Anniston, AL – The 45th annual Publix Woodstock 5K will return to Anniston on Saturday, Aug. 1, serving as the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) Alabama State 5K Championship. The race, hosted by the Anniston Runners Club, has been held annually since 1981 and takes place along Woodstock Avenue at Anniston High School.
The Publix Woodstock 5K has become one of Alabama’s longest-running road races and has hosted 19 RRCA championship events, including national, regional and state championships. Organized by the nonprofit Anniston Runners Club, proceeds from the event benefit communities throughout northeast Alabama, with funding supporting local schools and organizations, including the Arc of Calhoun & Cleburne Counties.
This year’s race director is Landon Delozier, head cross country and track coach at Oxford High School. Publix returns as the title sponsor and will provide post-race food for participants. As of July 9, organizers reported that runners from 12 states had registered for the event, including local participants and elite competitors expected to contend for the championship and challenge existing course records.
Among the returning elite runners is 2024 champion Bradley Makuvire of Lamar, Colorado. Other featured men’s competitors include Dakota Frank of the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Frank Kipruto of the University of Tennessee Southern. The women’s elite field includes Nancy Chepleting of the University of Louisville and Annika Gompers, a researcher at Emory University who previously competed for Harvard University.
New for 2026, organizers have added High School Elite and Masters Elite divisions. The Masters Elite field includes Richard Boover Jr. of Slidell, Louisiana, and Samuel Ongaki, a Kenyan runner who currently resides in Birmingham.
The overall male and female winners will each receive $500. If either winner breaks the course record, the prize increases to $1,000. Additional cash awards will be presented to second- and third-place overall finishers, as well as top finishers in the masters, grandmasters and senior grandmasters divisions. Overall award winners will also receive TrakShak gift cards.
The current course records are 14:05 for men, set by Patrick Cheptoek in 2013, and 16:06 for women, set by Risper Gesabwa in 2012.
Participants receive a race T-shirt while supplies last and a commemorative finisher medal. The event also features a Team Challenge, allowing schools, businesses, families and organizations to compete for cash prizes based on participation and combined race times.
Following the 5K, children ages 1-11 can participate in the Kidstock 1K. This year’s race theme includes references inspired by the film Forrest Gump.
The 5K begins at 7:30 a.m. on Aug. 1 at Anniston High School. Registration is currently $45, and organizers are also seeking volunteers to assist with race-day operations, including course safety, setup and cleanup. Additional information, registration and volunteer opportunities are available through RunSignup.
Registration: Publix Woodstock 5K Registration
Volunteer Sign-Up: Publix Woodstock 5K Volunteer Registration
