KU Vets Day 5K

KU Vets Day 5K is held in Lawrence, Kansas, in Douglas County, on November 15, 2026. The annual event has one distance, the Vet's Day 5K (3.1 miles), starting at 9:00 AM. It honors veterans and recognizes their contribution to the community and the university. The scenic course takes you across the University of Kansas campus, passing the university's war memorials.

A campus 5K is a good one for runners of any level: short enough to be a first race, meaningful enough to make the morning about more than a time. If you're racing it, expect the campus setting to include some changes in grade, so run by effort rather than by pace and save something for the final stretch. If you're walking or jogging it in a group, the memorials along the way are a natural place to slow down and take the moment in. Three to four weeks of easy running, three times a week, is enough preparation for most people.