5K races near Ravenna

The Cleveland Ostomy 5k is a run and walk at Acacia Reservation in Cleveland Metroparks, held as part of Ostomy Awareness Day. It offers separate registration for open participants and ostomates, allowing individuals with ostomies to enter a category that directly reflects the community the event supports. The event is in its third annual edition, now held at Acacia Reservation. Runners, walkers, ostomates, supporters, and volunteers participate together. Every entry supports the United Ostomy Associations of America, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Registration includes a T-shirt, a timing-chip bib, and a runner swag bag. Donations to the organization are tax deductible.

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.

Trick-or-Trot is a Halloween-themed run and walk in Brecksville, Ohio, featuring a 5K, a 1-mile fun run, and a costume contest held on the same morning. Organized by Ken Ganley Companies and Brecksville Kiwanis, this annual event is designed for families and runners alike. It includes children’s music, face painting, crafts, and trick-or-treating activities that run concurrently with the races. The start and finish lines are located at the Oak Grove Pavilion area in Brecksville Metroparks, close to Blossom Hill. Awards are presented to top 5K finishers and costume contest participants across various age groups. The costume contest offers 15 categories, such as Funniest Costume, Best Hero or Villain, and Tastiest Costume. Proceeds benefit local children, including Kids in Flight, an organization that provides aviation experiences for children facing serious illnesses or disabilities.

Conquer the Castle is a fall trail race held at North Chagrin Reservation in Cleveland, Ohio, offering distances from a 5K up to a 100K ultramarathon. The event features 10-mile and 20-mile races, 50K and 100K ultras, and ruck divisions for the 10-mile and 20-mile options. It is chip timed, aid stations are supplied, and the longer races begin early enough that some participants might still be running after dark. The course follows Cleveland Metroparks trails around North Chagrin, with a 5-mile aid station located at Squire's Castle Shelter, the inspiration for the race's castle theme. Morning and afternoon starts allow runners to select shorter or mid-distance races at various times, while 50K and 100K participants can opt for an early start, forfeiting award eligibility. Finishers receive a medal, 100K finishers get a belt buckle, and some events incorporate a playful knighting tradition. Awards are presented to the top three women and men in the 10-mile, 20-mile, 50K, and 100K races.

The North Royalton Bear Run is a local running event in North Royalton, Ohio, offering a 5K run/walk and a 1.6K race. Both events commence in the morning from North Royalton High School. The 5K is a standard 5.0 km route suitable for runners and walkers. The 1.6K functions as a shorter, one-mile fun run, ideal for families, children, or participants preferring a reduced distance. Packet pickup is available before the races, aligning the event with a straightforward school-based morning schedule instead of a large festival setup.

Turkey Trails Cleveland is an annual Thanksgiving-themed running event offering a half marathon, 10K, 5K, untimed 1 mile, and a kid's dash. The main races feature chip timing, live results, and awards, while the shorter family options are less competitive. Registration for the half marathon, 10K, 5K, and 1 mile includes a custom bib, a designer shirt, and a finisher medal. This event is designed as a family holiday run rather than a competition exclusively for serious runners. Children 10 and under can participate in the untimed dash, receiving a mini bib, youth shirt, and a kid-specific medal, or they can run without the extra items. The 5K and 10K also provide youth pricing for participants 12 and under. Post-race treats, complimentary photos, and a virtual race option are available; virtual participants can run at their own location and still receive the event merchandise.

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.