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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 participants cross the finish line of the 5K
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Girls on the Run participant and running buddy hold up their medals at the 5K
A Girls on the Run participant smiles and jumps in a pink Girls on the Run shirt.

5K Event Details

Event
Girls on the Run Sandhills Team at the the Winter RUNderland 5K
Date
December 13, 2025
Location

Downtown Aberdeen
103 W Main Street
Aberdeen, NC 28315 US 

Time

7:30 a.m. - Girls on the Run tent opens for check in and pre-5K festivities (face painting, bib and sign decorating, etc.) for Girls on the Run Sandhills participants, 5K Buddies, community supporters.

8:30 a.m. - Winter RUNderland 5K begins

11 a.m. - Aberdeen Christmas Parade begins

Price

Registration Type Price
Early Bird (Online) - Register Before November 1 @ 11:59 P.M. ET $30
General (Online) - Register Before December 12 @ 11:59 P.M. ET $35
Event Day (In Person) -  Register Before December 13 @ 8:15 A.M. ET $40

NOTE: Program participants have already been registered for the 5K and DO NOT need to register. Event is hosted by the Winter RUNderland 5K, with a Girls on the Run Sandhills team.

5K Registration

Girls on the Run Sandhills is proud to have a Team at the the Winter RUNderland 5K!

The 5K will be held on December 13, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. in downtown Aberdeen. The course winds through downtown Aberdeen right before the Christmas Parade, which kicks off at 11 a.m. Stick around to continue the fun!

Please join the Girls on the Run Sandhills Team as early as 7:30 a.m. before the race under the Girls on the Run tent for face-painting, bib and sign decorating, merchandise shopping, and more!

By signing up for as a Girls on the Run Sandhills Team participant through our registration page, you'll be supporting scholarships for Girls on the Run Sandhills participants; a small portion of your registration fee goes toward our financial aid fund, allowing us to make Girls on the Run open to anyone, regardless of their financial situation.

Note: By registering as part of the Girls on the Run Sandhills Team for the Winter RUNderland 5K, you will receive a Girls on the Run-specific bib and be ineligible for the Winter RUNderland 5K race awards. Girls on the Run takes a non-competitive, non-timed approach to 5Ks, as the goal is to be joyful and inclusive while celebrating participants after completing the 8-week program. Our Team is sure to bring a smile to your face, and you will be so glad you joined us!

All Girls on the Run Sandhills Team participants who register by December 8 will receive a Winter RUNderland 5K t-shirt and medal.

Let this information guide you for the big event! 

Race Day Timeline:

  • 7:30 a.m. — GOTR staff and coaches arrive and Team check-in at the GOTR tent opens
  • 8:00 a.m. — GOTR Team 5K participants (program participants, 5K Buddies, community supporters) begin stretching and warming up
  • 8:20 am — GOTR Team 5K participants line up at the start line
  • 8:30 am — Winter RUNderland 5K begins!

Other Details:

  • Free parking is available throughout downtown Aberdeen.
  • Off-site parking with a shuttle is also available; more details TBA. 
  • Please ensure you arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the event to warm up and ensure everyone in your group is checked in at registration.
  • Early Packet Pick-Up for Community Runners and designated 5K Buddies: Location and time TBA. This will make the day-of check-in move quicker on race day so if you're able to stop by, we encourage it.
  • GOTR Team day-of packet pick up will open at 7:30 a.m. on event day in the Girls on the Run tent.
  • GOTR program participants will check in with their coaches on event day. There is no early packet pick-up option for program participants.
  • The 5K will be cancelled only for thunder and lightning, unsafe driving conditions or other hazardous conditions. Please check your email if there may be cause for cancellation.
  • What to wear? Running clothes but make it fun! Girls on the Run is so much fun, and we want our 5K to bring that experience full-circle for our GOTR Girls so if you have fun sparkles, tutus, hats, bright colors that you don't get to wear often enough — now is your time to shine! Program participants are encouraged to wear their GOTR t-shirt.

Volunteers help ensure our end of season 5K celebration is possible. Interested in volunteering at our upcoming 5K event? Fill out our volunteer form today! 

5K Volunteer Form

We need volunteers for the following activities to ensure our Girls on the Run team at the Winter RUNderland 5K is a success! 

  • 5K Buddies
  • Cheer squad
  • Face-painting Station
  • Bib-decorating Station

Note: All volunteers appointed through our council will undergo a background check. 

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 30 to 50 minutes. Everyone who participates as a Girls on the Run participant or community supporter 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 program 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 race bib (provided by the council). Our council ensures every participant has a running buddy, and only critical 5K volunteers have access to confidential information.

To ensure every participant crosses the finish line, we monitor the course and conduct head counts. Our council has 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.

A 5K Buddy is an individual designated by the council or by the parent/guardian to complete the 5K alongside a program participant during the 5K event, for the entire duration of the course.

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

Absolutely! Our program girls receive a GOTR 5K medal and all other participants receive a GOTR finisher's button.

Thanks to our partnership with the Winter RUNderland 5K, participants will also recieve a Winter RUNderland 5K finisher's t-shirt and medal.

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.

Yes! Our Council is selling merchandise to support our program! Be sure to look for our merchandise booth to commemorate this memorable event.

Yes! As this is the highlight of the season, there will be face painting, bib decorating, and more! Of course, we’ll have merchandise for sale, too!

For non-program participants, the price will increase on November 1.

Nous écrire

Interested in sponsoring our council’s programs,
5K or a future event?

Email Us

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Two Girls on the Run Coaches smile while running

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