Sat, Oct 10, 2026

Dead Man's Run 5K

Washington, DC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2020

Entry is $30 now and rises to $40 after Aug 1, 2026, so registering before then saves $10.

About the Dead Man's Run 5K

The course starts inside Congressional Cemetery, among the actual headstones, then heads out onto the Anacostia Trail for the bulk of the route. It is an evening race, so you finish in the dark or close to it. Terrain shifts from cemetery paths to trail, so expect a little of both underfoot. Costumes are common, and prizes go to the best ones.

The cemetery itself is a working historic site with notable burials throughout, so even the start area has some weight to it. The race raises money for the cemetery's preservation, which gives the whole evening a purpose beyond the run. Post-race energy tends to stay on the grounds.

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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

439finishers

16:46winner

33:58median

1:06:34cutoff

Top 3: Steve Mance (16:46) · Matt Polonus (17:37) · Nick Carter (17:39)

The Dead Man's Run 5K has been held every year since at least 2020. 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

5K10/10/2026 17:00$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.

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Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Dead Man's Run 5K

Will I finish last at the Dead Man's Run 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 33:58, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:06:34, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Dead Man's Run 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 439 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 Dead Man's Run 5K?

The 5K winner ran 16:46 while the median finisher took 33:58. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

Where can I train for the Dead Man's Run 5K?

Join a local run club. District Running Collective, Every Person Run Club, DC Road Runners and others in Washington welcome runners of all paces, and a weekly group run is the most reliable way to hold a training block together.