Sat, Apr 24, 2027

Greening Up the Mountains 5k

Sylva, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2016

About the Greening Up the Mountains 5k

The course leaves a park in the heart of downtown Sylva, crosses a main road onto Old Dillsboro Road, and loops through Monteith Park before returning the same way. The terrain is mostly flat, and you will run on a mix of pavement and gravel. It is an out-and-back shape, so you pass the same scenery twice.

Packet pickup and registration happen at Mark Watson Park on race morning, ahead of the start. The park sits right in downtown, so parking is close to where everything happens. Proceeds from the race support Jackson County Parks and Recreation.

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Greening Up the Mountains 5k 2026 Results

Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K Results · 2026

136finishers

18:12winner

32:58median

58:37cutoff

Top 3: Bryn Hughes (18:12) · Eli Knodel (18:12) · Jeren Nash (19:02)

The Greening Up the Mountains 5k has been held every year since at least 2016. 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 3.1 Miles 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 Nov 12, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

3.1 Miles4/24/2027 09:00$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.

Not sure what to aim for? The 5K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Sylva — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

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Common Questions About the Greening Up the Mountains 5k

Will I finish last at the Greening Up the Mountains 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 32:58, and the last recorded finisher came in around 58:37, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Greening Up the Mountains 5k a good first 3.1 Miles?

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 3.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Greening Up the Mountains 5k?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 18:12 while the median finisher took 32:58. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.

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