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5K Celebration

Confidence through
Accomplishment

Each season comes to an end with a celebratory 5K. This closing event gives program participants of all abilities a tangible sense of accomplishment. Crossing the finish line instills confidence through completion and is a joyful moment program participants always remember! Everyone in our program receives a commemorative medal to celebrate this incredible achievement.

5K Celebration

Confidence through
Accomplishment
Hero stars right
Girls on the Run participant has her arms in the air as she completes the 5K. Her 5K Buddy cheers her on.
Hero stars right
Two Girls on the Run participants smile.
Runners and walkers approach the finish line at the GOTR 5K.

5K Event Details

Event
KGPCo Girls on the Run Minnesota 5K
Date
Saturday, May 31
Location

MN State Fairgrounds, Saint Paul, MN 

Time

Waves starting between 8:30am - 10:20am

Price

Registration Type Fee
5K Registration $40 (pay-what-you-can)

NOTE: Program participants and coaches have already been registered for the 5K and DO NOT need to register.

5K Registration Here

Save the date! Join us Saturday, May 31st at the MN State Fairgrounds for a joy-filled 5K!

Girls on the Run teams from the Twin Cities Metro area will join us at the MN State Fairgrounds for our Spring 5K event on Saturday, May 31. 5K registration is open for all ages! 

Girls on the Run teams in Rochester and Duluth will host regional 5K events on Sunday, June 1. Click here for Rochester info and here for Duluth info.  

Registration

Every girl needs to have a registered 5K Buddy to accompany her on 5K day. A 5K Buddy is any trusted adult 18+, who can run/walk alongside their girl and cheer her on through this day of accomplishment. A 5K buddy can be a parent, grandparent, uncle, teacher, family, friend, favorite babysitter - anyone 18+ your girl knows and trusts!

Our 5K is open to all! We invite all runners and walkers to join us for the 5K. Ask other family members, siblings and friends to join us also!

GOTR participants and coaches are automatically registered for the 5K!

All 5K Buddies, family members and friends running the 5K must register.

5K Buddies will receive their t-shirt and 5K bib from their team's GOTR coaches on 5K day; there will be no separate packet pick-up. Upon arrival at the MN State Fairgrounds, 5K Buddies and families can go directly to your team meeting location. 

Wave Assignments - 

All teams/sites are assigned a wave start time and color to organize teams in the GOTR 5K Village. Spring 2025 Wave Assignments are here!  Please look for your teams color and sign when you arrive at the 5K village. The Spring 2025 5K will have 10 start waves. The first wave of runners will start at 8:30am with additional waves starting until 10:20am.  

Please plan to arrive 1 hour before your wave start time to allow for parking and walking to the GOTR 5K Village AND to participate in some fun pre-5K activities. Also, please note teams will start walking to the start line 10-15 minutes before their scheduled 5K wave start time. 

Course Information

The 5K course will be run on the roadways in the MN State Fairgrounds. The 5K will begin near the Grandstand, weave through all your favorite State Fair locations and finish on Judson Ave. See a PDF of the Course Map here, or our great Google event map here.

 

Parking & Transportation

Free Parking will be available in the MN State Fairgrounds at the following locations:

Como Parking Lots: (1690 Como Ave), enter from Como Avenue. 
Grandstand Lot: (3813 Randall Ave), enter from Snelling at Hoyt Ave.

All other entrances to the Fairgrounds will be closed for the event. See Event Parking Map here.  

Metro Transit also has routes available and some teams may be taking a bus together from their school; check with your coaches.  

ADA Parking will be available in both parking locations. 

Weather

This is an important day for our girls and the 5K will be held rain, snow or shine. Should outside conditions become unsafe, we will notify participants through email and social media as soon as possible, and you can also visit our Facebook page for updates.

5K Etiquette

This is a non-competitive event and we encourage all participants to go their “happy pace.” To keep the course clear for all, we ask slower runners and walkers to stay to the right, leaving room for other runners to pass. 

Pets are not allowed on the run course or in the start/finish areas. We have a large number of youth attending our event, for everyone's safety, please leave pets at home. 

Sensory Room

We know the gathering of all our teams with music and announcements can feel overwhelming for some participants. We are excited to offer a sensory room as a quiet space for participants and families to prepare for the 5K. Participants will be able to join their teams as they walk to the start line, feeling confident and prepared for a great runner. 

