Sat, Apr 10, 2027

2027 15th Annual Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll

Kent, OH

Registration open15th annual

5K1 Mile

About the 2027 15th Annual Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll

The course loops through a university campus, starting and finishing near a student recreation center. It moves along the Esplanade and rolls through a few gentle rises before flattening out again. The race is named for the black squirrels that actually live on campus, and if you keep your eyes up, you will likely spot one.

Packet pickup runs the evening before at the recreation center where the race starts, with a morning-of option as well. The course is marked, so anyone who wants to preview the route before race day can do that on their own.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Kent on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2026 results, this is a decent-sized 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 · 2026 results

379finishers

15:26winner

31:04median

1:00:02cutoff

Top 3: Josh Metzung (15:26) · Miles McKinney (18:12) · Holden Clemens (18:15)

The 2027 15th Annual Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll is in its 15th year.

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 Miles4/10/2027 08:00$30

1 Mile4/10/2027 08:05$20

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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Kent — 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.

Common Questions About the 2027 15th Annual Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll

Will I finish last at the 2027 15th Annual Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 31:04, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:00:02, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the 2027 15th Annual Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll a good first 3.1 Miles?

A field of 379 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 2027 15th Annual Black Squirrel 5K Walk/Run/Roll & 1-Mile Walk/Run/Roll?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 15:26 while the median finisher took 31:04. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.