Sat, Oct 31, 2026

Spooky Sprint 5K

Melrose, MA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2021

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Sep 16, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Spooky Sprint 5K

The course starts at the YMCA on Main Street, moves through downtown Melrose, and rolls into Pine Banks. It is a Halloween-morning race, so expect costumes throughout the field. There is a photo booth near the finish for the costume contest, and post-race refreshments are set up nearby. Age group awards go to top finishers across the field.

Packet pickup runs the evening before at the YMCA, with race-morning pickup opening before the start. The race benefits the YMCA's fund for child care, camp, and wellness programs, and the entry structure has a family household option for groups registering together.

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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

857finishers

17:25winner

33:49median

1:26:51cutoff

Top 3: Tim Biliouris (17:25) · Camden Stockdale (17:28) · Adam Crombie (17:35)

The Spooky Sprint 5K 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

5K10/31/2026 08:30$30

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 Spooky Sprint 5K

Will I finish last at the Spooky Sprint 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 33:49, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:26:51, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Spooky Sprint 5K a good first 5K?

With 857 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 Spooky Sprint 5K?

The 5K winner ran 17:25 while the median finisher took 33:49. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.