Without 5Ks, runners would have to test their foot speed during treadmill races at the gym or by jetting through grocery-store checkouts without getting scanned. Avoid being accidentally bagged with today's Groupon: for $17, you get race entry to the Run For Good 5K on Saturday, July 23 at 9 a.m., including admission to a post-race expo (a $35 value). Proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs Alaska.

The family-friendly Run For Good 5K, which weaves through the streets of downtown Anchorage, challenges runners, walkers, and wheelchair athletes of all ages with a scenic, closed-loop course. Alongside a fleet of pavement paladins, racers will start at the Town Square Grill and dash across smooth surfaces while absorbing picturesque vistas and encouragement whispered by amiable breezes. Cardiovascular cavalries can burst through welcoming finish lines, where awards for the quickest male and female participants per age division are doled out. A spirited post-race rally offers sprinters the chance to refuel empty tanks with a variety of refreshments and occupy senses with a panoply of live bands and vendors. The race will occur in all types of weather conditions, including rain, shine, or grasshopper invasions.