Sun, Oct 4, 2026

Run for the Animals 5K

Bloomington, IN

Registration openAnnual since at least 2022
5K

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Oct 1, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

Register

About the Run for the Animals 5K

Karst Farm Park anchors the route, which winds through the Monroe County Fairgrounds before looping back. It is a mostly flat stretch of park and fairground terrain, open to both runners and dogs on leash. The race benefits the Monroe County Humane Association, and the dogs running alongside their owners are very much part of the atmosphere.

Packet pickup is available the afternoon and evening before the race at the park, with morning pickup also available on race day. After the run, the awards ceremony happens near the finish line, followed by raffles and pet contests that are open to anyone, not just registered runners.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Bloomington on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

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

185finishers
0:19winner
33:43median
59:48cutoff

Top 3: ELIOT LOECHNER (19:29) · JUSTIN GRAHAM (19:47) · LEVI CROQUART (19:53)

The Run for the Animals 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 09:30$30
5K10/4/2026 00:01$25

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

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Bloomington — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.

Common Questions About the Run for the Animals 5K

Will I finish last at the Run for the Animals 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 33:43, and the last recorded finisher came in around 59:48, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Run for the Animals 5K a good first 5K?

It is a small race (185 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 Run for the Animals 5K?

The 5K winner ran 0:19 while the median finisher took 33:43. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

Share Your Card

We made you a ready-to-post image. Story fits Instagram and TikTok Stories; Post fits the feed. Download it, post it, and tag @runsesh so we can cheer you on.

Preview of your share card