Veteran's Day Defenders Dash 10k

2026 Veteran's Day Defenders Dash 5k & 10k

This event offers both 5 km and 10 km courses at Burke Lake Park in Fairfax Station, VA. The course is a combination of paved road and trail: the first and last half mile of each distance are on paved road, while the main section follows maintained trails with some roots and no major elevation gains. Course maps are available for the Burke Lake (Ice Cream Parlour) route.

A virtual race option is offered for those unable to attend in person. The event is chip timed and participants receive a finisher's medal and a technical event shirt. T-shirts are guaranteed for registrations completed before October 28; additional shirts may be available after that date on a first-come, first-served basis.

Points from the race count toward the organizer's Year-Long 5k, 10k, and Back of the Pack Series, and toward a Fall Series. The Back of the Pack is listed with a time of 11:00 and is used to group similar pace runners for series points.

Water stations are placed along each course: three on the 10k at approximately miles 0.5, 3.1, and 5.7, and two on the 5k at approximately miles 0.5 and 2.6; some stations include Gatorade. Live results are posted on Athlinks and final results with series points are posted the Monday after the race.

Packet pickup is available at Road Runner Sports on the Friday before the event and also at the race. Awards are given to the top three men and women overall and to first and second place in standard age categories from 19&Under through 70+. Walkers are welcome. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.

• 5 km
• 10 km

Events nearby