From big races to Saturday morning group runs—find 10k events and connect with the local endurance sports community.
UPDATE - JAN 27, 2026 AT 3:30 PM
THE 2026 RACE HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOR FEB 21. READ FULL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE.
All information about this race can be viewed at www.rivalraceseries.com/littlepatuxentriverrun.
Enjoy nature in one of the most beautiful areas of Columbia, MD. Starting and finishing at the Guilford Pratt Truss Bridge, the half marathon (13.1 miles), 10K (6.55 miles) and 5K (3.1 miles) takes place on the Patuxent and Wincopin trails. The course runs along the Little Patuxent and Middle Patuxent River. The terrain is tame compared to many other trail races. This race is appropriate for beginners and intermediate runners. Registration includes a long sleeve shirt, finisher medal and knit gloves.
5K - Saturday, Feb 21, 2026 @ 8:00 AM
Half Marathon & 10K - Saturday, Feb 21, 2026 @ 10:00 AM
Earn 3 finisher medals by registering and completing one of the following:
5K + 10K
5K + Half Marathon
In partnership with the Downtown Columbia Partnership and Columbia Association. Starting and finishing at Colorburst Park in the Merriweather District, this race is appropriate for all level runners. Race registration includes a shirt and finisher medal. Learn more about this race at www.rivalraceseries.com/discoverdowntowncolumbia5k10k.
Pets, baby joggers/strollers, in-line skates, bicycles, and any other non-official wheeled vehicles are prohibited.
Online registration closes Thursday, April 16 - end of day.
In person registration is available during packet pick up times. To view packet pick up times, go to www.rivalraceseries.com/discoverdowntowncolumbia5k10k.
ALL information about this race can be viewed at https://www.rivalraceseries.com/columbiafirecracker.
Get ready to light up your Independence Day at the Columbia Firecracker 5K & 10K. Join us for a high-energy celebration of fitness, community, and freedom. Whether you’re chasing a PR or just out for a fun, festive run, this event is built for everyone.
Choose your distance:
5K – Fast, scenic, and perfect for beginners, families, and speedsters.
10K – A longer challenge for those ready to push the pace.
Both courses wind around the beautiful paths of Lake Elkhorn, offering smooth pavement, water views, and a safe, spectator-friendly atmosphere. It’s flat, scenic, and ideal for runners and walkers of all ages and levels.
RACE START LOCATION
9821 Broken Land Parkway, Columbia, MD 21046.
Small parking lot next to Uber Bagels.
AGE REQUIREMENT
Runners must be at least 10 years old to participate in the 10K.
Runners must be at least 7 years old to participate in the 5K.
Pets, baby joggers/strollers, in-line skates, bicycles, and any other non-official
wheeled vehicles are prohibited.
Looking to train for a 10K race this year? Join the Howard County Striders for one of their prestigious training programs!
Join the Howard County Striders for one of their prestigious training programs!
10K Goal Race will be the Columbia Classic 10K race on the first Sunday in October
The Next Step Building to 10K Program is for runners of varying abilities. Participants will do a 2 mile time trial July 23 at Longfellow Elementary at 6pm so coordinators can group participants with those of similar abilities. Weekly training runs will involve a variety of running techniques including speed work and hill work to improve running performance. All runners should be able to run 3 miles before starting the program.
A prediction run is entirely different from other races that you’ve run in the past. Rather than finishing first or running the fastest, the object of a prediction run is to finish as close to a certain time as possible. In the case of the Howard County Striders prediction runs, the goal is to finish as close to 11:00am as possible. One way the Striders prediction runs differ from many other runs is that you get to start whenever you want – whoever finishes closest to 11:00am wins. Oh, and one important thing, you CANNOT use any sort of timing device. Also, no baby strollers, iPods, headphones or animals.
All proceeds from this event will be donated to the Tripp Scholar Athlete Fund.
The run is located at the Jeffers Hill Neighborhood Center, 6031 Tamar Drive, Columbia, MD 21045
USA Swimming Club. 378 members.