5K races near Smithfield

The Feel the Burn 5K & 10K is an evening road race benefiting the Princeton Volunteer Fire Department. Both the 5K and 10K races begin at 6:00 PM, with check-in available from 4:30 PM. Participants can select a USATF-certified 5K or a 10K. The event supports a fire department that relies solely on volunteers. The 10K course consists of running the 5K route twice. Awards are presented to the top two male and female finishers in each race within age categories ranging from under 14 to 60 and over. This structure accommodates participants of all ages, not just elite runners. Runners registering by the early deadline will receive a shirt, and early registration offers reduced fees for both distances.

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 & 10K is a Halloween-season US Road Running event held at Green Hills County Park in Raleigh, North Carolina. Both races begin at 9:00 AM. The 5K costs $30 and the 10K costs $45. Registration must be completed via RunSignup prior to race morning, as there will be no on-site sign-ups. Packet pickup is available only from 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM. The course is a concrete out-and-back route within the park, utilizing a 1.56-mile section. The 5K covers this loop twice, and the 10K covers it four times. All participants have a two-hour time limit. The park gate opens at 8:00 AM. Parking is located by the playground on the north side, where bathrooms are also situated. Finishers receive medals, and awards are presented. Runners can earn series points, with the best costume award highlighting the Halloween theme.

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 Haunted 5K & 13.1M in Raleigh, a US Road Running event, takes place at 9300 Deponie Dr. Both the 5K and half marathon begin at 9:00 AM. This is a Halloween-themed road race on concrete, not a trail run. Participants can select the 5K or the 13.1-mile distance. Packet pickup is available 30 minutes before the start and concludes 10 minutes prior. Pre-registration on RunSignup is required, as there is no race-day registration. Both distances feature an out-and-back course, designed for simplicity but offering repetition. The 5K completes its out-and-back loop twice, and the half marathon completes it six times, all within a three-hour time limit. Parking and restrooms are located by the playground on the park's north side, with the gate opening at 8:00 AM. Medals are provided to all finishers, and awards will be presented. Series points are awarded, and a best costume prize adds to the Halloween atmosphere.

The Medal Madness 5K & 13.1M in Raleigh is a US Road Running event held at a park on Deponie Drive. Participants can select either a 5K or a half marathon, with both races commencing at 9:00 AM. All runners must register via RunSignup prior to race day; on-site registration is not available. Packet pickup is scheduled from 30 minutes before the start until 10 minutes before the start. The race course consists of concrete out-and-back loops. The 5K covers the loop twice, and the half marathon completes it six times, creating a contained race format. The park opens at 8:00 AM. Parking is located by the playground on the park's north side, where bathrooms are also situated. Finishers receive medals, and awards are presented. Series points are recorded, and a best costume award is part of the event.

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.

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 Robin Run is a 5K held at the Foundation YMCA on Broad Street West in Wilson, North Carolina. Taking place in November with an early morning start, the race is designed for a wide local field, not just competitive runners; it welcomes participants of all ages and abilities. The event commemorates Robin Givens and the encouragement she offered others, particularly young people, to achieve their potential. Proceeds from entry fees benefit Foundation YMCA programs such as Y-GIG, summer camps, and swimming lessons, and the race has a fundraising target. Runners may register on race day, and early packet pickup is available for those who registered beforehand.

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.

Green Hills County Park in Raleigh hosts this small, family-friendly Gobbler 5K and 10K on a concrete park course with a 9:00 AM start. Runners and walkers choose either distance, register in advance on RunSignup, and pick up packets in the short window before the race; there is no on-site registration. The route is a simple out-and-back, repeated twice for the 5K and four times for the 10K, with both races capped at two hours. Parking and bathrooms are by the playground on the north side of the park, all finishers receive a themed medal, and the pre-race group photo doubles as the moment when the best costume is awarded. Club membership is not required, but the race counts toward the US Road Running Race Series.

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.