Sat, Sep 19, 2026

Blue Bridges 5K

Blue Island, IL

Registration openAnnual since at least 2023

About the Blue Bridges 5K

The course runs through Blue Island with distance markers posted throughout, so you always know roughly where you are. A lead cyclist keeps things moving at the front. Strollers are welcome but start with the walkers rather than the main pack, and wheelchairs are as well. Chip timing is used, with results posted online the following day.

Packet pickup is at the address on Olde Western Ave, with a race-morning option if you miss the earlier window. Parking sits beneath the Western Ave bridge, between Olde Western and Rexford Drive, with volunteers on hand to direct you in. Beverages are out before the start, and there is a water station at the halfway point.

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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.

5K · 2025 results

131finishers

18:08winner

42:48median

1:10:17cutoff

Top 3: Josiah Sianez (18:08) · Gabriel Esparza (19:39) · Fernando Garnica (21:10)

The Blue Bridges 5K has been held every year since at least 2023. 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 5K 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

5K9/19/2026 09:00$40

Sponsor the Mile Markers9/19/2026 10:00$200

Hydration Station9/19/2026 10:00$300

Sponsor The Start/Finish Sign9/19/2026 10:00$300

Sponsor The Wee Wee Facilities9/19/2026 10:00$400

Sponsor The T-shirts9/19/2026 10:00$500

Sponsor the Race Bibs9/19/2026 10:00$600

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 Blue Island — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

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Common Questions About the Blue Bridges 5K

Will I finish last at the Blue Bridges 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 42:48, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:10:17, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Blue Bridges 5K a good first 5K?

It is a small race (131 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.

How competitive is the Blue Bridges 5K?

The 5K winner ran 18:08 while the median finisher took 42:48. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.