Published August 4, 2026 12:57PM
Around the country, runners are coming together to not necessarily chase a PR or complete a new distance, but to celebrate something they all share: nostalgia. They’re lacing up for 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons inspired by the movies and TV shows that inspired generations, and taking a step back in time in the process.
Whether you loved chasing treasure with The Goonies,hanging out at Bayside High, or channeling the grit of Rocky, these events all blend fitness with fandom. If you grew up with some of these iconic stories, here’s your chance to dress up and share your nostalgia with fellow fans.
Never Say Die Run
Long Beach, California
Oct. 4, 2026
Race website
“Hey, you guyyyyys!” Relive the treasure-seeking adventures of the 1985 classic “The Goonies” at this ’80s nostalgia run. Offering 5K, 10K, and half-marathon distances, the Never Say Die Run follows an out-and-back course on a beach path in Long Beach with ocean views. The course is stroller- and dog-friendly, so you can bring along the whole fam for the themed adventure.
And it’s all for a good cause: The race benefits the Santa Ana Hamster Rescue, which provides care, education, and loving homes for rescued hamsters. So it doesn’t matter whether your favorite character is Mikey, Mouth, Data, Sloth, or Chunk, you can celebrate with a Truffle Shuffle at the finish. Then possibly a hamster snuggle.
The Office 5K Scranton
May 1, 2027
Race website
In true Michael Scott fashion, load up on fettuccine alfredo and run as fast as you can through the streets of the Electric City, passing the iconic Penn Paper building in the early part of the race. You’ll stand out if you’re not in Office-themed attire; favorites include Prison Mike, censored Meredith, St. Pauli Girl, and Jan in her notorious Dinner Party top. Heading into its sixth season, the Office 5K, once again, aims to raise awareness that there is a cure for rabies.
Every year, the race organizers announce a special race guest, including David Wallace (Andy Buckley), Elizabeth the Stripper (Jackie Debatin), and Bob Vance, Vance Refrigeration (Bobby Ray Shafer, Jr.).
And unlike Michael’s 5K, this one loops back to where it started. With beer at the end.
Bayside Saved by the Bell 5K, 10K, Half Marathon
Canoga Park, California
Sept. 19, 2026
I’m so excited, I’m so excited, I’m so … scaredto race this Saved By the Bell-themed Race. And if you’re planning to take your caffeine pills before lining up at the start, that’s actually probably fine unless you have GI or heart issues or Jessie Spano-level anxiety.
I don’t remember any of the crew running track—it felt like wrestling or wheelchair basketball or beach volleyball was more the vibe, but I’m relatively sure that Screech might’ve actually found his people if he just lined up with the cross country team one day.
The Bayside Dash happens Saturday, September 19, 2026, in Canoga Park, California, with every distance kicking off at 7 a.m. Pick the raddest distance for you: the Friends Forever 5K, the Time Out 10K, or the Hall Pass Half Marathon.
Costumes are encouraged, so expect a starting line heavy on scrunchies, pom-poms, letterman jackets, and Zack Morris-sized phones. There are throwback tunes with a lot of “let’s go Bayside!” pep rally spirit. Just don’t let Belding catch you.
Spacerock Trail Race
Vasquez Rocks Natural Park, Agua Dulce, California
Oct. 17, 2026
Sci-fi fans will appreciate the landmark location of this trail race venue, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. The desert-looking Vasquez Rocks Natural Park has served as the backdrop for popular TV shows and movies, including Star Trek, The Flintstones, Battlestar Galactica, and Planet of the Apes.
The unique landscape will make you feel like you’re running on the moon, whether you complete the 5K (recommended for beginners and hikers), the 10K or 15K (ideal for intermediate trail runners), or the half-marathon-plus (13.9 miles, for seasoned trail runners). Just be sure to take your training seriously—the elevation gain ranges from 500 feet in the 5K to 3,000 feet in the half marathon-plus. Whichever distance you choose, and to loosely paraphrase Star Trek, go boldly where no one, except fellow trail runners and film crews, has gone before.
The Shawshank Hustle
The Ohio State Reformatory, Mansfield, Ohio
Aug. 15, 2026
Well, not every race has to be a lighthearted trip into pop culture. Some can explore themes of murder, imprisonment, institutional abuse, and violence that will make 4.6 miles of running feel like nothing. And while The Shawshank Redemption is set in Maine, the movie was filmed in Ohio, around the very prison at the center of this race course.
