About the Portage APL Barktober 5K & 1-Mile
The course runs through Rootstown Community Park, a grassy open park setting that works well for dogs on leashes alongside their owners. The terrain is gentle, and the out-and-back shape of the route keeps things simple. Fall decorations with cornstalks and pumpkins are set up for photos after the race, which gives the finish area a seasonal feel.
Packet pickup happens the evening before at a nearby community center, with race-morning pickup available near the pavilion inside the park. The start area opens well before the gun, so there is time to get settled before the first wave goes off.
Free race emails
Get the Weekly RunSesh
In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Rootstown on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.
Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Distances & Start Times
1 Mile10/10/2026 11:00$30
5K10/10/2026 11:00$35
1 Mile10/10/2026 11:00$30
5K10/10/2026 11:00$35
Going for a Time?
Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.
Where to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Rootstown — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.
