Sun, Sep 20, 2026

Cupcake Run/Walk for Public Education

West Lafayette, IN

Registration openAnnual since at least 2016

5K10K80 Yards

Entry is $32.50 now and rises to $35 after Jul 31, 2026, so registering before then saves $2.50.

About the Cupcake Run/Walk for Public Education

The race starts and finishes at Cumberland Park, a setting that works well for strollers and dogs alongside runners. The course has aid stations spaced out along the way, and the race goes ahead in rain, pausing only for lightning or tornado warnings. The whole event raises money for public school grants in the county.

Packet pickup happens the morning before the race at a local donut shop, which gives it a distinctly casual feel. On race day, check-in opens at the park before the start. The venue has parking on site.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 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.

5K · 2025 results

455finishers

18:14winner

42:05median

1:20:39cutoff

Top 3: Drew Spenner (18:14) · Victoria Deno (18:52) · Lillian Weigle (19:03)

10K · 2025 results

102finishers

39:30winner

1:01:15median

1:35:59cutoff

Top 3: Michael Foland (39:30) · Austin Shell (40:32) · Ben von Werder (41:17)

The Cupcake Run/Walk for Public Education has been held every year since at least 2016. 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

5K9/20/2026 09:45$33

10K9/20/2026 09:45$33

80 Yards9/20/2026 09:30$12

Virtual Challenge9/20/2026 08:45$35

Bike Rider (course monitor)9/20/2026 08:30Free

Course Marshal9/20/2026 08:30Free

Check In9/20/2026 07:45Free

Finish Line9/20/2026 08:30Free

Sweeper9/20/2026 08:30Free

Water Stop9/20/2026 08:15Free

Kids Run Volunteers9/20/2026 08:30Free

Clean Up9/20/2026 11:00Free

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 Cupcake Run/Walk for Public Education

Will I finish last at the Cupcake Run/Walk for Public Education?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 42:05, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:20:39, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Cupcake Run/Walk for Public Education a good first 5K?

A field of 455 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 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Cupcake Run/Walk for Public Education?

The 5K winner ran 18:14 while the median finisher took 42:05. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.