Sat, Sep 26, 2026

MSJ 5K

Cincinnati, OH

Registration openAnnual since at least 2014

About the MSJ 5K

The course winds through a university campus and the adjacent grounds of a religious motherhouse, so the surroundings shift between manicured paths and quieter, more wooded institutional land. It reads as a single loop with gentle changes in terrain rather than anything punishing, and the setting gives it a feel distinct from a road or park race.

Packet pickup runs on the two evenings before the race near the Seton Center lobby on campus, with race-morning pickup also offered at the upper parking lot. After the race there are refreshments, massage, and entertainment on site.

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Finish-Time Stats

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 · 2025 results

215finishers

17:07winner

44:00median

1:10:05cutoff

Top 3: Kevin Polking (17:07) · Brandon Polking (18:25) · Matthew Van Doren (19:22)

The MSJ 5K has been held every year since at least 2014. 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

5K9/26/2026 08:30$30

No Sweat Option9/26/2026 08:30$30

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 MSJ 5K

Will I finish last at the MSJ 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 44:00, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:10:05, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the MSJ 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 215 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 MSJ 5K?

The 5K winner ran 17:07 while the median finisher took 44:00. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.