About the Gene Bednarowski Memorial and Cherry Run
The course runs through neighborhood streets, along Paw Paw Lake, and into downtown Watervliet. The route honors a former local teacher and coach, and proceeds go to the Watervliet Track and Field Program. It connects to a regional race series, so you may see participants chasing series standings alongside those just there for the holiday weekend.
Packet pickup is the evening before at the high school cafeteria, with race-morning pickup also available at the start area near Plymouth Congregational Church. The race is timed, and awards go to overall and age group leaders across the distance options.
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Gene Bednarowski Memorial and Cherry Run 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
168finishers
16:03winner
34:50median
1:40:00cutoff
Top 3: Joey Carroll (16:03) · Elias Baldwin (16:39) · Jacob Schroeder (17:54)
10K Results · 2026
36finishers
34:50winner
53:45median
1:43:06cutoff
Top 3: Christopher Vogt (34:50) · Lorenzo Martinez (36:17) · Trap Abbott (37:54)
The Gene Bednarowski Memorial and Cherry Run 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.
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 Nov 12, 2026.
Distances & Start Times
5K7/3/2027 08:20$35
10K7/3/2027 08:20$35
1 Mile7/3/2027 08:00$15
5K7/3/2027 08:00$35
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.
Where to Stay
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