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5k Runs in California

5k (or 3.1mile) running events are hugely popular and easily accessible, especially with the wide variety that California has on offer. Fun runs are a great way of getting kids, friends, family, or even the dog involved with running. These races often require fancy dress or getting covered in bubbles, colors, or mud! They also sometimes have a charitable focus, so they are great opportunities for fundraising and community-building whilst keeping fit. Many larger running festivals often offer a 5k distance event, so that runners of all abilities can get involved. For example, at the Surf City Marathon and Half Marathon, which attracts over 20,000 participants each year, there is a 5k option on the same day. However, our personal favorite 5k event in California is the Carlsbad 5000, which is a super fast, record-breaking course. It has a big atmosphere, and always treats racers to a well-earned craft beer at the finish line.

577 events found
Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 SAN DIEGO
Booked 2 times this week

Saturday, 30 Mar 2024

1. Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 SAN DIEGO

Location

San Diego, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Sunrise Marathon SAN DIEGO

Saturday, 30 Mar 2024

2. Sunrise Marathon SAN DIEGO

Location

San Diego, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Run SAN DIEGO 5K/10K/13.1 SPRING

Saturday, 30 Mar 2024

3. Run SAN DIEGO 5K/10K/13.1 SPRING

Location

San Diego, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 SAN FRANCISCO
Booked 2 times this week

Saturday, 30 Mar 2024

4. Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 SAN FRANCISCO

Location

San Francisco, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 LOS ANGELES
Booked 1 time this week

Saturday, 30 Mar 2024

5. Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 LOS ANGELES

Location

Los Angeles, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 SACRAMENTO

Saturday, 30 Mar 2024

6. Hope Easter Run 5K/10K/13.1 SACRAMENTO

Location

Sacramento, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Arbor Day: Run for Earth SACRAMENTO

Saturday, 27 Apr 2024

7. Arbor Day: Run for Earth SACRAMENTO

Location

Sacramento, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Cinco De Mayo: Run Against All Odds SACRAMENTO
Booked 1 time this week

Saturday, 4 May 2024

8. Cinco De Mayo: Run Against All Odds SACRAMENTO

Location

Sacramento, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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Wine Lovers Run LOS ANGELES

Saturday, 4 May 2024

9. Wine Lovers Run LOS ANGELES

Location

Los Angeles, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon

Star5.0

(1 reviews)

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perksGreat atmosphere
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Autism Shero Run
Booked 4 times this week

Saturday, 11 May 2024

10. Autism Shero Run

Location

Los Angeles, California

Running

5k, 10k and more

Star5.0

(1 reviews)

Ticket$10 – $65
Booking perksGreat atmosphere
Heart
Sugar Daddy Half Marathon, 10k & 5k

Saturday, 15 Jun 2024

11. Sugar Daddy Half Marathon, 10k & 5k

Location

Santa Clarita, California

Running

half marathon, 5k, 10k and more

Star4.9

(6 reviews)

Ticket$35 – $95
Booking perksGreat atmosphereFlat
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Snails Keep MOVING Run LA

Saturday, 29 Jun 2024

12. Snails Keep MOVING Run LA

Location

Los Angeles, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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July 4th Freedom Run LAS VEGAS

Saturday, 6 Jul 2024

13. July 4th Freedom Run LAS VEGAS

Location

Las Vegas, Nevada

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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July 4th Freedom Run SAN FRANCISCO

Saturday, 6 Jul 2024

14. July 4th Freedom Run SAN FRANCISCO

Location

San Francisco, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
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July 4th Freedom Run SAN DIEGO

Saturday, 6 Jul 2024

15. July 4th Freedom Run SAN DIEGO

Location

San Diego, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
Heart
Run SACRAMENTO 'CITY OF TREES' 5K/10K/13.1 SUMMER

Saturday, 6 Jul 2024

16. Run SACRAMENTO 'CITY OF TREES' 5K/10K/13.1 SUMMER

Location

Sacramento, California

Running

5k

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
Heart
Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 SACRAMENTO

Saturday, 10 Aug 2024

17. Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 SACRAMENTO

Location

Sacramento, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
Heart
Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 LAS VEGAS

Saturday, 10 Aug 2024

18. Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 LAS VEGAS

Location

Las Vegas, Nevada

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
Heart
Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 LA

Saturday, 10 Aug 2024

19. Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 LA

Location

Los Angeles, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
Heart
Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 SAN FRANCISCO

Saturday, 10 Aug 2024

20. Sloth Runners Race 5K/10K/13.1 SAN FRANCISCO

Location

San Francisco, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon

Ticket$35 – $45
Booking perks
Heart
Be the Light 5k & 10k

Saturday, 21 Sept 2024

21. Be the Light 5k & 10k

Location

Santa Clarita, California

Running

5k, 10k

Ticket$48 – $73
Booking perksFlat
Heart
SPACEROCK Trail Race

Saturday, 5 Oct 2024

22. SPACEROCK Trail Race

Location

Agua Dulce, California

Running

half marathon, 5k, 10k and more

Star5.0

(2 reviews)

Ticket$60 – $145
Booking perksGreat atmosphere
Heart
Hidden World 5k & 10k

Sunday, 27 Oct 2024

23. Hidden World 5k & 10k

Location

Los Angeles, California

Running

5k, 10k and more

Star4.3

(1 reviews)

Ticket$5 – $59.50
Booking perksGreat atmosphere
Heart
CSDR's 5th Annual Cub 5k Run/Walk hosted by the PE Department

