Sweetheart Strut 5K

Sweetheart Strut 5K is run in Burns, Tennessee, on January 1, 2027, starting at 9:00 a.m. The event pairs a timed 5K (3.1 miles) with a fun run/walk over the same ground, so you can choose whether the clock matters. Every participant receives a medal and a shirt, and friendly leashed dogs are welcome. The race raises money for the Humane Society of Dickson County, funding animal adoption, veterinary care, shelter costs and community education on spaying and neutering.

Having a timed race and an untimed option on the same morning makes this an easy one to enter with mixed company: one of you can chase a number while the rest walk it with the dog. If you are racing, middle Tennessee in January is cold enough that a 10- to 15-minute jog and a few strides beforehand will change how the first mile feels. If you are walking, 3.1 miles takes most people around an hour, so dress for standing as much as for moving.