Dry January 5k Road

Race Description

Sharing its course, date and charitable purpose with the Dry January 10k, the 5k version at Willen Lake in Milton Keynes covers a single lap of the same flat tarmac and gravel lakeside paths, taking in the balancing lake itself and passing the striking Milton Keynes Peace Pagoda, built in 1980 as the first peace pagoda constructed in the Western world. Organised by the charity Alcohol Change UK to coincide with the close of the Dry January campaign, the event is squarely aimed at accessibility rather than competition: the traffic-free, flat surface and shorter distance make it a realistic target for runners taking on their first timed event, families running together, or anyone using the date as motivation to get back into running after a quiet festive period.

That doesn't rule out quicker runners, who can use the flat lakeside loop to open their year with a fast time trial, but the atmosphere leans towards celebration of finishing Dry January rather than serious racing. Having debuted in 2025 with roughly 300 participants across both distances, the event is expecting around 500 runners for its second running, a fast rate of growth that reflects how well Willen Lake works as a running venue, with ample parking, level paths and genuinely scenic surroundings including the lake's wildlife and parkland. Entries support Alcohol Change UK's work, and both fundraising and straightforward paid-entry options are available for runners who'd rather skip the sponsorship element and simply enjoy a flat, feel-good early-February 5k.