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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 high fives running buddy at 5K
Hero stars right
Girls on the Run participant high fives running buddy at 5K
Two Girls on the Run participants smile while showing off 5K medals

5K Event Details

Event
GOTR Fall 5K Fun Run, untimed and non-competitive
Date
Sunday, November 22, 2026
Location

Westfield Montgomery Mall

7101 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda MD 20817

Review important parking and course information below.

Time

7:15 AM- Packet pickup opens

8:00 AM- Participant arrival time

8:30 AM- Packet pickup closes

9:00 AM- Start of the Girls on the Run 5K 

5K start line will close at 9:12 AM  Late starts will not be permitted due to county permits and time restraints. 5K course will close to all runners at 10:30 AM. If you find yourself out on the course at 10:30 AM, please move to the sidewalks and follow county road laws to complete the 5K.

 

Price

Please note that in order for buddy runners to have the team coaches pickup their bib, they must register before Sunday, November 8th at 11:59 PM. The buddy runner bib will be distributed with the participant bib if school/name were mentioned during registration.

Buddy runners who register on or after Monday, November 9th or if you are a buddy runner who did not mention a specific participant during registration must collect their bibs at packet pickup on the morning of the 5K. If you are picking up your bib then, please have your proof of registration ready and expect long lines.

As a reminder, all runners must have a 5K bib in order to participate. 

Registration Type

Dates

Pricing 

Early bird pricing & guaranteed runner giveaway

October 5th-12th @11:59 PM

$35

Standard pricing & coach bib pickup deadline

October 13th - November 8th @11:59 PM

$45

Late pricing and bib pickup at the 5K

November 9th-19th @ noon. Registration closes. 

$50

Packet pick up at the 5K

(7:15 AM-8:30 AM)

Sunday, November 22, 2026.

In person registration unavailable.

 

 

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

5K Registration

IMPORTANT COURSE INFORMATION WHICH COULD AFFECT YOUR MORNING: 

Please note that road closures and parking restrictions will be in effect beginning at 8am. Between 8:30 AM -10:30 AM, people should expect substantial traffic congestion and delays. In preparation for the event, the I-270 on/off ramp at Westlake Terrace/Fernwood will be closed throughout the duration of the event, between 8:30 AM-10:30 AM. 

Celebration Village is where all the fun begins and ends! Look for the giant inflatable arch which marks the start/finish line. You can also find the 5K packet pickup, Sponsor tents, the volunteer tent, dancing, warmups, a giant coloring mural and Girls on the Run merchandise for sale. For the safety of all, there is no participant drop off so please park and walk over to Celebration Village. Plan accordingly!

Avoid Westlake Dr. and Westlake Terrace as rolling road closures and one lane traffic delays will take effect beginning at 8:00 AM. Cars will not be able to enter the mall off Westlake Terrace. We highly recommend cars enter the mall property off Democracy Blvd and park in the following areas: 

  • Purple bib: Nordstrom Garage and open/outdoor parking lot in front of Nordstrom.
  • Green bib: Nordstrom/Macy’s surface parking lot.
  • Pink bib: AMC theater/Food court parking garage/outdoor parking.

Parking at Home Depot Plaza and Westlake Crossing (Corner Bakery) is prohibited. Towing will be enforced. 

5K Information

The Girls on the Run 5K (3.1 miles) end of season non-competitive and untimed event will start and finish in Celebration Village  located in the northwest parking lot of the mall, adjacent to Macy's Home or Frank Pepe Pizzeria.

We ask participants to arrive between 8:00 AM and join their team in Celebration Village. All GOTR and Heart & Sole teams will be able to warm up and start the 5K together. The color and number on your 5K bib is also your team’s meet up location and "wave". Just look for the colored flag with the same number as your bib and locate your team. Please keep in mind there will be other teams with the same color/number combination.  When your "wave" is called to the start,  please walk towards the inflatable arch in an orderly fashion. Wave lists can be found here.  

The 5K will begin promptly at 9:00 AM. The start line will close to all runners at 9:12 AM so please do not be late. The course closes at 10:30 AM sharp. Any runners still out on the course should move to the sidewalk to complete the 5K, adhering to road rules. 

The Course

Our 5K course will start and end in Celebration Village located in the northwest parking lot at the corner of Westlake Dr. and Westlake Terrace adjacent to The Cheesecake Factory. 

The course will exit the parking lot turning right onto Westlake Dr. making an immediate right hand turn onto Westlake Terrace. @ Motor City Dr. runners will move to the westbound lanes and continue to Rock Spring Dr. Left turn on Rock spring, loop halfway up and back towards Fernwood where they will make a left hand turn. Mile 1. Continue to Democracy, turning left and left again onto Rockledge Dr. Pass the sole water station and then turn left onto Rock Spring Dr. looping half way down, returning back to Rockledge Dr., turning left onto Rockledge Dr. and just after the 2 mile marker, left onto Rockledge Dr. @ Rockledge towards Fernwood. Turn right onto Fernwood. There are no first aid stations on the course however, if a runner requires first aid/medical attention, please seek assistance from one of our many course marshals wearing a GOTR orange vest or a safety runner wearing a GOTR pink vest. If you separate from your GOTR participant during the run, please finish the run and plan to meet back at your team's meeting area or at the family reunion area located in front of the stage.

