Sat, Dec 12, 2026

50th Annual Sandy Claws Beach Run

Sarasota, FL

Registration open50th annual

5K1 Mile

Entry is $25 now and rises to $30 after Nov 20, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the 50th Annual Sandy Claws Beach Run

The course runs along Siesta Beach, where the sand packs hard and flat along the water's edge. It holds a short fun-run distance alongside the main race, so people bring the whole family. A costume contest runs alongside the timed event, with categories that lean into the holiday theme. There is music and food at the finish, plus raffle prizes.

Early packet pickup is the evening before the race at a local running store on Stickney Point Road. Race-morning pickup is also available if you cannot make it out the night before.

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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

516finishers

17:10winner

35:34median

1:05:28cutoff

Top 3: Declan Fiorucci (17:10) · Michael Downing (18:07) · Jack Peterson (18:34)

The 50th Annual Sandy Claws Beach Run is in its 50th year.

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

5K12/12/2026 08:20$40

1 Mile12/12/2026 08:00$25

5K12/12/2026 08:00$40

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

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Common Questions About the 50th Annual Sandy Claws Beach Run

Will I finish last at the 50th Annual Sandy Claws Beach Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 35:34, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:05:28, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the 50th Annual Sandy Claws Beach Run a good first 5K?

A field of 516 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. 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 50th Annual Sandy Claws Beach Run?

The 5K winner ran 17:10 while the median finisher took 35:34. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.