Over the past few years I have been maintaining local 5K race directories by town. Some towns have quite a few races while many have none or maybe one or two.

I find these races by researching race timing and race management company websites. Quite often I find races on the web site of the organization who is the beneficiary of the fundraising from the race.

The information is all over the place and takes time to gather and maintain.

Local 5K Race Directories

If you google the name of a town and local 5K races, or races near me, you are likely to get a list of links to individual races. Looking at each one can be time consuming and often they are in no particular order. Sometimes the link provided is to a previous years information.

Then there are the other so-called “Race Directories.” I’ve looked at many of these. They are often heavy with ads and light on actual race information. It’s not unusual to look for a race in your town and get a list that includes races in another state! Someone is obviously not paying attention to their work.

In order to provide a useful service to you I frequently update my directories. Several times a year I conduct a far reaching search for any new races. Sometimes they are found by accident. It’s amazing how some races are kept almost a secret.

I look for these races because often these events raise money for important causes and these smaller races are often fun to run.

Why do I manage 5K Race Directories?

I started creating the directories as a result of my own searches for local races. I found that no one site seemed to have all of the races for any given location. Friends would tell me about a race I never heard of or missed because of bad information or no information from the race at all.

I also manage the directories as a way to promote the My First 5K medal. Most 5K road races have awards for the top three male and female finishers and sometimes age-group awards.

I know many people who have managed to encourage their spouse or child to run a 5K with them. Everyone is excited about running the race and I love to see a new runner trying a 5K for the first time.

In most cases a new runner is not going to place over all or in their age group. So they go home without a medal to show for their first 5K.

If a race does give all finishers a medal it is often an inexpensive medal that is easily forgotten.

That just doesn’t seem right to me. All first time 5K runners deserve a medal that they can be proud of.

GBA 5K Race Directories

Here are my 5K race directories for the GBA (Greater Boston Area). Please let me know if I am missing a race or have some facts wrong.

If you are a race director and would like me to add your race, please let me know. info @ omnirunning.com

Also, if you are running with a first time 5K runner, check the race web site to see if they give all runners a medal. If they don’t please order a My First 5K medal for your runner.

Medford 5K Race Directory

Somerville 5K Race Directory

Cambridge 5K Race Directory

Malden 5K Race Directory

Everett 5K Race Directory

There are so many 5Ks in Boston that I have not started a directory for them.

Do you know of a town that has several 5K races that I should create a directory for? Please let me know at info@omnirunning.com.

Run well my Friends,

Andy