SayStrong 5K

SayStrong 5K takes place in Ellijay, Georgia, on October 31, 2026, with two formats on the program. The 1-mile fun run starts at 9:00 a.m. and the 5K run and walk, 3.1 miles, follows at 9:30 a.m. The half-hour gap makes it realistic to enter both, whether that means a child running the mile while you watch or you using it as a warm-up.

A 5K that welcomes walkers usually means a mixed field, so seed yourself honestly at the start and settle into your own rhythm in the first quarter mile rather than chasing the opening surge. If this is your first race, four weeks of running three or four times a week, one of those sessions broken into short faster repeats, will get you to the finish comfortably. If you are after a personal best, keep the mile easy and save the effort for the 5K.