Sun, Oct 4, 2026

Palos Verdes Trails 5K

Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2022

Entry is $45 now and rises to $48 after Sep 7, 2026, so registering before then saves $3.

About the Palos Verdes Trails 5K

The course runs through horse trails shaded by eucalyptus trees, over gently rolling hills. The footing is well-groomed and the surroundings feel genuinely removed from pavement. Dogs and strollers are not allowed on the course, per local city regulations, so expect a clean trail with clear sightlines.

The race starts from Ernie Howlett Park, where packet pickup is available on race morning as a backup to earlier pickup at a local running store or a nearby real estate office. Parking fills up inside the park, and overflow runs along the entry road and onto Hawthorne Boulevard. Carpooling is worth thinking about. Bagels are out before the start.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 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 · 2025 results

474finishers

20:07winner

38:37median

1:24:31cutoff

Top 3: Hunter Dunlavey (20:07) · Daniel Sabet-Sharghi (20:15) · Todd Thompson (21:00)

The Palos Verdes Trails 5K 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

5K10/4/2026 08:00$45

Palos Verdes Trails 5K - Fundraise to Run for Free (Closed)10/4/2026 08:00Free

5K10/4/2026 08:00$45

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 Palos Verdes Trails 5K

Will I finish last at the Palos Verdes Trails 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 38:37, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:24:31, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Palos Verdes Trails 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 474 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 Palos Verdes Trails 5K?

The 5K winner ran 20:07 while the median finisher took 38:37. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.