Sacramento races to run with friends
Compare seven 5K, 10K and half-marathon options across three Sacramento-area events, from Thanksgiving 2026 to September 2027.
You don’t all have to choose the same distance. The first thing to settle is whether your group wants one race morning or a full weekend. These Sacramento-area events offer both kinds of plan.
Details checked October 13, 2026. All times are local. Before entering, check the organizer’s current instructions for your distance and the full price at checkout.
Run to Feed the Hungry on Thanksgiving morning
Run to Feed the Hungry is scheduled for Thursday, November 26, 2026. The 10K starts at 8:15 a.m. and the 5K at 9:00 a.m. If you’re sharing a ride, plan around the earlier start.
The routes loop through East Sacramento, starting on J Street just west of the Sac State entrance. The campus’s J Street vehicle entrance will be closed until the race finishes, so check the parking directions before setting off.
Packet pickup is at Fremont Presbyterian Church. One person can collect packets for friends with copies of their confirmation receipts. Agree who’s doing that job, then pick a place to meet after the race.
Shamrock’n across two March mornings
Shamrock’n’s 5K and 10K are scheduled for Saturday, March 13, 2027, in West Sacramento. The half marathon follows on Sunday, March 14. Friends choosing a shorter race and a half should keep both mornings free.
The 5K’s general start is 8:25 a.m. Race-day packet pickup at Sutter Health Park opens at 6:45 a.m. on Saturday and 6:30 a.m. on Sunday. Check the latest schedule for your own start and wave.
The half marathon’s stated course limit is four hours from the start of Wave 3. Use that rule when considering the distance; it isn’t four hours from each runner’s individual start.
Urban Cow for a September weekend
Urban Cow’s 5K is scheduled for Saturday, September 25, 2027, at 8:30 a.m. The half marathon is on Sunday, September 26. Its waves start at 7:30, 7:35 and 7:40 a.m., grouped by expected finish time. Friends running the half may start in different waves.
The half marathon starts and returns to William Land Park, with a four-hour course limit. The 5K has no time limit. That difference is worth checking before everyone commits to a distance.
Race parking at Sacramento City College is included with entry. If your group is splitting the two distances, plan for a second race morning rather than treating the weekend as one shared start.
Put the group plan in one place
Share the exact distance page, then write down when each person is running. Add the packet-pickup plan and a meeting point that will still work if you finish at different times.
Before booking travel, each runner should check entry availability and their own race conditions with the organizer. Work out the ride home too, especially if someone will be waiting at the finish.