Sat, Apr 10, 2027

Dash by the Past

Indianapolis, IN

Opens Oct 7, 2026Annual since at least 2023

5K1 Mile

Entry is $25 now and rises to $35 after Dec 30, 2026, so registering before then saves $10.

About the Dash by the Past

The course runs along Meridian Street, a wide thoroughfare that gets closed to traffic for the morning. The route passes the historic homes that have served as Decorators' Show House and Gardens properties over the years, so there is genuine architecture to look at along the way. The street is flat and the out-and-back shape keeps things straightforward.

Packet pickup is available the evening before at Athletic Annex Nora, a local running shop, and again on race morning at the Meridian Restaurant and Bar, where the race also starts and finishes. Street parking is available nearby.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Indianapolis 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 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 · 2026 results

236finishers

18:19winner

48:58median

1:11:53cutoff

Top 3: Michael Elsbury (18:19) · Matthew Lord (19:36) · Collin Skodinski (19:59)

The Dash by the Past 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 Sep 10, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K4/10/2027 09:00$25

1 Mile4/10/2027 09:00$25

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 Indianapolis — 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 Dash by the Past

Will I finish last at the Dash by the Past?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 48:58, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:11:53, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Dash by the Past a good first 5K?

A field of 236 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 Dash by the Past?

The 5K winner ran 18:19 while the median finisher took 48:58. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.