5K races near West Windsor

Roll Over MS New Jersey is a 3K at Duke Island Park, organized by the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation Inc. Participants can cover the distance however it works for them: walking, rolling, skating, scooting, or biking. The event is family-friendly, and children under 12 can join for free. The day is built around raising awareness and support for people living with multiple sclerosis, with team and fundraising elements alongside the route. Participants can join the Top Fundraisers Challenge, the Most Team Members Challenge, or the Athletic Wear With The Most Flair Challenge, so the event is as much about showing up together as it is about finishing the 3K.

The 9/11 Heroes Run in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, held in October, starts at War Memorial Stadium at Central Bucks West High School on West Court Street. It includes a 5K run and a 1 Mile Fun Run, suitable for competitive runners, families, and walkers. The Doylestown event is part of the 9/11 Heroes Run series, which focuses on remembering those lost on September 11 and honoring military members, first responders, and community volunteers. Participants gather in Doylestown, begin from the high school stadium area, and run a race where the cause is as significant as the time recorded.

The Hulmeville Hustle 5K begins at OCI Bar and Grill in Hulmeville, Pennsylvania. It features a chip-timed 5K and a 1 Mile Walk on the same October morning. The Hulmeville Borough Parks and Recreation Committee organizes the event with the Hulmeville 150th Committee, integrating local history with the running event. The 5K route crosses the borough's center, while the 1 Mile Walk offers a relaxed pace suitable for all ages. Participants include runners, walkers, families with strollers, and leashed dogs. The Hustle History Tour incorporates historic markers along the route, leading to a History Board at the finish. The day also features a Patriotic Dress-Up Competition, coinciding with America's 250th Anniversary.

The Bob Hendricks Memorial 5k Run/Walk begins and ends at River Road Park in Bedminster, New Jersey. The route follows paved park paths, not city streets. This fall 5K, for runners and walkers, was established as a community event honoring Bob Hendricks and supports fundraising for pancreatic cancer research. The course is USATF certified and sanctioned. It is mostly flat, following paths that link River Road Park to the Bedminster Police station. A pedestrian bridge over the highway presents the only significant elevation change. Participants include club runners, casual walkers, stroller groups, and virtual runners. Awards are given to overall finishers and to men and women in 10-year age groups. In-person participants may receive event T-shirts while supplies last. Past participation indicates a small local race with a few hundred attendees, not a large-scale event.

The Eden Autism 5K & Fun Run/Walk takes place annually in October at 2 Merwick Road in Princeton, New Jersey. It offers a USATF-certified 5K for runners and a 1-mile Fun Run/Walk for walkers, families, and younger children, both beginning at the same morning hour. Registration fees are reduced for ages 5 to 17 and USATF members; children 4 and under participate for free. Same-day registration is available for those deciding to join on the morning of the event. The event benefits Eden Autism, an organization that assists individuals with autism from diagnosis through adulthood. The first 1,000 participants will receive a long-sleeved shirt, hat, and finisher medal. Awards for the 5K include prizes for the top overall female, male, and non-binary finishers, as well as the top three runners in 10-year age categories ranging from 9 and under to over 80. A race festival precedes, accompanies, and follows the races, featuring face painting, balloon animals, and craft tables.

The 9/11 Heroes Run in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, takes place at 375 W Court Street. It offers a 5K, a 5K ruck, wheeled and pusher divisions, and a 1-mile run/walk. The event is open to runners, walkers, ruckers, active duty military, first responders, families, and volunteers, serving as both a race and a remembrance. The 5K features individual entries, active duty military and first responder entries, a wheeled division, and honor-bib rider and pusher categories. The ruck division, run with GORUCK, requires participants to carry weighted rucksacks, a practice from special forces training. GORUCK entrants get a TMF GORUCK patch. The event remembers those lost and tested on September 11, and those who served in subsequent wars, with local support going to veterans, active duty service members, first responders, and families of the fallen.

CROSS Town 5K is a 5K walk/run at Holy Cross Preparatory Academy, starting at 9:00 a.m. on a Saturday in October. Participants can walk or run the campus course, entering individually or as a team. The route covers the school’s 75-plus-acre campus, bringing together students, families, local businesses, organizations, and community members. The event raises money for faith formation, education, and youth leadership programs at Holy Cross Prep, serving students from New Jersey and the Greater Philadelphia area. After the race, the school hosts awards, a DJ and music, food, refreshments, beer for adults 21 and over, community vendors, and family activities.

The Heart & Sole 5K is an annual community race held at Oak Point Park in Plano, Texas. It features a 5K run and a 1-mile fun run, both taking place on the same morning. Organized by ASC, the event supports a selected nonprofit beneficiary, focusing on both physical activity and fundraising. The fun run starts before the 5K. Afterward, the event transitions into a post-race gathering with breakfast, music, and activities for families. A kids' zone offers a bounce house, face painting, and a balloon artist, contributing to the atmosphere of a local fundraiser. The Heart & Sole 5K has been running for at least 16 years, with local sponsors contributing to elements like finisher awards and water stations.

The Scarecrow Shuffle takes place at Peddler's Village in Lahaska, Bucks County, Pennsylvania, beginning near Rt 202 and Street Road. Scoogie Events hosts the event, offering four distances: an 8K run/jog, a 5K run/jog, a 2-mile run/jog, and a 1/4-mile kids' run. This variety allows adults, children, walkers, joggers, and faster runners to participate together. The scarecrow theme is central to the day. Participants are encouraged to wear scarecrow or fall costumes, with dressed-up runners eligible for the Scarecrow Shuffle Costume Contest. The race connects with Peddler's Village's Annual Scarecrows in the Village competition, where attendees can view large scarecrow displays post-race. Proceeds support the Bucks County Opportunity Council.