16th Annual Leader of the Pack 5K
About this race
New route for 2026!!!!
https://www.strava.com/routes/3474337912105886828
Join us for the 16th Annual Leader of the Pack 5K run/walk - Saturday May 2, 2026 at the McNair Field in Forest City, NC.
Not able to join the fun on race day? Sign up for the DIY (Virtual) 5K. You may choose to run/walk any course at your convenience.
Registration Rate & Dates
Now until April 17, 2026: Adults: $25, Students [Age 18 & under]: $10
April 18, 2026 until Race Day (May 3, 2025): Adults $30, Students [Age 18 & under]: $15
DIY 5K: Adults $25, Students [Age 18 & under]: $10
Race shirt guaranteed if registered by April 18, 2025. After this date, shirts will be available while supplies last on race day.
PACKET PICK UP:
Friday, May 1, 2026: 3:00-6:00 p.m., McNair Field, 214 McNair Dr. Forest City
Race Day: 6:30 a.m. - 8:00 a.m., McNair Field, 214 McNair Dr. Forest City
RACE START: 8:00 a.m.
Award Ceremony: Approximately 9:30 a.m.
5K Awards:
Top Overall Male/Female (1st, 2nd, & 3rd)
Top Masters [40+] Male/Female (1st, 2nd, & 3rd))
Age Group Awards (1st, 2nd,& 3rd) Male/Female in the following age groups:
0-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+
School Participation Awards
Trophies will be awarded to the top three schools based on participation. School participation is determined by all participants present and checked in on the day of the race. Family members, staff, community members, etc. (not only students) count toward school participation if registered and checked in with their school affiliation. No school level awards will be determined by race times. Be sure to join your School's roster during the registration process.
Join fellow runners on May 6, 2023 for the 16th Annual Leader of the Pack 5K. It's a fantastic 5K featuring a flat and fast course in Forest City.
Pick your distance
Running
Leader of the Pack 5K
Join us for the Leader of the Pack 5K - Saturday May 6th at the McNair Stadium in Forest City, NC. Hosted by the Rutherford County Schools Education Foundation the 13th Annual 5K run/walk benefits the RCSEF programs. **If you sign up after 4/24/23 you will not be guaranteed a shirt on Race Day. You can still log in your shirt size, however, as we may have some left over after the race.** Registration info: Now - April 24th: $20. April 25th until Race Day (May 6th): $25 Student Rate [Age 18 & under]: $10/$15 Awards: Top Overall Male/Female (1st, 2nd, & 3rd) Top Master Male/Female (1st, 2nd, & 3rd) Age Group Awards (1st, 2nd, & 3rd) Male/Female in the following age groups: 0-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80+
DIY 5K
This “Do It Yourself” Event will allow participants to run or walk at any time and any location that is convenient for you. Run around the block, on trails, go down to the track (5K is 12.5 laps), or even run on a treadmill. You don't even have to live in NC - so please invite friends and family in other states or countries to join the fun. While not required – you can submit your time for inclusion in the online “Just For Fun” Results. We will collect times beginning on Saturday April 29th until Sunday May 7th. Instructions on "How To Submit Your Results" are found under the "DIY 5K Info" tab above. There will be No Overall or Age Group awards for the DIY 5K.
Weather Overview
These values reflect historical conditions on the race dates in Forest City in 2023, from Open-Meteo archive data.
About Forest City
16th Annual Leader of the Pack 5K takes place in Forest City, North Carolina, United States. The local timezone is America/New_York.
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Race information has been sourced from the event's official website and other publicly available resources. For the most up-to-date details, please refer to the official website directly. If you notice any incorrect or missing information, don't hesitate to reach out to us by email.
