Sat, Sep 12, 2026

Popcorn Panic 5M Run & 5K Run/Walk

Valparaiso, IN

Registration openAnnual since at least 2013

5 Miles5K

Entry is $35 now and rises to $40 after Aug 15, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Popcorn Panic 5M Run & 5K Run/Walk

The Popcorn Panic runs through tree-lined city streets in Valparaiso, with separate distance options for those who want to push harder and those who want to cover ground at a comfortable pace. Teams are welcome alongside solo runners, and the team competition has its own awards structure based on how the top members finish across the field.

Packet pickup is available at a local fitness company on the days leading up to the race, with an additional pickup window at Butterfield Pavilion the evening before. Race-morning pickup is also offered, though the organizers encourage getting your packet early given how large the field tends to run.

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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

891finishers

17:26winner

36:28median

1:08:17cutoff

Top 3: Ethan Walden (17:26) · Willy Wilks (18:41) · Aidan Porter (18:43)

5 Miles · 2025 results

384finishers

24:48winner

44:01median

1:22:11cutoff

Top 3: Andrew Taylor (24:48) · David Olmos (24:56) · Nathan Robert O’Connor (25:12)

The Popcorn Panic 5M Run & 5K Run/Walk has been held every year since at least 2013. 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

5 Miles9/12/2026 07:20$35

5K9/12/2026 07:30$35

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 Popcorn Panic 5M Run & 5K Run/Walk

Will I finish last at the Popcorn Panic 5M Run & 5K Run/Walk?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 36:28, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:08:17, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Popcorn Panic 5M Run & 5K Run/Walk a good first 5K?

With 891 finishers there are runners at every pace, so you are never out on your own. 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 Popcorn Panic 5M Run & 5K Run/Walk?

The 5K winner ran 17:26 while the median finisher took 36:28. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.