Post 5K Food, Recycling and Composting 

Bananas, bars and water in cups will be available for runners who have completed the 5K. Please help us by using the compost receptacles provided to compost banana peels and the provided water cups at one of the three recycling stations. We kindly ask that you limit the waste you bring to the 5K and that you recycle or compost.  

Road Closures

For a stress free morning, please avoid Westlake Dr. and Westlake Terrace and enter the mall property off Democracy Blvd. 

  • Rolling county road closures will begin at 8:00 AM and will be in effect until the last runners have safely completed the course.    
  • North/South lanes on Westlake Dr. between Lakeview Dr.and Westlake Terrace will be affected and closed for the start of the event. Roadway will open in both directions, limited lanes, at 9:15 AM. 
  • Westbound lanes on Westlake Terrace/Fernwood between Westlake Dr and Democracy will be closed including eastbound lanes beginning @ Motor City Dr.through to Democracy. One lane will remain open on Westlake Terrace for westbound traffic beginning at Motor City Dr to Westlake Dr. and will be directed by police. 
  • North/southbound lanes on Rock Spring Dr, will remain closed throughout the duration of the 5K. 
  • Northbound and southbound lanes on Rockledge Dr. between Fernwood and Rockledge Dr will be closed beginning at 8:15 AM.

    To avoid traffic delays and road closures, please attempt to stay off the affected roads between 8:00 AM and 10:30 AM.  Thank you for your patience.

Please refer to the 5K course map and Celebration Village map for additional information. 

 

 

 

 

Volunteers are essential to making our end-of-season 5K celebration a success. This is a wonderful opportunity to give back to your community and witness the joy of girls achieving goals they have worked toward all season.

We welcome both individuals and groups to experience the magic of 5K day with Girls on the Run of Montgomery County. Please note that volunteer registration will open on Monday October 5, 2026.

We hope to see you there!

5K Volunteer Registration

Registration Dates:

Registration opens on Monday, October 5, and closes on Thursday, November 19, at noon. Please note that there will be no buddy runner registration after this deadline, including on the day of the event.

Bib Distribution:

  - Participants: Girls on the Run and Heart & Sole participants will receive their bibs from their coaches during the week of the event. Please check with your participant or look in their backpack to ensure they have received it.
  - Buddy Runners (Registered by Nov. 8): If you register by 11:59 PM on November 8 and select a GOTR participant, your bib will be sent home with that participant the week before the ​5K.
  - Buddy Runners (Registered Nov. 9 or later): If you register on or after November 9, you must collect your bib at packet pickup on the morning of the 5K between 7:15 AM and 8:30 AM. Please arrive early, as we expect long lines, and have your proof of registration ready.

All runners are required to have a bib to participate. As a reminder, there is no registration available on the day of the 5K.

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 30-50 minutes. Everyone who participates is encouraged to walk, roll, push, run or skip at their happy pace!

For safety reasons, every girl in the program needs a buddy runner at least 16 year old or older to be responsible for her at the 5K. This does not need to be her parent/guardian - it can be a coach, teacher, relative or family friend! Adults can be running buddies to multiple girls (for example, one teacher can be paired with a group of three girls on a team that will be participating together.)

Always best to make a plan with your child ahead of time. If you get lost during the 5K, we encourage all runners to finish the run and meet up at your team meeting area. If you cannot locate your child, head to the stage/family reunion area for announcements.

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 race bib (provided by the council) which has your emergency information listed.

Our council has a safety plan in place, which trains staff and volunteers on how to respond during an emergency or incident.  Most important, all volunteers and participants should be aware that if they “see something, say something.”

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. Please contact Leanne Till to make arrangements.   leanne@girlsontherunofmoco.org.  

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

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 that must be signed by the individual that is registering for the race. All waivers must be signed by a parent if the runner is under the age of 18.

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

Celebration Village is where all the fun starts and ends. The location is the Westfield Montgomery Mall in the NORTHWEST parking lot at the corner of Westlake Dr. and Terrace.  Your bib will have all the information you need to locate your team.  The color and number on your bib will correspond with the color and number on a feather flag located in Celebration Village i.e.; if the color/# of your bib is purple 3, head to the #3 purple flag and search for your team! There will be numerous teams sharing this information so don't be discouraged if you cannot find them immediately. Keep looking! 

Buddy runner registration will close on the Thursday at 12pm prior to the 5K in order to prepare for the event.  Unfortunately, there is no 5K day registration. Contact leanne@girlsontherunofmoco.org for more information.

Unfortunately, we must close the start/finish line at 9:12 AM in order to comply with our permit and make sure we end the 5K on time. All runners need to be off the roads by 10:30 AM no exceptions. If you wish to walk the course with your buddy runner along the sidewalk, obeying the street signs and traffic lights you can do so however please note that we cannot be responsible for any misfortunes that may arise. Thank you for your understanding.

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Two Girls on the Run Coaches smile while running

Join us for our 5K!

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