Sat, Dec 19, 2026

Light the Way 5k

Missoula, MT

Registration openAnnual since at least 2015

5K0.6 Miles

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Dec 1, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Light the Way 5k

Light the Way runs an evening course at Fort Missoula Regional Park, lined with luminaires and set to holiday music. It is dark out when you start, which makes the lights along the route the main thing you notice. The feel is more winter evening stroll than hard race effort, even if you are running hard.

Packet pickup runs earlier in the day at a local running store, with a second window at the park before the start. Parking is on the soccer field side of the park. Cookies, candy canes, and hot cocoa are at the finish, along with an ugly sweater contest and an awards ceremony.

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Light the Way 5k 2025 Results

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K Results · 2025

173finishers

15:59winner

31:25median

58:44cutoff

Top 3: Mica Kantor (15:59) · Benton Martin (16:48) · Will Rial (16:58)

The Light the Way 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 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 Oct 24, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

3.1 Miles12/19/2026 18:00$30

0.6 Miles12/19/2026 17:30Free

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 Missoula — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

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Common Questions About the Light the Way 5k

Will I finish last at the Light the Way 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 31:25, and the last recorded finisher came in around 58:44, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Light the Way 5k a good first 3.1 Miles?

It is a small race (173 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 Light the Way 5k?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 15:59 while the median finisher took 31:25. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

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