Sun, Nov 8, 2026

Dashing through the Glow 5K at Lanier Islands

Buford, GA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2025

Entry is $40 now and rises to $45 after Aug 31, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Dashing through the Glow 5K at Lanier Islands

The course runs through Lanier Islands' holiday light display before it opens to the general public, so the route is lined with Christmas lights the whole way. You can choose a morning start in the dark just before sunrise or an evening start at dusk, and either way the lights are the backdrop for the entire run. The surroundings are the resort grounds themselves.

Packet pickup runs for several days beforehand at a local running store in Flowery Branch, during regular store hours. If you miss those days, bibs are also available at the race site on race morning and before the evening wave. No check-in is needed once you have your packet.

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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.

5K · 2025 results

1,623finishers

17:36winner

47:29median

1:20:01cutoff

Top 3: Roman Vinciquerra (17:36) · ETHAN FOUNTAIN (17:54) · Jack Stage (18:21)

The Dashing through the Glow 5K at Lanier Islands has been held every year since at least 2025. 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

5K11/8/2026 06:15$40

5K11/8/2026 17:45$40

5K11/8/2026 17:45$42

Vendor11/8/2026 17:45$150

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Common Questions About the Dashing through the Glow 5K at Lanier Islands

Will I finish last at the Dashing through the Glow 5K at Lanier Islands?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 47:29, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:20:01, 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 through the Glow 5K at Lanier Islands a good first 5K?

With 1,623 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 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Dashing through the Glow 5K at Lanier Islands?

The 5K winner ran 17:36 while the median finisher took 47:29. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.