Girls on the Run Sandhills 5K Celebration
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Girls on the Run Sandhills 5K Celebration
Girls on the Run Sandhills holds a season-closing, non-competitive 5K on December 12, 2026. The event marks the end of the 10-week program and is intended to give program participants a tangible sense of accomplishment and increased confidence.
The 5K is organized as a joyful, inclusive event that is not timed. Program participants receive a commemorative GOTR 5K medal; other finishers receive a GOTR button. Program participants are already registered through the council; family members and community participants may join but must complete event registration and the required liability waiver.
Event logistics include an on-site check-in tent where participants collect bibs and other items, and free street parking available on N. Stewart Street, E. Donaldson Avenue, Main Street, and in the J.W. McLauchlin Elementary School parking lot. The council uses a running buddy system and requires a bib for every participant. The course is accessible for participants who walk, run, push, or roll. Safety measures include course monitoring, head counts, and a council safety plan with trained staff and volunteers.
An after-party and end-of-year celebration will follow at Red's Corner in Southern Pines with food trucks and a casual gathering. Volunteers, who undergo background checks, staff stations such as face painting, bib and sign decorating, Happy Hair, water and snack, and the cheer squad. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
