About the Run for the Bagel
The course winds through Lytle Park and out into the surrounding streets, so you get a mix of park paths and neighborhood roads. It is a relatively flat route through central Mattoon, and the race is tied to Bagelfest, so there is a lively crowd at the finish where Lender's Bagels sets up.
Parking is spread across a few spots nearby, including the YMCA, the train depot, and downtown. The start is early, which helps on a summer morning. Awards go to overall winners and to the top finishers in each age group.
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Finish-Time Stats
Going by the 2026 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 · 2026 results
380finishers
15:36winner
33:35median
1:02:35cutoff
Top 3: Blake Smith (15:36) · Nathan Fonner (17:47) · Ben Hille (17:57)
6.2 Miles · 2026 results
106finishers
34:19winner
57:10median
1:39:40cutoff
Top 3: Johnathan Iacobazzi (34:19) · Harrison Hays (34:25) · Gavin Ray (35:26)
The Run for the Bagel has been held every year since at least 2026. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
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 23, 2026.
Distances & Start Times
3.1 Miles7/17/2027 06:35$35
6.2 Miles7/17/2027 06:30$35
1 Mile7/17/2027 08:30$15
3.1 Miles7/17/2027 06:40$40
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