The 12th Annual Shawshank Hustle will be held at The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, Ohio. The course threads through downtown Mansfield past the actual filming locations: the pawn shop window Red stared through looking for that black volcanic rock, Brooks’ bench, the Portland Daily Bugle building, before turning back toward the prison for a final climb fittingly named the Road to Redemption.
Back to the Future 88 MPH Sprint 5K
Canoga Park, California
Oct. 17, 2026
Jed and Ted are making a name for themselves with their over-the-top themed races in California, including the fan favorite Back to the Future race event. Channel your inner Marty and Doc Brown with the 88 MPH Sprint 5K (or the Twin Pines 10K or the Enchantment Under the Run Half Marathon).
You’d be remiss to skip out on a red puffy vest or white lab coat, but please keep your DeLoreans and skateboards at home.
Jurassic Run 5K
Live out your Jurassic Park dreams with this dinosaur-themed 5K, held within Ogden’s 8.5-acre George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park. With the start line under the brachiosaurus, you’ll feel like you’ve been transported to John Hammond’s ill-fated Isla Nublar on the 3-mile course. Run with caution—the race even warns about being “chased by realistic-looking dinosaurs,” and has stage costumed or realistic dinosaurs to jump out for surprise “chase” moments along the path!
The rolling, family-oriented course features one hill to climb within Big Dee Sports Park, and a total elevation gain of just 140 feet. The start time is at 7 p.m., so it’s after the heat of the day and doesn’t require an early morning wake-up. The race wraps up back among the dinosaurs for a themed finish line celebration.
Screenland 5K
Culver City, California
Feb. 28, 2027
Movie buffs will appreciate the costumes, setting, and historical significance of this Culver City race. Held annually around Oscar season in the “Heart of Screenland,” the 2027 Screenland 5K will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Academy—and the fact that productions in Culver City have earned Oscars or Emmys every single year since its founding.
Not only are runners dressed to the nines in honor of their favorite films and shows—including from Ghostbusters, Star Wars, The Wizard of Oz, Barbie, I Love Lucy—but street performers, musicians, and spectators line the course to keep it entertaining. Along the way, you’ll pass studios where King Kong clutched Fay Wray, Charlie Chaplin escaped disaster, Lucy outwitted Ricky, Lassie returned home, ET flew in front of the moon, Elvis and Michael Jackson rehearsed, and Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers rose to fame.
In addition to the 5K, kids can follow the yellow brick road to the Emerald City in the Munchkin Dash. The race wraps up with a red-carpet finish experience near Ivy Station. Make sure you have your acceptance speech ready!
Rocky Run
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Nov. 14, 2026
Are you even a realathlete if you don’t sprint the Rocky Steps? (Technically, the Philadelphia Art Museum steps.) Choose your Rocky Run distance (5K or 10 mile, or both to become an Italian Stallion) and gear up for an action-packed morning on the streets of Philadelphia.
For those really looking to test their mettle and channel their innermost Rocky, they’ll need to dig in on Mount Drago: a 1.2-mile hill with 193 feet of elevation in the later miles of the 10-mile event. Thanks to the race’s “state-of-the-art” timing system, runners will be tracked from the base of the hill through the ascent and the fastest 100 men and women will take home a Mount Drago medal. They will not be broken.
Festivus 5K
Chesterton, Indiana
Dec. 13, 2026
As a native Jersey Girl who was born about 40 minutes away from NYC, I never understood why people in other parts of the country loved Seinfeld so much. Could someone in the Midwest really relate to crowded subways and double parking? But now, living in the mountain west, I see that those little details are secondary to the real storylines. Festivus for the rest of us, for example, is universal. Who doesn’t want to decorate an aluminum pole and air all your grievances to your family members?
When I saw there is a Festivus 5K in Indiana, I knew this was part of the Feats of Strength. Perfect. I’m hoping the post-race dinner is meatloaf.
The Festivus 5K Run takes place Sunday, Dec. 13, 2026, in Chesterton, Indiana, starting and finishing at Running Vines Winery on Broadway. True to its namesake, the awards table skips the usual plaques in favor of custom miniature Festivus poles for top finishers.
The race also partners with the Chesterton Fire Department’s Toys for Tots drive: the first 250 registrants who bring a toy worth at least $20 to packet pickup earn a Santa hat of their own. That’s surprisingly generous for a holiday started by a Costanza—a true Festivus Miracle.
