Hearts and Hands 4 Paws 5k

Hearts and Hands 4 Paws 5k takes place in Marietta, Ohio, on October 25, 2026, with two ways to cover the same 3.1 miles: the 5K run at 2:30 p.m. and the 5K walk five minutes later. You can enter either one with or without a dog, which makes four combinations in all. The course is a loop that starts and finishes at Muskingham Park and passes along Front St and Indian Acres Park.

An afternoon start suits runners who train after work and dislike dawn alarms, though it means racing on a full day of eating, so keep lunch light and finish it three hours out. If you are bringing a dog, practice the pace together first and stay to one side of the loop. The event supports Hearts and Hands 4 Paws, which works to keep animals in their homes, reduce pet overpopulation, and back animal welfare groups; last year it funded 402 spay and neuter procedures and veterinary help in 359 cases.