About the Stairway 5k by Ode to Laz
Two races share the same staircase at Holly Recreation Area, but they are very different days. The easier option runs a rolling out-and-back on the Wilderness trail and finishes with a single descent and climb of the Stairway to Heaven. The harder one repeats that same climb again and again for the full distance, back to back, with no rest between repeats and serious vertical gain by the end.
Both races start from the Overlook Picnic area, with registration opening well before each wave. The weekend is part of a larger backyard ultra festival, so when you arrive you may pass runners who have been going since the previous day, still circling the same loop.
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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.
3.1 Miles · 2025 results
36finishers
24:43winner
41:01median
1:04:12cutoff
Top 3: Adam VanSickle (24:43) · Liliana Maheswaran (25:57) · Matthew Wiater (27:40)
The Stairway 5k by Ode to Laz has been held every year since at least 2024. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
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
3.1 Miles7/18/2027 09:30$35
3.1 Miles7/18/2027 11:30$35
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