to those seeking a final, enjoyable run before the year ends. Registration provides branded merchandise, a finisher medal, and one drink at the post-race gathering. The course runs along the lakefront, with Theater on the Lake and the Chicago skyline offering a distinct Chicago backdrop throughout the event. Post-run activities include champagne, music, dancing, snacks, sponsor gift bags, and opportunities for photos. Feedback indicates an organized race that begins promptly, with a size that provides energy without being overwhelming.

The Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll is an annual spring race held on the Kent State University campus in Kent, Ohio. It is named for the university’s unofficial mascot, and the format welcomes runners, walkers, and participants using wheels, rather than being exclusively for competitive runners. The traditional 5K loop begins and ends near the entrance to the Beverly J. Warren Student Recreation and Wellness Center. The route crosses campus via the Esplanade, including a few small hills. Participants should watch for black squirrels along the course, and the event encourages sharing race-day photos or videos using the event hashtag. Early registrants receive a performance race shirt; later entrants may purchase one if available.