Friday, 22 Mar 2024

24. CSDR's 5th Annual Cub 5k Run/Walk hosted by the PE Department

Location

Riverside, California

Running

5k

Heart
GOLD STAR 5K - Run To Remember

Friday, 22 Mar 2024

25. GOLD STAR 5K - Run To Remember

Location

Coronado, California

Running

5k

Heart
Corporate Games 5K

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

26. Corporate Games 5K

Location

Ventura, California

Running

5k

Heart
Run4Kids

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

27. Run4Kids

Location

Corona, California

Running

5k

Heart
5k St. Alberts Viking Fun Run

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

28. 5k St. Alberts Viking Fun Run

Location

Reno, Nevada

Running

5k

Heart
Taking Stride With Pride: A 5K + Health & Wellness Fair

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

29. Taking Stride With Pride: A 5K + Health & Wellness Fair

Location

San Jose, California

Running

5k

Heart
Snails Run 5K/10K/13.1 LOS ANGELES

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

30. Snails Run 5K/10K/13.1 LOS ANGELES

Location

Santa Monica, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Heart
Sloth Run 5K/10K/13.1 SAN DIEGO

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

31. Sloth Run 5K/10K/13.1 SAN DIEGO

Location

San Diego, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Heart
Nelson Family Vineyards Wine Run 5k

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

32. Nelson Family Vineyards Wine Run 5k

Location

Ukiah, California

Running

5k

Heart
Spring Fling Duathlon/5k

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

33. Spring Fling Duathlon/5k

Location

Fresno, California

Running

5k

Heart
Kappa Delta's Shamrock 5K Walk/Run

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

34. Kappa Delta's Shamrock 5K Walk/Run

Location

San Bernardino, California

Running

5k

Heart
Intelliswift Presents Fiercelifit Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

35. Intelliswift Presents Fiercelifit Half Marathon, 10K & 5K

Location

Fremont, California

Running

half marathon, 10k, 5k

Heart
Empowering All Abilities Run/Walk & 50th Anniversary Celebration

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

36. Empowering All Abilities Run/Walk & 50th Anniversary Celebration

Location

South Pasadena, California

Running

5k, 10k and more

Heart
Cat in the Hat Run  5K, 10K, 10 Miler and Half Marathon

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

37. Cat in the Hat Run 5K, 10K, 10 Miler and Half Marathon

Location

Long Beach, California

Running

5k, 10k, half marathon and more

Heart
Boardwalk Fun Run

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

38. Boardwalk Fun Run

Location

Santa Cruz, California

Running

5k and more

Heart
Bakersfield Donut Run

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

39. Bakersfield Donut Run

Location

Bakersfield, California

Running

5k and more

Heart
The Lucky Run

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

40. The Lucky Run

Location

Davis, California

Running

5k, 10k and more

Heart
The Mighty Dog 10K & 5K Trail Runs

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

41. The Mighty Dog 10K & 5K Trail Runs

Location

Granite Bay, California

Running

5k, 10k

Heart
Marina 10k, 5k, Double 15k and Kids 1 Mile at Brisbane California

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

42. Marina 10k, 5k, Double 15k and Kids 1 Mile at Brisbane California

Location

Brisbane, California

Running

10k, 5k and more

Heart
Seize the Moment Run 2024

Saturday, 23 Mar 2024

43. Seize the Moment Run 2024

Location

Sacramento, California

Running

5k, 10k

Heart
Reaching for the Cure Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 1K

Sunday, 24 Mar 2024

44. Reaching for the Cure Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, & 1K

Location

Irvine, California

Running

half marathon, 10k, 5k and more

Heart
Viansa Wine Run 5k

Sunday, 24 Mar 2024

45. Viansa Wine Run 5k

Location

Sonoma, California

Running

5k

Heart
The Prisoner Wine Run 5k

Sunday, 24 Mar 2024

46. The Prisoner Wine Run 5k

Location

St. Helena, California

Running

5k

Heart
Running of the Elk

Sunday, 24 Mar 2024

47. Running of the Elk

Location

Elk Grove, California

Running

5k, 10k and more

Heart
Morgan Hill AAUW Wildflower Run

Sunday, 24 Mar 2024

48. Morgan Hill AAUW Wildflower Run

Location

Morgan Hill, California

Running

10k, 5k and more

Heart
Showing 1 - 48 of 577 events

About 5k events in the United States

5ks are the most accessible of the regular race distances and are very popular as a result. You'll find a mixed bag of competitors, from newbies to running veterans all competing in the same events. There are loads of 5k events throughout Cali, large and small, at all times of the year so it's never a bad time to book onto your first (or fifteenth) event.

What are the best 5k events?

People run these events for all sorts of reasons, from fitness goals to charity fundraising, but one constant is the amount of friendly faces and fancy dress you'll see - these are the events to have fun at. If you love the big atmosphere, the largest running festivals often host a series of shorter races. The California International Marathon is a great example as they host a popular 5k race on the same day as the marathon.

What is the average time to run a 5k?

Finishing times will vary depending on fitness levels, motivation and training. The real speedsters can run 5k in under 14 minutes. but, for the rest of us, it can take anything from 30 minutes to an hour. Half an hour is considered a very good time, especially for someone new to running. You'd have to run at a pace of 9.5 minutes per mile for the whole race to achieve this.

After you've completed a few 5k events, you might even feel like trying your hand at 10k, check out our race calendar to see if there's something for you.

How long should I train for a 5k?

You might be tempted to enter a 5k without training. If you want to do anything other than walk it, we would advise that you take on our 6 weeks to 5k training plan. Training will not only allow you to unlock your running potential and set a strong PR but it will also minimise the risk of injury. It's definitely worth building up to an event.

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