Bob Gurtler Memorial 5K Run/Walk

Bob Gurtler Memorial 5K Run/Walk is on the calendar for November 7, 2026 in The Plains, Virginia, with the single 5K starting at 8:00 a.m. The 3.1-mile distance is open to runners and walkers alike, so the field usually stretches from people pushing for a time to groups covering the course at conversation pace.

Early November in Virginia tends to reward a proper warm-up: 10 to 15 minutes of easy jogging and a few short accelerations before an 8:00 a.m. gun will save you the first half mile of feeling flat. As a training target, a 5K needs no more than a month or so of preparation for most people. Runners with a base already in place can use it as a benchmark and set the next block's paces from the result.