Sat, Oct 24, 2026

Grand Rapids Zombie Dash 5k

Grand Rapids, MI

Registration openAnnual since at least 2023

5K1 Mile

About the Grand Rapids Zombie Dash 5k

The course runs through downtown Grand Rapids after dark, which is the whole point. Along the way, marked feeding zones are where zombies stationed on the course will try to grab the flags you are carrying, flag-football style. Lose your flags and you lose your life bars. The threat keeps you moving, or at least looking over your shoulder.

Packet pickup and zombie costume check-in happen in the hours before the start at Monroe skate park. A kids' trick-or-treat mile runs earlier in the evening, so families tend to show up well before the main race gets going.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2025 results

317finishers

18:31winner

34:36median

1:01:05cutoff

Top 3: Martin Alvarado-Amaro (18:31) · Noah Puckett (18:50) · Brayden VanWyk (19:31)

The Grand Rapids Zombie Dash 5k has been held every year since at least 2023. 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

5K10/24/2026 18:45$45

Zombie Registration (NOT running the race)10/24/2026 18:00Free

Volunteer Registration10/24/2026 17:00Free

1 Mile10/24/2026 18:00$10

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

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Common Questions About the Grand Rapids Zombie Dash 5k

Will I finish last at the Grand Rapids Zombie Dash 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 34:36, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:01:05, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Grand Rapids Zombie Dash 5k a good first 5K?

A field of 317 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 Grand Rapids Zombie Dash 5k?

The 5K winner ran 18:31 while the median finisher took 34:36. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.