Sat, Sep 19, 2026

2026 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Runway 5K

Ithaca, NY

Registration openAnnual since at least 2016

Entry is $32 now and rises to $37 after Sep 18, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the 2026 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Runway 5K

The course runs along the runway and taxiway of Ithaca Tompkins International Airport, which makes for a setting unlike almost any other local race. The pavement is smooth and the route is genuinely flat, so it draws people who want to run fast. Age group awards go deep, and overall winners take home a travel voucher redeemable for airfare out of the same airport where they just raced.

There is a pancake breakfast included with registration, served after the race. The finish area is the airport itself, which gives the whole morning an unusual backdrop, planes taxiing nearby while runners cool down.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Ithaca 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, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2025 results

308finishers

16:00winner

27:29median

58:34cutoff

Top 3: Axel Montanez (16:00) · Alexander Simpson (16:10) · Peter Wall (16:48)

The 2026 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Runway 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 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

5K9/19/2026 08:00$32

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 Ithaca — 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 2026 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Runway 5K

Will I finish last at the 2026 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Runway 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 27:29, and the last recorded finisher came in around 58:34, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the 2026 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Runway 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 308 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 2026 Ithaca Tompkins International Airport Runway 5K?

The 5K winner ran 16:00 while the median finisher took 27:29. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.