Fri, Jan 1, 2027

Running of the Lights

Clemmons, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2021

5K1.75 Miles

Entry is $25 now and rises to $29 after Dec 14, 2026, so registering before then saves $4.

About the Running of the Lights

The course runs through Tanglewood Park while the holiday light displays are still up, so the whole route is lit by glowing installations that are normally only accessible by car. Running it on foot, in the dark, with the displays surrounding you on both sides, is genuinely different from a standard road race. There is hot chocolate and snacks at the finish.

Packet pickup happens at a couple of local Fleet Feet locations in the days before the race, with race-night pickup available at the park as well. All participants enter through a back entrance off Idols Road; the main entrance on the highway is closed to race traffic. Overflow parking is available at the golf club lots if the primary lot near the pool fills up.

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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.

5K · 2026 results

834finishers

16:38winner

40:11median

1:27:50cutoff

Top 3: Eli Sloop (16:38) · Mason Rudel (16:48) · Luke Vannoy (17:04)

The Running of the Lights has been held every year since at least 2021. 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

5K1/1/2027 00:00$40

5K1/1/2027 00:00$32

1.75 Miles1/1/2027 00:00$28

1.75 Miles1/1/2027 00:00$25

5K1/1/2027 00:00$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 Running of the Lights

Will I finish last at the Running of the Lights?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 40:11, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:27:50, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Running of the Lights a good first 5K?

With 834 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 Running of the Lights?

The 5K winner ran 16:38 while the median finisher took 40:11. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.