5K Social Narrative

Is this your first 5K? Not sure what to expect? Check out our great social narrative to prepare for the event!

Event Guide - 

Looking for all our 5k event information in one easy spot? Check out our Event Guides:

Event Guide - English

Guia del evento - Spanish

Event Guide (Hagaha Munaasabada) - Somali

Event Guide (Cov Lus Qhia txog Lub Koom Txoos) - Hmong

Sign up today to volunteer at Spring 5K! It will take more than 250+ volunteers to support a safe and celebratory 5K for every participant -  can you help?  From water stop volunteers to course marshals to bus welcome crew, this event would not be possible with the support of dedicated volunteers. Recruit a friend, family members, co-workers, etc. to sign up with you. All volunteers 14 years or older are welcome to support this magical event - the more the merrier! 

Volunteer assignments and shifts will be assigned between 6:45am - 12:00pm (2-3 hour shifts). You will receive an email with your assigned role and shift by Friday, May 23rd. You can let us know right in the volunteer registration form if you have a preference for a later or earlier shift. Thanks for your flexibility!  

Please contact 5k@gotrmn.org with volunteer questions.

5K Volunteer Form

Volunteer tasks may include:

  • course marshal/cheerleader
  • chalker
  • registration
  • greeting participants
  • water stop
  • post-5K food
  • bus parking
  • any other tasks that pop up!

Timing: shifts to be assigned between 6:45am - 12:00pm (2-3 hour shifts)

Sign up with a friend, family members, co-workers, etc. All volunteers 14 years or older are welcome to support this magical event - the more the merrier! 

Volunteer assignments and shifts will be communicated by Friday, May 23rd. Exact arrival times and duration will vary depending on your role. You can let us know when registering if you have a preference for a later or earlier shift. Thanks for your flexibility!  

Volunteer Groups

We love having groups volunteer with us! Do you have a group of co-workers, friends or family that want to join us? To include your group in our group registration options, please email 5K@gotrmn.org. 

Adult 5K participant smiles while running outdoors through the city

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The course for a 5K is 3.1 miles. 

As a reminder, this is a fun, celebratory event for our participants and not a competitive race. While our fastest 5K participants will complete the course in 25 minutes, most cross the finish line in by 60 minutes. Everyone who participates is encouraged to walk, roll, push, run or skip at their happy pace!

First, we understand that life happens, and circumstance might make it impossible to attend.

 

We strongly encourage that all participants attend and complete the 5K, as it is the goal that teams are preparing for all season long! It’s the ultimate opportunity to build confidence through accomplishment. Remember, this is the first 5K event for many – including coaches, participants, friends and family members. We are in it together!

For safety reasons, every participant must wear a 5K bib provided by us. Our council ensures every participant has a 5K buddy, and only critical 5K volunteers have access to confidential information.

To ensure every participant crosses the finish line, we monitor the course have a safety plan in place, which trains staff and volunteers on how to respond during an emergency or incident.

Yes. Girls on the Run 5K events are for everyone! All participants can walk, run, push or roll safely and at their own happy pace. Designated parking spots are available.

Every girl needs to have a registered 5K Buddy for the 5K event. A 5K Buddy is any trusted adult 18+, who can run/walk alongside their girl and cheer her on through this day of accomplishment. A 5K buddy can be a parent, grandparent, uncle, teacher, family friend, favorite babysitter - anyone 18+ your girl knows and trust!  All 5K Buddies must register for the 5k. 

Yes! This is encouraged! This is a great way to accomplish a goal together. 

Absolutely! Every registered participant who completes the 5K will receive a 5K bib, t-shirt, medal and post-race food.

Yes! Family, friends and community members outside of our program can participate in the event, but must register.

Yes. All 5K registration forms include liability waivers.

The registration fee is $40 with a pay-what-you-can option. GOTR Program Participants and coaches are already registered and do not need to register separately for the 5K. 

This is a non-competitive event and we encourage all runners to go their “happy pace.” To keep the course clear for all, we ask slower runners and walkers to stay to the right, leaving room for other runners to pass. 

Yes, strollers are welcome, and we ask that anyone with a stroller starts at the back of the pack for safety. 

No, please leave your pets at home. 

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5K or a future event?

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Two Girls on the Run Coaches 5K volunteers smile

Join us for our 5K!

Not a coach or a Girls on the Run participant?  
Register to join our 5K event!

5K Registration 5K Volunteer Registration