Sat, Oct 10, 2026

Hotcake Hustle

Kalamazoo, MI

Registration openAnnual since at least 2015

About the Hotcake Hustle

The Hotcake Hustle starts and finishes at the Comstock Community Center, heading out along the KRV Trail and turning back the same way. The surface is paved throughout, so the footing is consistent. Chip timing with a waterfall start means runners begin their clock individually as they cross the line, which spreads the field out from the first step.

Packet pickup opens race morning at the Community Center before the start. After finishing, there is a pancake and sausage breakfast on site. The event is put on by a local Kiwanis club, and proceeds support children's programs in the area.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2025 results

64finishers

19:28winner

34:01median

52:35cutoff

Top 3: Dakota Frederick (19:28) · Jonathan Finley (20:26) · Andrew Finley (20:26)

The Hotcake Hustle 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

5K10/10/2026 09:00$40

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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Common Questions About the Hotcake Hustle

Will I finish last at the Hotcake Hustle?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 34:01, and the last recorded finisher came in around 52:35, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Hotcake Hustle a good first 5K?

It is a small race (64 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 Hotcake Hustle?

The 5K winner ran 19:28 while the median finisher took 34:01. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.