SOMERSET ELEMENTARY Back-to-School Classic 8K

SOMERSET ELEMENTARY Back-to-School Classic 8K is run in Silver Spring, Maryland, on October 25, 2026, with two distances leaving together at 9:00 a.m.: an 8K, right around 5 miles, and a 2K of about 1.2 miles. You can also take part virtually if the date does not work.

The 8K is the interesting one for a trained runner. Five miles is long enough that pacing decides the result and short enough to be run near threshold, which makes it a clean mid-season check on where your fitness sits before a winter half marathon block. Settle into a rhythm you could hold for 35 to 45 minutes and save the pressing for the final mile. The 2K is the right size for children and first-timers. Entry fees go to the Somerset PTA in support of local education, and participants receive a special event shirt.