Sun, Sep 13, 2026

Big Babies 5K

East Lansing, MI

Registration openAnnual since at least 2015

Entry is $25 now and rises to $30 after Aug 28, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Big Babies 5K

The course runs through campus, starting and finishing behind a residence hall. Because the roads stay open, volunteers stand at a handful of intersections to guide runners through traffic gaps. Campus tends to be quiet on weekend mornings, so the pauses are usually brief. Dogs on leashes are welcome, asked to start toward the back.

Packet pickup is offered the evening before the race at the Large Animal Clinic on Bogue Street, with a race-morning window at the start area as a backup. The race benefits the veterinary medical center's fund for unexpected medical costs for young large animals, which gives it a specific purpose that most road races do not have.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

3.1 Miles · 2025 results

200finishers

16:40winner

45:41median

1:16:20cutoff

Top 3: Thomas Talhelm (16:40) · Jacob Lee (17:30) · Justin Mauro (17:44)

The Big Babies 5K has been held every year since at least 2015. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 3.1 Miles results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

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.

Distances & Start Times

3.1 Miles9/13/2026 09:00$30

3.1 Miles9/13/2026 09:00$25

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.

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Common Questions About the Big Babies 5K

Will I finish last at the Big Babies 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 45:41, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:16:20, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Big Babies 5K a good first 3.1 Miles?

A field of 200 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 3.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Big Babies 5K?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 16:40 while the median finisher took 45:41. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.