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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 Spring 5K Celebration
Date
Sunday, May 19th, 2024
Location

Westfield Montgomery Mall, 7101 Democracy Blvd, Bethesda MD 20817

**NEW STAGING/MEETING LOCATION*** Parking lot at the corner of Westlake Dr. and Westlake Terrace

GIRLS ON THE RUN AND THE ENVIRONMENT: 

Girls on the Run of Montgomery County has adopted a more sustainable approach to our 5K.  As we continue to adopt best practices to reduce the waste produced from our event, we need the help from our 5K participants and spectators to accomplish our goals.  Please avoid single-use plastic water bottles or coffee cups and choose a sustainable, reusable water bottle or coffee cup. Water cups at our finish line are compostable so please use the compost bins provided to compost banana peels, water cups and other organic materials.  After your amazing finish, locate the Bib & Pin orange recycling containers to recycle your race bibs and reuse donated pins for the next GOTR 5K. 

Thank you for being part of the solution! If you would like to help out and be part of our sustainable movement, please contact leanne@girlsontherunofmoco.org. 

Time

8:00 AM - Arrival time 
9:00 AM - Start of the Girls on the Run 5K

5K start line will close at 9:15 AM  Late starts will not be permitted due to county permits and time restraints.

Price

Note: Guaranteed deadline for a team coach to pick up a buddy runner bib is Sunday,  May 5 @ 11:59pm. Buddy runners who register on or after Monday, May 6th must pickup their race bib at packet pickup and in-person registration on Saturday, May18th (10 AM- 12 PM) or the morning of the 5K. (Expect long lines and delays). All runners must have a 5K bib in order to particpate. NO 5K DAY REGISTRATION!

Registration Type Dates Pricing 
Early bird pricing & guaranteed runner giveaway  

$35
Standard pricing & coach pickup deadline   $40
Late pricing

May 6th-16th (last day to register on-line, closes @ noon)

 $45
Packet Pickup and in-person registration pricing (outside lululemon)

Saturday, May 18th 

 $50
Packet Pickup (at the 5K)  Sunday, May 19 No 5K Day Registration

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

5K Registration

**NEW STAGING/MEETING LOCATION*** Parking lot at the corner of Westlake Dr. and Westlake Terrace for the 5K and PARKING

The ring road that encompasses Celebration Village will be closed from AMC underground parking to AutoPark Dr. beginning at 6:00am.  To avoid road closures and control traffic delays, we ask that you enter the mall grounds off Democracy Blvd. Westlake Dr. north of the parking garage will be closed to prepare for the event.  Please park in the following lots:  

  • Purple bib: Nordstrom garage and open parking lot. Enter the mall off Democracy Blvd and turn right. 
  • Green bib: Nordstrom/Macy's surface parking lot. Enter the mall off Democracy Blvd and turn right/left
  • Pink bib:  AMC/Macy's parking garage or lot. Enter the mall off Democracy Blvd. and turn left.

Please park and walk to Celebration Village located at the corner of Westlake Dr. and Westlake Terrace. There is no particpant drop off! 

 

5K INFORMATION **NEW Staging Area and Start/Finish Line**

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 at the corner of Westlake Dr. and Terrace at the Westfield Montgomery Mall.  The 5K is an essential component of the program as it is an experiential opportunity for girls to learn and embrace the confidence that comes from accomplishment. We ask participants to arrive between 8-8:15am and join their team in Celebration Village. The 5K will begin promptly at 9:00am. The start line will close to all runners at 9:15am so please do not be late! When you arrive, please head to the feather flag that matches the color and number on your bib. Wave lists can be found HERE. 

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. PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A NEW STAGING AREA AT THE MALL!!!!

The course will exit the parking lot turning right onto Westlake Dr. making an immediate right hand turn onto Weslake Terrace.  Continuing along the road for approximately 3/4 mile, turning left onto Democracy and left onto Rockledge. Course water station is located across the street from Walter Johnson High School. Runners will continue along the rolling hills of the industrial park before returning back to the mall to complete the 5K. 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, plan to meet back at your team's meeting area or at the family reunion area located in front of the stage.

POST RACE 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 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

  • Rolling county road closures will begin at 8:30am and will be in effect until the last runners have safely cleared the area.   
  • North/South lanes on Westlake Dr. between Lakeview Dr.and Westlake Terrace will be affected. One lane will remain open for traffic and will be directed by police.
  • Westbound lanes on Westlake Terrace/Fernwood between Westlake Dr and Democracy will be closed including eastbound lanes beginning on Fernwood between Rockledge Dr. and Democracy. One lane will remain open on Westlake Terrace for westbound traffic beginning at Rockledge Dr and will be directed by police. 
  • North/southbound lanes on Rock Spring Dr, will remain closed throughout the duration of the 5K. Police will assist residents of Montgomery Row exit at Breuer St. turning left onto southbound lane heading towards Westlake Terrace.
  • Northbound lanes on Rockledge Dr. between Fernwood and Rockledge Dr will be closed.

    To avoid traffic delays and road closures, please attempt to stay off the affected roads between 8:45am and 10:30am.  Thank you for your patience.

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

 

 

 

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

5K Volunteer Registration

5K Buddy Registration:

On-line registration will close on Thursday, November 16th, at 12:00 PM

Last chance 5K buddy runner registration will take place on Saturday, November 18th at Packet Pickup located in front of lululemon in the mall. Higher fees will be in effect. Save your time if registering for yourself or another participant by printing and signing the appropriate waiver below. All waivers must be signed by the participating adult and be 18 years or older. If adding a participant under the age of 18, a parent or legal guardian must execute the agreement on behalf of the minor.  ENGLISH / SPANISH  waiver .

There is no 5K day buddy runner registration. 

 

Packet Pickup and in-person registration on Saturday, November 18th, 10 AM-12 PM

All buddy runners who registered on or prior to November 5th and designated a school/GOTR participant will have their 5K bib sent home with the GOTR participant the week of the 5K. Particpants who registered on or after November 6th or did not designate a school/GOTR participant should plan to attend packet pickup on one of the following days:

  • Saturday, November 18th @ Westfield Montgomery Mall (in front of lululemon) and last chance 5K buddy runner in-person registration.
  • OR Sunday, November 19th @ the packet pickup tent between 7:30 AM-8:30 AM. Arrive early and expect delays. Tent will close at 8:30 AM.  No 5K day buddy registration.
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 ie. 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! 

Unfortunately, we must close the start/finish line at 9:10am in order to comply with our permit and make sure we end the 5K on time!   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.

Nous écrire

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5K or a future event?

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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