Faster Than Pastor 5k - NC

Faster Than Pastor 5k - NC takes place in Clayton, North Carolina, on October 31, 2026. The 5K goes off at 9:00 a.m. and an untimed 1K fun run/walk follows ten minutes later at 9:10 a.m., so younger runners and anyone who prefers not to see a clock have their own event.

The premise in the name gives you a pacing target that is more useful than it looks: chasing a specific person over 3.1 miles keeps you honest through the middle mile, which is where most 5Ks are won or lost. If you want to run it well, spend the preceding month running three or four times a week and include one session at a hard but controlled effort. The untimed 1K is a gentle first bib for kids.