Sat, Nov 14, 2026

Secret City Half Marathon and 5K

Oak Ridge, TN

Registration openAnnual since at least 2014
Half Marathon5K5K

Entry is $33 now and rises to $38 after Jul 31, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

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About the Secret City Half Marathon and 5K

The course starts and finishes on the Melton Lake peninsula, so water is with you at the beginning and again at the end. Between those points the half marathon route passes an active quarry, then moves onto a quiet tree-lined private road before winding through town. The shorter distance stays closer to the lake, tracing the shoreline to a small park and back along a walking trail.

Packet pickup happens the evening before at the local chamber of commerce, with race-morning pickup available at the peninsula for out-of-town runners. Parking along Melton Lake Drive is free, and a paid lot closer to the start fills before the gun, so arriving early or prepaying makes the morning easier.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

13.1 Miles · 2025 results

618finishers
1:19:37winner
2:11:23median
3:34:47cutoff

Top 3: Hayden Fukushima (1:19:37) · Matthias Heinz (1:22:00) · Julia Ray (1:22:33)

5K · 2025 results

449finishers
18:10winner
37:09median
1:07:22cutoff

Top 3: Jason Altman (18:10) · Nolan Riden (18:33) · Jackson Altman (18:41)

The Secret City Half Marathon and 5K has been held every year since at least 2014. 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 13.1 Miles 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

13.1 Miles11/14/2026 09:00$58
5K11/14/2026 09:15$33
13.1 Miles11/14/2026 00:01$60
3.1 Miles11/14/2026 00:01$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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Secret City Half Marathon and 5K

Will I finish last at the Secret City Half Marathon and 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 13.1 Miles field finished slower than 2:11:23, and the last recorded finisher came in around 3:34:47, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Secret City Half Marathon and 5K a good first 13.1 Miles?

A field of 618 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 13.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Secret City Half Marathon and 5K?

The 13.1 Miles winner ran 1:19:37 while the median finisher took 2:11:23. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.

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