Sat, Feb 27, 2027

Dashing in the Dark

Canton, GA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019

Entry is $25 now and rises to $30 after Nov 5, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Dashing in the Dark

The course runs through Etowah River Park on an out-and-back route, and since this is a night race, lighting varies a lot, some stretches are well-lit and others are genuinely dark. Bringing a headlamp is a real suggestion, not a formality. The terrain has some hills, which is honest for the area, but nothing relentless.

Packet pickup opens at the race site on race morning, about an hour before the start. There is no separate pre-race pickup unless the organizers add one, so plan to arrive with a little buffer.

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Dashing in the Dark 2026 Results

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 Results · 2026

219finishers

22:57winner

48:15median

1:13:58cutoff

Top 3: Michael Lamperski (22:57) · Wesley Sever (24:37) · Joel Huff (25:36)

The Dashing in the Dark has been held every year since at least 2019. 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 Oct 25, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K2/27/2027 19:00$30

5K2/27/2027 19:00$25

5K2/27/2027 19:00$30

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.

Not sure what to aim for? The 5K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Dashing in the Dark

Will I finish last at the Dashing in the Dark?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 48:15, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:13:58, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Dashing in the Dark a good first 5K?

A field of 219 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 Dashing in the Dark?

The 5K winner ran 22:57 while the median finisher took 48:15. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.