About the Kensington 8K
The course runs through the streets of Kensington and into Rock Creek Park, so you get a neighborhood feel alongside a stretch of wooded trail. It has a reputation for being quick underfoot, but the park section gives it enough shape to feel like a real effort rather than a time trial on flat pavement. Families line the route, mostly cheering for someone they know.
Proceeds from the race go to a group of local elementary, middle, and high schools in the area, so the post-race atmosphere has that quality where people stick around. The crowd at the finish tends to be parents and kids who were just out on the course themselves.
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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.
8K · 2025 results
583finishers
24:47winner
45:49median
1:13:59cutoff
Top 3: Ben Szuhaj (24:47) · Aiden Williams (24:47) · Sam Angevine (25:30)
The Kensington 8K has been held every year since at least 2021. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
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
8K9/19/2026 08:30$42
2 Miles9/19/2026 07:45$28
1K9/19/2026 08:35$22
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.
Where to Stay
Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Kensington — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.
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