Thu, Nov 26, 2026

Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K

Seattle, WA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2017

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

About the Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K

The course follows the paved inner path around Green Lake, running counter-clockwise before cutting through the ball fields toward the finish. The terrain is flat the whole way, with a slight downhill in the final stretch. Runners tend to show up in Husky or Cougar gear, since the race falls on Apple Cup weekend, and costumes are not unusual.

Bib pickup runs the two evenings before the race at Super Jock N Jill, a running shop right on the lake. Race-morning pickup opens at the softball fields on the east side of Green Lake before the start. There is a food donation drop-off at bib pickup, and age-group awards follow shortly after finishers come in.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a big 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

1,064finishers

14:15winner

30:35median

1:20:31cutoff

Top 3: Marcelo Laguera (14:15) · Tom Anderson (14:17) · Joseph Dicke (14:54)

The Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K has been held every year since at least 2017. 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

5K11/26/2026 09:30$25

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 Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K

Will I finish last at the Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 30:35, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:20:31, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K a good first 5K?

With 1,064 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 Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K?

The 5K winner ran 14:15 while the median finisher took 30:35. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

Where can I train for the Thanksgiving Day Apple Cup 5K?

Join a local run club. Club Northwest, Seattle Running Club, West Seattle Running Club and others in Seattle welcome runners of all paces, and a weekly group run is the most reliable way to hold a training block together.