Wed, Nov 25, 2026

Glowing Gobbler 5K

Newport News, VA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2022

Entry is $50 now and rises to $55 after Nov 2, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Glowing Gobbler 5K

The course runs through Newport News Park during the Celebration In Lights, so you are moving through a full holiday light display in the dark. It is an evening race, which makes it feel different from a typical weekend morning run. The surroundings do the work here; the park path winds through the lights the whole way.

Packet pickup is offered the day before at a local running store, with a second window at the park on race evening before the start. Parking is at a nearby high school, a short walk from the start line. A gear check opens at the start and moves to the finish area while you run.

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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

955finishers

16:27winner

38:00median

1:15:01cutoff

Top 3: Clark Pederson (16:27) · Tate Frost (17:45) · Carter Henning (18:10)

The Glowing Gobbler 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 Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K11/25/2026 18:30$50

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 Glowing Gobbler 5K

Will I finish last at the Glowing Gobbler 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 38:00, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:15:01, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Glowing Gobbler 5K a good first 5K?

With 955 finishers there are runners at every pace, so you are never out on your own. 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 Glowing Gobbler 5K?

The 5K winner ran 16:27 while the median finisher took 38:00. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.