Sat, Aug 29, 2026
Lincoln, IL
Entry is $40 now and rises to $45 after Aug 4, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.
The course runs through Lincoln on public roads, with a single water stop along the way. It is chip-timed, so your clock starts when you cross the start line rather than when the gun goes off. The race is part of a broader morning event, and the finish connects directly to a local bar and restaurant where results are announced and drinks are available.
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Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.
5K · 2025 results
Top 3: Jacob Bevirt (19:51) · Chase Dilworth (19:56) · Colby Leith (21:06)
The Balloons Over 66 5K has been held every year since at least 2021. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.
How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.
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.
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Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 35:29, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:04:35, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.
It is a small race (84 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.
The 5K winner ran 19:51 while the median finisher took 35:29. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.
