5K races near New Philadelphia

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 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 Friends of the Parks Half Marathon, 10K, and 5K is a paved race series held at Coshocton Lake Park in Coshocton, Ohio. Participants can select the 13.1-mile half marathon, a 10K run/walk, or a 5K run/walk. All three distances are chip-timed. The course includes some gentle slopes, making it not entirely flat but still manageable for many runners. The 5K route is contained within the Lake Park Complex bike trails. The 10K and half marathon incorporate parts of Coshocton city streets. Children under 12 may enter the 5K without charge, adding a family-friendly aspect to the event. All finishers receive a medal. Packet pickup is offered before and on race day, and another person can pick up a packet for a registered runner.

C3's Santa Trot is a December holiday 5K based at MidPointe Library in West Chester, Ohio. The main 5K offers both timed and untimed starts, with the timed runners going first at noon and the untimed group one minute later. The event also includes two free kids options: a timed 1-mile Elf Run and a shorter Little Elf Run. The race is tied to the West Chester Township Holiday Market at Mulhauser Barn, which runs through the afternoon. Runners are encouraged to show up in holiday gear, so the field is built around Santa hats and seasonal outfits as much as finish times. Awards follow the 5K before the kids races begin, making the schedule easy for families who want to race, watch, and visit the market in one outing.

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.