About the Ann Arbor Firecracker 5K: Run, Walk, or Ruck
The course starts at the corner of Liberty and Fourth in downtown Ann Arbor, which the organizers lean into as a deliberate bit of holiday wordplay. From there it loops through downtown streets and finishes in front of a large crowd. Beyond the straight 5K, there are divisions for flag carriers, ruckers with weighted packs, and a hot dog eating contest that sends competitors straight into the run.
Packet pickup is available the evening before at the race headquarters on the south side of town, with race-morning pickup at the start line as well. You will need the QR code from your confirmation email, and you can collect bibs on behalf of others if you bring their code and a copy of their registration.
Free race emails
Get the Weekly RunSesh
Get races near Ann Arbor in your inbox. Every Monday we send the races coming up, and every Thursday we send the ones happening that weekend.
Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Distances & Start Times
5K7/4/2027 08:00$40
5K7/4/2027 08:00$40
5K7/4/2027 08:00$40
5K7/4/2027 08:00$40
1 Mile7/4/2027 08:00$40
5K7/4/2027 08:00Free
1 Mile7/4/2027 08:00Free
200m7/4/2027 08:00Free
200m7/4/2027 08:00$33
5K7/4/2027 08:00$40
5K7/4/2027 08:00$40
5K7/4/2027 08:00Free
Going for a Time?
Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.
Not sure what to aim for? The 5K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.
Plan Your TripWhere to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Ann Arbor — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.