Sat, Aug 8, 2026

Bulldog Challenge

Effingham, IL

Registration openAnnual since at least 2022

5K10K2 Miles

About the Bulldog Challenge

The Bulldog Challenge runs in memory of those who have passed, and the proceeds go toward athletics at the local high school where the race is based. Several distance options mean runners and walkers show up together on the same morning, all moving through the same start area. The high school setting gives the event a grounded, neighborhood feel.

Packet pickup is available the evening before the race at the school, with an early-morning window on race day as well for those who cannot make it the day before.

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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

153finishers

17:15winner

34:27median

1:05:07cutoff

Top 3: Camden Bloemer (17:15) · Oliver Kreke (17:45) · Isaac Tays (19:29)

10K · 2025 results

13finishers

34:04winner

55:34median

1:12:33cutoff

Top 3: Noah Tegeler (34:04) · Terry Meyer (43:35) · Brennen Young (51:09)

2 Miles · 2025 results

3finishers

34:25winner

34:25median

34:34cutoff

Top 3: Carrie Koenig (34:25) · Nicole Zeller (34:25) · Brad Koenig (34:34)

The Bulldog Challenge has been held every year since at least 2022. 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

5K8/8/2026 08:00$35

10K8/8/2026 08:00$35

2 Miles8/8/2026 08:00$35

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

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Common Questions About the Bulldog Challenge

Will I finish last at the Bulldog Challenge?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 34:27, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:05:07, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Bulldog Challenge a good first 5K?

It is a small race (153 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 Bulldog Challenge?

The 5K winner ran 17:15 while the median finisher took 34:27. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.