Sat, Oct 3, 2026

Glow the Distance 5K/10K - Joplin

Joplin, MO

Registration openAnnual since at least 2024

10K5K

Entry is $40 now and rises to $45 after Sep 19, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Glow the Distance 5K/10K - Joplin

This is a nighttime glow run, so the atmosphere is built around luminaries and runners lit up in the dark rather than scenery or terrain. The chip-timed course offers a shorter and a longer distance option. Glow bracelets are part of the deal, and the event wraps up with an awards ceremony later in the evening.

Packet pickup happens on-site in the hour or so before the start, so there is no need to find a separate location the day before. The race kicks off after dark, with post-race festivities and awards following shortly after the last runners finish.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 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 · 2025 results

136finishers

19:47winner

38:10median

1:03:15cutoff

Top 3: Dustin Nance (19:47) · Jacob Garrett (20:38) · Tobias Partington (20:43)

10K · 2025 results

21finishers

54:18winner

1:05:25median

1:31:02cutoff

Top 3: Alexis Mercado (54:18) · Jeremy Thomas (56:47) · Anna Sanchez (56:51)

The Glow the Distance 5K/10K - Joplin 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

10K10/3/2026 18:30$45

5K10/3/2026 18:30$40

10K10/3/2026 06:00$40

5K10/3/2026 06:00$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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Glow the Distance 5K/10K - Joplin

Will I finish last at the Glow the Distance 5K/10K - Joplin?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 38:10, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:03:15, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Glow the Distance 5K/10K - Joplin a good first 5K?

It is a small race (136 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 Glow the Distance 5K/10K - Joplin?

The 5K winner ran 19:47 while the median finisher took 38:10. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.