5K races near Piqua

Hero Harvest is a 5k fun run in Piqua, Ohio, held in October at Lock 9 Park, following a Veteran Ceremony. The race is sponsored by Operation Veteran and Caregiver Support. Every entry fee supports its programs for veterans, military families, widows, and active duty service members from all branches. This event is for runners and walkers. Children have lower pricing. The race-day setup is straightforward: check in at Lock 9 Park, receive a race number, and finish with a snack. Participants who register early enough receive a shirt. Online registration is available through Can’t Stop Running Co.

The Run For Your Life 5k Series - The City Collapsed is a 5k road race in Fairborn, Ohio, held on a fall Saturday with a zombie-apocalypse theme. Participants start as Survivors, wearing flag football belts. The race challenges runners not just to finish the distance, but also to protect their flags from being captured, which would mark them as infected. Zombies have a distinct role: they remain within designated infected zones rather than completing the full course. Their objective is to remove flags from approaching Survivors. This event is modest in scale, anticipating 1 to 100 participants. It emphasizes costumes, imaginative zombie makeup, speed, rapid decision-making, and composure under duress.

LEAF/Longenecker Harvest Festival 5K. Run or walk the loop course down the rolling hills of St Rt 606. The first 100 registered receive a free T-shirt.

The SIDS Awareness 5k Run/Walk is a timed 5k in St. Marys, Ohio, beginning at 100 West High Street. It is open to both runners and walkers, offering finisher medals for all participants and awards for the top finishers. The course follows the St. Marys River, passing through Memorial Park and KC Geiger Park. This event is a community 5k featuring timing, awards, and a route that incorporates the river and local parks.

Run For Your Life is a charity 5k and 10k fun run/walk held at the PNWU campus in Yakima, Washington, starting and finishing on campus. Organized by PNWU students, the race is combined with a health fair, making the morning suitable for runners, walkers, families, and local residents, not just competitive racers. Check-in is in the morning before a 9:30 start, with participants selecting either the 5k or 10k route. The event originated on PNWU’s campus in Terrace Heights and maintains a student-led, community-health focus. Funds raised support PNWU scholarships, particularly for students from rural and medically underserved areas pursuing health careers. The Community Fair features PNWU student clubs and local health organizations, offering information on topics like heart health, diabetes, smoking cessation, back pain, mental health, therapy services, substance abuse, outdoor recreation, exercise, and sexual health. Race shirts, route maps, parking details, and RunSignUp registration are provided.

Rabbit Hole Romp is a 5K in Dayton, Ohio. Registration and start details are at 645 Infirmary Road. It is a professionally timed run with a casual tone: strollers are permitted, leashed dogs are welcome, and a virtual option is available for those not participating in person. The route follows the Stillwater River from Island Park to Wegerzyn Park and back along a naturally sheltered trail, away from traffic. Embracing its literary theme, the race encourages Alice in Wonderland costumes, with some event listings also inviting other favorite literary characters. Prizes are awarded for the best costumes, along with awards for first overall and first in class. Entrants receive shirts and swag, and all finishers get medals. The event supports Dayton Book Fair causes and Rabbit Hole Books, functioning as a local literary fundraiser with an attached 5K.

The Ezra J. Hartke Race for Hope is an annual November fundraiser offering 5K and 10K races. Named for Ezra J. Hartke, it supports childhood cancer research and care, having raised over $133,000 to date. The event is presented by The Barry & Denise Johnson Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to raising funds and providing support for childhood cancer. Funds from the inaugural race generated $18,000 for Dayton Children's Hospital research into brain tumors. This research included studying how tumor cells resist treatment and how a steroid medication affects stem cells within a tumor. That initial donation contributed to launching a larger project focused on targeting specific cell types in brain tumors to improve therapy effectiveness.

The Raptor Run 5K is a morning run or walk on the park trails of Shawnee Prairie Preserve, starting and finishing near the Nature Center. This annual 5K benefits runners and walkers, with all proceeds supporting Darke County Parks' Raptor Ambassador and Raptor Education programs. The route crosses prairie, woodland, and wetland areas, passing preserve landmarks such as the Sugar Shack, Log House, and Blacksmith Shop before returning toward the Nature Center. The race uses electronic chip timing, with results separated by age and gender divisions. Medals are awarded to the top male and female in each division. Refreshments, awards, and door prizes follow the finish.

The ORRRC Turkey Hunt Map & Compass Challenge is an orienteering race at George Rogers Clark Park. It begins in the afternoon and has a two-hour time limit. Participants use a detailed map and compass to navigate, selecting their own routes to find as many control points as possible before returning to the finish. The strategy is key, as controls can be visited in any order. Each control is worth five points, with a one-point penalty for each minute past the time limit. Registration is available before the race. Newcomers can take a practice course and attend an introductory session offered by the Miami Valley Orienteering Club. Awards are presented to the top 50 finishers, making the event suitable for fast competitors, precise navigators, and those new to orienteering.

The Dayton Turkey Trot is a Thanksgiving Day race held in Dayton, Ohio. The event is structured as a practical holiday run, with online registration, participant lookup, parking information, and posted results all accessible through the race website. The race details do not specify route landmarks or distances beyond Dayton. The most specific tradition mentioned is the commemorative gear: runners may select a long sleeve shirt or a fleece pullover, providing the familiar Turkey Trot souvenir alongside the race itself.