Sat, Oct 3, 2026

Midwest Canine Obstacle Run

Benton Harbor, MI

Registration openAnnual since at least 2022

About the Midwest Canine Obstacle Run

The course runs through wooded trails at a fitness park, with creek beds, dirt, water, and a long stretch of obstacles woven through the trees. You bring your dog and keep them on leash the whole way. The obstacles are varied enough that it reads more like a romp through the woods than a straight race, which seems to be the point.

Post-race, there is a food and beer tent and live music on site. Overnight camping is available at the park, so you can make a full weekend of it.

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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

335finishers

34:54winner

1:10:17median

4:59:58cutoff

Top 3: Laura Person (34:54) · Rich Weeks (35:56) · Corey Oldenberg (37:04)

The Midwest Canine Obstacle Run has been held every year since at least 2022. 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

5K10/3/2026 08:00$180

5K10/3/2026 09:00$120

5K10/3/2026 12:00$120

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

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Common Questions About the Midwest Canine Obstacle Run

Will I finish last at the Midwest Canine Obstacle Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 1:10:17, and the last recorded finisher came in around 4:59:58, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Midwest Canine Obstacle Run a good first 5K?

A field of 335 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 Midwest Canine Obstacle Run?

The 5K winner ran 34:54 while the median finisher took 1:10:17. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.