Thu, Nov 26, 2026

Giving Thanks 5K

Dekalb, IL

Registration openAnnual since at least 2022

Entry is $20 now and rises to $24 after Nov 9, 2026, so registering before then saves $4.

About the Giving Thanks 5K

The race runs on Thanksgiving morning through Hopkins Park, a course the organizers describe as approachable for serious runners and those out for a casual walk with family. Proceeds support a local nonprofit that runs after-school and summer programs for kids in the area, so the purpose behind the event is pretty visible in how it is organized.

Packet pickup the evening before is held inside the park's Terrace Room, with race-morning pickup available there as well. Parking near the park building is tight due to ongoing construction, but additional spots sit further into the park, and the largest supply is across Sycamore Road, reachable through an underpass walking path.

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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

387finishers

18:08winner

35:39median

1:14:35cutoff

Top 3: Logan Jones (18:08) · Lincoln Abel (18:14) · Michael Mitchell (19:05)

The Giving Thanks 5K has been held every year since at least 2022. 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 Sep 10, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K11/26/2026 08:00$35

5K11/26/2026 08:00$20

5K11/26/2026 00:00$35

5K11/26/2026 00:00$20

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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Common Questions About the Giving Thanks 5K

Will I finish last at the Giving Thanks 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 35:39, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:14:35, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Giving Thanks 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 387 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 Giving Thanks 5K?

The 5K winner ran 18:08 while the median finisher took 35:39. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.