Sat, Mar 20, 2027

Fort Bragg Whale Run and Walk

Fort Bragg, CA

Opens Oct 30, 2026Annual since at least 2024
Half Marathon10K5K400m

Entry is $45 now and rises to $55 after Feb 27, 2027, so registering before then saves $10.

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About the Fort Bragg Whale Run and Walk

The course runs along the Pacific coast on a trail that hugs the bluffs above the ocean, heading north from Noyo Headlands Park. Depending on which distance you enter, you pass Glass Beach and cross a historic wooden trestle over Pudding Creek, with open ocean stretching out to the west the whole way. The terrain is mixed, so expect some variation underfoot.

This race opens a full weekend festival in Fort Bragg, so the town is already buzzing when you finish. There is a craft fair, clam chowder, beer and wine tasting, and live music scattered around town through the rest of the day. Race headquarters sits near a park on Cypress Street, with a dog park close by if you brought one along.

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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

193finishers
20:25winner
59:03median
2:10:38cutoff

Top 3: Frank Green (20:25) · M. Caulkins (33:21) · Ian Caulkins (33:23)

10K · 2026 results

98finishers
40:42winner
1:02:22median
2:49:42cutoff

Top 3: Cade Matthews (40:42) · Josemar Hernandez (43:14) · Don Powers (43:59)

13.1 Miles · 2026 results

87finishers
1:17:50winner
2:07:36median
3:19:42cutoff

Top 3: Tamma Carleton (1:17:50) · Geoffrey Pena (1:25:06) · Daniel Jalilvand (1:28:47)

400m · 2026 results

19finishers
1:31winner
1:52median
11:52cutoff

Top 3: H. Danbacher (1:31) · D. Torbeck (1:32) · K. Luna (1:33)

The Fort Bragg Whale Run and Walk has been held every year since at least 2024. 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

13.1 Miles3/20/2027 07:30$45
10K3/20/2027 08:00$45
5K3/20/2027 08:30$45
5K3/20/2027 08:30$35
400m3/20/2027 07:45$10

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Common Questions About the Fort Bragg Whale Run and Walk

Will I finish last at the Fort Bragg Whale Run and Walk?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 59:03, and the last recorded finisher came in around 2:10:38, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Fort Bragg Whale Run and Walk a good first 5K?

It is a small race (193 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. 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 Fort Bragg Whale Run and Walk?

The 5K winner ran 20:25 while the median finisher took 59:03. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

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