Piedmont Regional Education Program

Piedmont Regional Education Program hosts the Step Up with PREP 5k in Charlottesville, Virginia, on October 24, 2026, with the start at 9 a.m. One distance is offered, 3.1 miles, which keeps the morning short and the decision simple for anyone weighing up their first race.

Community 5Ks like this one are where most runners get their first bib, and the distance is short enough that preparation is measured in weeks rather than months. Four to six weeks of running three times a week, with one longer easy run, one relaxed run and one session containing a few faster minutes, is enough to arrive prepared. Experienced runners can treat the 9 a.m. start as the hard effort of a normal training week, adding two easy miles before and after to turn it into a proper session.