Thu, Nov 26, 2026

Thanksgiving XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun Run

Tucson, AZ

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019

5K1.5 Miles

Entry is $17 now and rises to $18 after Nov 21, 2026, so registering before then saves $1.

About the Thanksgiving XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun Run

Reid Park's cross country course is built European style, with hay bales to jump and a surface that mixes grass, dirt, and brief stretches of pavement. The terrain is genuinely hilly for a park, and the 5K runs a couple of loops while the shorter fun run does one. Strollers have a dedicated lane around the hay bales, though the hills are real.

Packet pickup runs at a local running store on Campbell Avenue in the days before the race, with race-morning pickup and registration available at the course near the southwest corner of Reid Park. The race supports Toys for Tots, and there is a donation box at the store and at the start area on race morning.

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Thanksgiving XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun Run 2025 Results

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 Results · 2025

1,261finishers

18:53winner

36:16median

2:00:50cutoff

Top 3: Viola Cheptoo (18:53) · Stephanie Pierce (18:54) · Jori Galles (19:00)

The Thanksgiving XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun 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 Oct 25, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K11/26/2026 08:00$29

1.5 Miles11/26/2026 09:35$17

5K11/26/2026 08:00$29

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.

Not sure what to aim for? The 5K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

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Common Questions About the Thanksgiving XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun Run

Will I finish last at the Thanksgiving XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 36:16, and the last recorded finisher came in around 2:00:50, 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 XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun Run a good first 5K?

With 1,261 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 XC Classic 5K & 1.5 M Fun Run?

The 5K winner ran 18:53 while the median finisher took 36:16. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.