Is 2026 the year you get back into running or complete your first 5k ever? Madison is one of the fittest cities in the nation and has countless running paths. Join the club of runners now!
Prepare for a 5km race with a structured training plan gradually increasing running time and distance while incorporating walking breaks initially. Check out firsttime5k for more information on how to train for your very first 5k or get back into running; step by step. Your coach is ME, Petra Kilian! I’ve been a Madison-local, certified running coach for nearly 2 decades and you can also check me out on-air at Madison’s Magic-98!
There are plenty of races to choose from in Madison and surrounding areas.
Here is a list for this year’s races:
Ongoing; Every Saturday in 2026:
Howard Temin Lakeshore Path 5km Park Run / Madison
January:
01 Fleet Feet New Year’s Day Dash 5-Mile & 2-Mile / Middleton
31 Sub Zero Race 5k / Madison
31 Baraboo Winterfest 5k / Madison
February:
8 Frozen Assets Festival 5k / Madison
14 Sub Zero Race 1-Mile / Madison
March:
07 Freeze For Food 5k & 10k / Madison
08 Spring Forward 10k / Madison
14 Shamrock Shuffle 5k & 10k / Madison
14 The Janesville Shamrock 5k & 10k / Janesville
April:
04 Cottontail Classic 5k & 10k / Verona
11 Stride for Shelter 5k / Janesville
12 Moving Mountains Medlife 5k / Madison
12 Beat the Blues Cruise 5k / Middleton
12 Parkinson’s 5k & 13.1 / Cottage Grove
18 Bucky’s Race for Rehab 5k / Madison
18 Earth Day 5k / Sun Prairie
23 Project Sunshine 5k / Madison
25 Crazy Legs Classics 8k / Madison
26 Rock N Wool Wine Run 5k / Poynette
26 Run The Rock 5k, 10k & 13.1 / Janesville
May:
02 Bulldog Stomp 5k / Pardeeville
02 Donald Dash Trail Run 5k & 15k / Mt. Horeb
02 Lake Monona 5k & 20k / Monona
02 Derby For Diabetes 5k / Edgerton
03 UW-Madison School of Veterinary Medicine SAVMA Wags for Wellness 5k / Madison
09 Lodi Optimist One Mother Of A Run 5k & 11-Mile / Lodi
09 Molly Dattilo 5k / Madison
09 Glowing Smiles 5k / Middleton
16 Furry Friends 5k / Jefferson
16 Syttende Mai Festivals 5k & 13.1 / Stoughton
23 Run Madtown Twilight 5k / Madison
23 Brat Fest Bun Run 5k / Madison
30 Girls on the Run 5k / Verona
June:
06 The Big Run 5k / Madison
13 Hot2Trot Firemen’s Festival 5k & 13.1 / Cottage Grove
20 Father’s Day 5k / Cross Plains
27 Prairie Chase 5k / Middleton
July:
04 Freedom Run 5k & 10k / Deforest
04 Evansville 4th of July Run 5k / Evansville
11 Madison Gospel 5k & 10k / Madison
25 Waunafest 5k & 10k / Waunakee
August:
08 Madison Mini Marathon 5k & 13.1 / Madison
29 Middleton Good Neighbor Fest 5k / Middleton
September:
05 Cow Chip Classic 5k & 10k / Prairie Du Sac
12 Tunnel to Towers 5k / Sheboygan
12 Fetch 5k / Madison
26 On your Bookmark, Go 5k / McFarland
27 Badger Challenge 5k / Madison
27 The Henry Vilas Zoo Run Wild Run 5k & 10k / Madison
October:
05 Gilda’s Run 5k / Middleton
11 Hoot Hoot Hustle 5k / Monona
24 The Haunted Hustle 5k, 10k & 13.1 / Middleton
28 Halloween Hustle 5k / Madison
November:
26 Madison’s Turkey Trot 5k / Madison
26 The Birdie Derby 5k & 10k / Fitchburg
December:
08 Run Santa Run 5k / Madison
09 Jingle Bell Run 5k / Madison
TO ALL RACE DIRECTORS:
Want to add your 5k Race to our calendar? Email: petra@midwestfamilymadison.com
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