Dogwood Classic 5K Run/Walk

Date, Time, and Place: Saturday, May 2, 2026 at 8:00 am on Cherokee Boulevard (west parking lot-2250 Cherokee Boulevard).  Kids Mile starts at 7:30am.  5K will start at 8am.

Course Description and Highlights: USATF Certified. Loop course on Cherokee Boulevard beginning and ending at the west parking lot. 

Packet Pick Up: Early pickup option - Wednesday April 29, 5pm-7pm, at Runner’s Market in Bearden. Day of race - 6:15am-745am. 

Registration & Entry Fee (NO REFUNDS OR BIB TRANSFERS):
Early Bird Pricing until January 31 $25
Registration: February 1 - April 8, $30
Late Registration: April 9 - April 26, $35
Race Day registration: $40
Cost for ages 17 and under is $25 until April 15 then $35 for late registration (this applies to in-person only).  Race Day $40

T-shirts: Unisex sized t-shirts for registrants. Pre-registered (through April 21) runners will receive them at early packet pick or on race day. Please note our new shirt policy: Anyone registering after April 21 will receive shirts while supplies last. The shirt order will be placed on April 22nd and when the inventory runs out in the RunSignUp system then there will be no more shirts. No re-orders. 

During registration, you can select the "No Tee, Plant a Tree" option. We get it, even the coolest looking shirts sometimes end up collecting dust. If you choose this option, KTC will work with local East TN organizations to plant trees in your honor!

Awards: Awards to the top 3 Overall, age groups, and specialty categories. Top Masters (As defined by fastest person age 40 and above, not limited to 40-49) Grandmasters (As defined by fastest person age 50 and above, not limited to 50-59), Senior Grandmasters (As defined by fastest person age 60 and above, not limited to 60-69) male and female. 

Grand Prix Points Team Competition: The Dogwood Classic is on the 2026 Team Competition schedule. 2026 Grand Prix Points awarded winners in various categories and age groups. Points accumulate throughout the year. KTC recognizes the top 10 men and women in the Grand Prix series at the New Year’s Day 5K on January 1, 2027. Remember, to be eligible for Grand Prix Points, participants must be a member of KTC and must volunteer for at least 3 KTC races throughout the year.

Post Race Refreshments: We'll have assorted refreshments will be provided post race in the event tent. 

Race Etiquette: Due to insurance regulations, roller blades, strollers, bicycles, and dogs are not allowed on the course. The 5K course closes in 1 hour and 15 minutes. KTC discourages the use of headphones at events.

Information or Special Assistance: Please contact Race Director, Karla Gander at ktcdogwoodclassic@gmail.com or the KTC Events Manager, Jessica, at Jessica@ktc.org.

KTC Safety Policy: The Knoxville Track Club Board of Directors has approved an Event Safety Policy, viewable here: Weather Policy. Please familiarize yourself with it.

KTC EVENT RULES

Registration: 
  All participants and volunteers must provide accurate information, including age, gender, and emergency contact information when filling out the event registration/application. 
  A participant may not change or add a team affiliation after the announced cut-off date. 
  Each participant and volunteer must sign an event waiver before participating in the event as part of the registration process. Participants and volunteers under 18 years of age must have the applicant wavier signed by a parent or legal guardian.

Timing: 
  All participants are responsible for knowing the race’s start time. All participants must be present at the appointed time to receive instructions and to participate in the official start of the race in order to register an official finish time. 
  All participants must be capable of completing the full race distance, start line to finish line, within the announced event time limit, under their own power. 
  Participants outside of the time limit may not be recorded or published as official finishers, receive on-course support from aid stations and traffic safety personnel, or be allowed to complete the full race distance. KTC reserves the right to set cutoff times at known points and participants not meeting the cutoff time(s) will not be allowed to continue.

Bibs: 
  No one may participate in a race without wearing the officially issued race number bib or timing chip registered to the wearer. 
  The race number bib must be unmodified, unfolded, and conspicuously visible on the front (and back when applicable) of a participant’s running attire at all times while on the race course. 
  Participant race number bibs or timing chips are specific personal identifiers. The sale, gift or any other transfer of race number bibs or timing chips is strictly prohibited. Penalties for Violation (see below) will apply to all individuals involved (transferor and transferee). 
  A participant shall not (i) wear or carry the race number bib or timing chip of another person, (ii) transfer, give, buy, or sell entry into a KTC event, (iii) otherwise permit any other individual to wear or transport his or her race number bib or timing chip during the race or (iv) wear or transport two or more race number bib or timing chips during the event.

Conduct: 
  All participants and volunteers are expected to conduct themselves in a professional and courteous manner during their participation in the event. 
  At all times during the event, participants and volunteers will act with due consideration of the safety and rights of other participants and volunteers. Regardless of the circumstances or competitive disadvantage, no participant or volunteers will commit any act that endangers any participant or volunteer. Participants and volunteers shall not intentionally obstruct, impede or interfere with the forward progress of a participant. 
  Participants must follow directions and instructions as given from all event officials including KTC staff, event staff, volunteers, course marshals, medical personnel, security officers and city officials throughout the duration of the event. 
  Racers, crew, and staff must not litter, mar, or pollute the landscape or environment. 
  If during the race, you encounter another runner or staff member who is injured or sick and unable to move on their own, give priority to assisting that person by telling race staff for assistance. 
  All emergency evacuation costs for participants or crews will be borne by that person or their heirs. The Knoxville Track Club is in no way liable or responsible for emergency evacuation. 
  Except where expressly allowed (i.e. some ultra distance events, kids races), non-registered racers may not run alongside racers. (No unofficial pacers allowed). 
  In the instances where pacers are allowed, absolutely no physical or mechanical aid may be given by the pacer to assist the runner, and no food, fluids, or supplies of any kind may be carried for the runner; only one pacer at a time may accompany each runner. Each pacer must sign the same event waiver as race participants.

Course: 
  All participants are responsible for knowing the race course. 
  Participants must stay within course boundaries, as designated by barriers, road edges/curbs, traffic cones, delineation, and/or other markings. 
  Participants are responsible for recognizing and understanding event signage and symbols relating to participant maps, facilities and directions. 
  If you must leave the course, rejoin it only at the point at which you exited. No participant, after leaving the course, will be allowed to rejoin the race either for the purpose of gaining a place or to pace or to assist another participant. 
  Any participant who has been found to have gained an unfair advantage by shortening the route of the race (“Course-Cutting”) will be disqualified from the event and/or banned from future KTC events. 
  A determination of Course-Cutting may include review of eye-witness reports, split/checkpoint times, race photography, surveillance equipment and video, GPS tracking reports, or by any other method. 

Penalty for Violations:  A participant’s or volunteer’s failure to follow these rules, as may be amended, may result in KTC taking any of the following actions: immediate disqualification from the event, loss of prizes, removal from official results and/or ban from future KTC events.

Amendments / reservations / acknowledgements:

  KTC reserves the right to modify, supplement or waive all or part of the rules. 
  Participants and volunteers shall be bound by any modification or supplement of the rules published prior to the event.

Adopted January 22, 2018

Anyone registering after April 14 will receive shirts while supplies last. The shirt order will be placed on April 16 and when the inventory runs out in the RunSignUp system then there will be no more shirts. There will be no switching sizes until after the conclusion of the race.  No re-orders.