Sat, Oct 10, 2026

Sea Turtle Race: Cold Stun Run

West Orange, NJ

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019

5K1.7 Miles

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Sep 14, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Sea Turtle Race: Cold Stun Run

The course runs around the Orange Reservoir in a county park, so the surroundings are open water and tree lines the whole way. It is a fall race timed around the sea turtle hospital's busiest season, when cold-stunned turtles start arriving, and that connection to local conservation work gives the morning a specific purpose beyond the running.

Packet pickup runs the evening before at the Turtle Back Zoo, with race-morning pickup as a backup. Parking is along Cherry Lane, across from Clipper Pavilion, where refreshments are available after the race. Participants can also get discounted zoo admission by showing their race ID at the ticket booth.

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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

112finishers

17:35winner

31:38median

58:22cutoff

Top 3: TAINOSUKE (T IKEDA (17:35) · JOEL VINCENT (19:03) · KATE BABCOCK (19:16)

The Sea Turtle Race: Cold Stun Run has been held every year since at least 2019. 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

5K10/10/2026 08:30$30

1.7 Miles10/10/2026 08:35$30

Going for a Time?

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Common Questions About the Sea Turtle Race: Cold Stun Run

Will I finish last at the Sea Turtle Race: Cold Stun Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 31:38, and the last recorded finisher came in around 58:22, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Sea Turtle Race: Cold Stun Run a good first 5K?

It is a small race (112 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 Sea Turtle Race: Cold Stun Run?

The 5K winner ran 17:35 while the median finisher took 31:38. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.