Sat, Dec 12, 2026

Celtic Solstice Five-Miler

Baltimore, MD

Registration openAnnual since at least 1907

5 Miles

Entry is $75 now and rises to $80 after Jul 30, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Celtic Solstice Five-Miler

The course runs entirely through Druid Hill Park, staying inside the park from start to finish. The route has a reputation for being put together by runners who know what runners actually want, and the volunteers are drawn from Baltimore's own running groups rather than a hired crew.

Parking fills up around the zoo lots and surrounding areas, and traffic builds early, so arriving with extra time is strongly advised. After the race, there is hot soup, Wassail Wine, coffee, and hot chocolate, along with bagpipes and Irish Wolfhounds roaming the post-race area.

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Finish-Time Stats

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

5 Miles · 2025 results

2,611finishers

26:11winner

52:58median

1:36:46cutoff

Top 3: James Heilman (26:11) · Zach Kaminski (26:14) · Adam Sachs (27:28)

The Celtic Solstice Five-Miler has been held every year since at least 1907. 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 5 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

5 Miles12/12/2026 08:30$75

Virtual Celtic Solstice Five-Miler12/12/2026 08:30$75

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

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Common Questions About the Celtic Solstice Five-Miler

Will I finish last at the Celtic Solstice Five-Miler?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5 Miles field finished slower than 52:58, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:36:46, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Celtic Solstice Five-Miler a good first 5 Miles?

With 2,611 finishers there are runners at every pace, so you are never out on your own. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Celtic Solstice Five-Miler?

The 5 Miles winner ran 26:11 while the median finisher took 52:58. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.