Sat, Mar 27, 2027

Mercier Orchards Spiked Apple 5k

Blue Ridge, GA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2025

5K5K

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Jan 23, 2027, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Mercier Orchards Spiked Apple 5k

The course winds through the working grounds of Mercier Orchards, mixing paved roads with trail sections past the trees and farm scenery. The terrain is manageable for most paces, and the orchard setting gives it a character you do not find in a typical road race. At the finish, there are cider donuts and a pour of hard cider waiting, with ID required for the latter.

Packet pickup runs the afternoon before the race at the orchard itself, which is worth doing early since the tasting room and country market are right there. Race-morning pickup opens well before the start for anyone who cannot make it the day before. Competitive runners should note that age group eligibility requires starting with the first wave.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2026 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2026 results

612finishers

18:31winner

46:22median

1:22:36cutoff

Top 3: Pierre Barroso (18:31) · Jake Allard (21:09) · R J (22:32)

The Mercier Orchards Spiked Apple 5k has been held every year since at least 2025. 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 Sep 22, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K3/27/2027 10:30$30

3.1 Miles3/27/2027 09:00$15

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 Mercier Orchards Spiked Apple 5k

Will I finish last at the Mercier Orchards Spiked Apple 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 46:22, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:22:36, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Mercier Orchards Spiked Apple 5k a good first 5K?

A field of 612 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 Mercier Orchards Spiked Apple 5k?

The 5K winner ran 18:31 while the median finisher took 46:22. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.