Sun, Oct 4, 2026

Mantua VFW Live and Virtual 5K & 1 Mile Running for Vets

Mantua, NJ

Registration openAnnual since at least 2020

5K1 Mile

About the Mantua VFW Live and Virtual 5K & 1 Mile Running for Vets

The course starts and finishes at the local VFW post and winds through Chestnut Branch Park. The terrain is park-side, and the route is straightforward enough that families with kids run it alongside people racing hard. The event raises money for veterans' housing programs, so the crowd at the finish tends to have a sense of purpose behind it.

After the race, the VFW post opens up for a luncheon with refreshments and age-appropriate drinks. The awards ceremony happens there too, so most people stick around.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

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

5K · 2025 results

73finishers

18:04winner

33:39median

47:56cutoff

Top 3: SEAN GALLO (18:04) · NATHAN STAHL (18:25) · PATRICK CRUNRINE (19:22)

The Mantua VFW Live and Virtual 5K & 1 Mile Running for Vets has been held every year since at least 2020. 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

5K10/4/2026 10:00$30

5K10/4/2026 10:00$25

1 Mile10/4/2026 10:00$25

1 Mile10/4/2026 10:00$20

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 Mantua — 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 Mantua VFW Live and Virtual 5K & 1 Mile Running for Vets

Will I finish last at the Mantua VFW Live and Virtual 5K & 1 Mile Running for Vets?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 33:39, and the last recorded finisher came in around 47:56, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Mantua VFW Live and Virtual 5K & 1 Mile Running for Vets a good first 5K?

It is a small race (73 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 Mantua VFW Live and Virtual 5K & 1 Mile Running for Vets?

The 5K winner ran 18:04 while the median finisher took 33:39. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.