About the Washburn Rural Back to School 5k
The course runs through a high school campus, doing a couple of loops before finishing on the track. It is flat ground the whole way, and the surroundings are familiar school buildings and grounds rather than anything scenic. The cross country teams put it on, and the proceeds go back to them, so there is a direct connection between the race and who benefits.
Packet pickup runs the evening before at a local running store, with an early race-morning option at the school itself. The start is just outside the south entrance to the track.
Free race emails
Get the Weekly RunSesh
In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Topeka 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
3.1 Miles8/8/2026 07:30$30
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.
Plan Your TripWhere to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Topeka — 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.