Sat, Oct 17, 2026

Headless Horseman 5K

Howell, MI

Registration openAnnual since at least 2015

5K1 Mile

About the Headless Horseman 5K

The course starts at the corner of State and Clinton Streets in downtown Howell, then winds through historic neighborhoods before passing through Scofield City Park. It runs at dusk, so expect low light and a suitably spooky atmosphere. Costumes are common, and dogs on leashes are welcome alongside strollers and assistive devices.

Packet pickup happens at the Oceola Community Center in the days before the race, during regular business hours. The start area is right in the heart of downtown, so street parking nearby is the most practical option.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Howell on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

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

427finishers

18:41winner

36:53median

1:15:23cutoff

Top 3: Alexander Allman (18:41) · Mark Mills (19:58) · Brett Merkel (20:06)

1 Miles · 2025 results

63finishers

5:47winner

10:07median

25:16cutoff

Top 3: Alex Williams (5:47) · Cassie Williams (6:05) · W. Jerome (6:16)

The Headless Horseman 5K has been held every year since at least 2015. 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

5K10/17/2026 18:00$35

1 Mile10/17/2026 17:30$20

Headless Horseman 5k + Monster Mile10/17/2026 17:30$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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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

The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.

Common Questions About the Headless Horseman 5K

Will I finish last at the Headless Horseman 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 36:53, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:15:23, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Headless Horseman 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 427 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 Headless Horseman 5K?

The 5K winner ran 18:41 while the median finisher took 36:53. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.