KC Pet Project 5K
Kansas City, MO
- 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Join KC Pet Project this June to compete in the KC Pet Project 5K! The race will take place in historic Swope Park, ending at our beautiful shelter! All registrants will receive a race bib and commemorative race medal. Registrants will also have the opportunity to bring their dog for … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Apr 18):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 58 | 73 | 67 | 82 | 56 |
| L (°F) | 40 | 54 | 47 | 50 | 36 |
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New course, same ol' FURRY FUN!
First bit of advice: sign up early. This race sells out and sells out early! A couple of friends missed out on the race because it sold out. Second bit … MORE
First bit of advice: sign up early. This race sells out and sells out early! A couple of friends missed out on the race because it sold out.
Second bit of advice: get ready for some FUN!!!
With a start at the KC ZOO, runners get a ‘quick’ loop on the zoo’s perimeter and crossing into the local neighborhood. This year, the course changed a bit for an even grander finish line. As previously, runners immediately turned left toward the KC Pet Project facility, but, this time around only went about a third of a mile instead of the full mile. During the race, jkelling and I wondered why the change, but dealt with it. With a shorter initial turnaround, the rest of the race pretty much remained the same. The uphill stretch to Swope Parkway, turnaround past the roundabout and enjoy the steady downhill on the way back. Instead of going directly down the hill to the finish line, runners turned right and finish the last half mile or so to end at the KC Pet Project facility. I LOVE the new course!
The new course still offers a good variation of gentle hills, allowing any serious runner to push it, but not so heavy that the many walkers will feel overwhelmed or rushed. The finish line festivities included coffee, adult beverages, treats for the NUMEROUS furry friends, and KC Pet Project was open for puppy cuddles and pet purchases.
I do a lot of races with varying distances, but KC Pet Project 5k has quickly become one of my favorite races. The medal is nice, heavy, well-designed and worthy of any half marathon. The soft cotton t-shirt is worth the additional cost (yes, jkelling, I will not skip it next time, be envious for a year and then purchase it the day of the event).
There is one caveat you should know about this race. If you are a furry friend lover, your time and pace may be at jeopardy. Along with being a human, family-friendly race, our wonderful four-legged family members are also welcome and come out in full force. Boops along the way are welcome (with owner permission, of course).
So, sign-up early, don’t skip the t-shirt, stay for the festivities and in between all the fun, run some good miles.
New course, same familiar energy.
This is the first year of a modified course that I was fully prepared not to like. The out-and-back at the beginning has been significantly shortened, so no longer do … MORE
This is the first year of a modified course that I was fully prepared not to like. The out-and-back at the beginning has been significantly shortened, so no longer do we go down to the intersection and slog back up that hill. Don’t worry though, the big hill is still there. We still go up that and just as far out into the neighborhood as before, then turn around and come barreling down that big hill that borders the zoo. Instead of finishing straight, we now take a right turn and mirror the first out and back, going a little further down (still not to the intersection) and finishing at the KC Pet Project compound. Despite the changes, it still runs every bit as fast as before and is easily PR-able if you’re not injured. (What’s “overtraining” anyway, right ccruiz03?). With the new end at the KCPP compound, the vendors can set up with a little more permanence, and there were loaded fries and Hawaiian ice food trucks available. Due to an unseasonable cold snap the poor Hawaiian ice guy wasn’t getting much love, but it certainly would have helped in prior years. Because we had 25 miles to run that day I didn’t partake of the fries, but they looked amazing. There were plenty of low-proof and no-proof sparkling beverage samples available after the event, and coffee and….some green liquid I never found…was available as well. Pup themed goodies and even a prize duck pool for the pups to win a prize at were present. Don’t forget to go in KCPP for all your dog/cat treat and bed needs and support a great cause.
The swag is always top notch at this race and didn’t disappoint this year either. The cotton shirt is soft and nicely designed and the medal honestly rivals a lot of half marathon medals I have. Beats quite a few of them, too. I think it’s actually the consistently largest 5k medal in my collection, and it’s heavy and seems to be nicely finished (one year there was a chipping issue on the paint that I’m glad they seem to have rectified).
Great race on unique course
This is a 5k that punches above it's weight class. In hot years the course can be a real sweaty push, but in cooler years like this one it's a … MORE
This is a 5k that punches above it’s weight class. In hot years the course can be a real sweaty push, but in cooler years like this one it’s a fast out-and-back for the first mile then a left turn up a long hill past Starlight Theater, across the street and down a little ways into the neighborhood, then turn around and come back, finishing just after the downhill stops. This course has the potential to be really fast, and the coffee (Yay Decaf! available as well) and merchandise at the end. The shirt is always a nicely designed cotton shirt and the medals are nicely made as well. My only gripe with the swag is it looks like the paint got chipped a little on, well, all of them this year, but I think that’s probably a vendor issue. Normally they hold up really well.
This race supports a great cause and it’s the only chance to run this unique course. This race sells out every year so sign up early.
Always a great race...w/ puppy pit stops
Any race where you can periodically stop and pet a puppy in need of adoption is a great race. And they're all puppies on the inside even with grey on … MORE
Any race where you can periodically stop and pet a puppy in need of adoption is a great race. And they’re all puppies on the inside even with grey on their muzzles. Subsequently, I never PR here, but with the last half mile being a steady downhill on this L-shaped double out and back (out and back on each leg, not two laps). I’ve done this race in the rain and muggy heat, this year was a nice middle ground. The tshirt is a nice high weight soft shirt with a classic logo of the race which is reinterpreted every year, and the medal is nice and heavy and well designed. I avoid 5ks unless it’s for a cause I really believe in, but I’ll gladly do this race every year. The swag really is on par with a longer race and they do a great job of having wonderful high energy volunteers year after year. Do note, this race has sold out every year, so book early if you can. It’ll be well worth it, and I’ll see you out there next year.
Great steady hill
In the shadow of the zoo, this course is a short out and back followed by a longer gradual uphill curved trek (to roughly the start of the Zoo 4M) … MORE
In the shadow of the zoo, this course is a short out and back followed by a longer gradual uphill curved trek (to roughly the start of the Zoo 4M) and back. The course has great visibility of the finish line and the other participants on the way down the hill, so you really feel like you’ve got a bird’s eye view of things, and it’s actually a kind of strange sensation. So often we only see up to the next turn or next hill, and here you’re seeing all the action at once as you pass or get passed on the final great out-and-back. Oh and there are puppies waiting for you at the finish line. I don’t care how old they are they’re still puppies on the inside. Great race and great cause, my only gripe is they’ve moved it to the same day as the St. Jo race, and I liked being able to support both worthy causes in person. I do wish they’d coordinate amongst their two teams better. I’ve already signed up for 2024 and I hope to see you out there. Say hi as you pass me.