Sat, Dec 5, 2026

Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k

Bedford, VA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2016

5K1 Mile

Entry is $12 now and rises to $15 after Oct 7, 2026, so registering before then saves $3.

About the Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k

The course follows the Bedford Loop, starting and finishing at a church on Oakwood Street. There is a real hill mid-route, the Bedford Memorial hill, with a side challenge for the first runners to reach the top. The surrounding streets through Bedford give it a neighborhood feel, and caroling volunteers line the course.

Packet pickup runs at the Bedford Area YMCA on the two afternoons before the race, with a shorter window on race morning at the church. After you finish, cinnamon rolls are waiting at the start-finish area. Later in the morning, the Town of Bedford Christmas Parade passes through, so many runners stick around.

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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.

3.1 Miles · 2025 results

535finishers

16:38winner

33:12median

1:05:43cutoff

Top 3: Cameron Preite (16:38) · Trey Gibson (16:44) · Michael Craig (16:53)

1 Miles · 2025 results

41finishers

6:43winner

9:34median

14:06cutoff

Top 3: A. Gilliam (6:43) · W. Myers (6:48) · W. Hunt (6:48)

The Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k has been held every year since at least 2016. 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 3.1 Miles 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

3.1 Miles12/5/2026 08:30$30

1 Mile12/5/2026 09:45$12

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Common Questions About the Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k

Will I finish last at the Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 33:12, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:05:43, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k a good first 3.1 Miles?

A field of 535 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 3.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Peaks of Otter Christmas Classic 5k?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 16:38 while the median finisher took 33:12. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.