Fri, Sep 18, 2026

Radford University Tartan 5k, A Twilight Run

Roanoke, VA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2024

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Aug 31, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Radford University Tartan 5k, A Twilight Run

The course runs along the Roanoke Greenway at dusk, which gives it a different feel from a typical weekend morning race. The path is paved and moves through green space in the city, and the evening timing means cooler air and long shadows. Some runners show up in scrubs or kilts, which makes the start line worth a look before the gun goes off.

Packet pickup happens at the Radford University campus building in Roanoke a couple of days before the race, with a second option at a local running store the evening before. The pre-race gathering starts well before the gun, so there is time to settle in, find your people, and enjoy the atmosphere before it gets dark.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2025 results

115finishers

18:37winner

35:06median

1:07:44cutoff

Top 3: Martin Pizano-Franco (18:37) · MacKenzie Gardner (19:01) · Caleb McNabb (19:07)

The Radford University Tartan 5k, A Twilight Run has been held every year since at least 2024. 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

5K9/18/2026 18:10$30

Going for a Time?

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Common Questions About the Radford University Tartan 5k, A Twilight Run

Will I finish last at the Radford University Tartan 5k, A Twilight Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 35:06, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:07:44, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Radford University Tartan 5k, A Twilight Run a good first 5K?

It is a small race (115 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. 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 Radford University Tartan 5k, A Twilight Run?

The 5K winner ran 18:37 while the median finisher took 35:06. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.