Best 5Ks in Nashville

In and around Nashville, TN, there are a plethora of foot races held every year, ranging from children’s 1Ks to Nashville’s Ultra Marathon. For those runners who are looking to stay or get fit by entering 5Ks, there are plenty of those, too. In fact, if you’re currently using the “Couch to 5K” program to lose weight or improve your health, Nashville is definitely the right place for you. Below, we’ve included some of Nashville’s most famous and well-known 5K runs to get you started, but there are so many more.

As the second biggest 5K race in Tennessee, this race coincides with the popular and annual Nashville Oktoberfest. The festival boasts three days of entertainment for everyone in the family, so if you’re planning on supporting a runner, you’ll have plenty to do while you watch the race. With over 35 food vendors, plenty of German beer, an arts and crafts fair, activities just for the kids, and a pup parade, this 5K is more than just a race – it’s an event  that offers fun for all.

This race is for those runners who want to push themselves a little harder. The Marine Mud Run is strictly off-road running with a number of obstacles to climb and scale, with a ton of mud pits thrown in to make things interesting. Race officials recommend wearing clothing that you don’t mind getting extremely dirty!

Another yearly tradition in Tennessee, the Turkey Trot 5K is located beside CoolSprings Galleria and is held every Thanksgiving Day. After the 5K runners finish, a second, shorter “trot” is held for children who are 9 or younger. The kids’ race is called the Kids’ Kilometer Fun Run. If you are within the first 2,500 people to register for the adult race and/or the first 200 to register for the kids’ fun run, you’ll receive a free zippered pullover.

As a part of the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon series, this Nashville 5K is ideal for runners who are also music lovers. Live bands perform along all of the running courses in the Rock ‘N’ Roll series, giving the races a pumped up, celebratory vibe. Participants in this 5K receive a medal, gear bag and t-shirt as well as free admission to the post-race concert as well as the coinciding Health and Fitness Expo.

Two Tennessee high schoolers combined their love of running with a passion to help the homeless when they came up with the idea for this local race for charity. Hill YEAH’s entire proceeds are donated to the Room in the Inn – a Nashville relief ministry that provides shelter, education, support and respite services for those without housing. Set among the hilly West Meade section of Nashville, Hill YEAH is a challenging course that has been held annually in January since 2014. This 5K is open to everyone who wishes to participate, including wheelchair users.