Great New Year's Eve Race 5K

Great New Year's Eve Race 5K is held in Stow, Ohio, on December 31, 2026. There is one format, a 5K (3.1 miles), and it goes off at 4:00 p.m., late enough that the race becomes the last thing you do before the evening's plans begin rather than the reason you set an alarm.

An afternoon start suits runners who train poorly in the early morning, but it does mean managing a whole day of eating beforehand: keep lunch light and finish it three hours out. The distance is short enough to race off your regular weekly running, and a 5K on the final day of the year gives you a clean number to carry into January. Warm up for ten minutes, run the opening half mile under control, and use the last mile to see what is left.