Sat, Aug 22, 2026

Up Up and Away 5k

Muskogee, OK

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019

5K1 Mile

About the Up Up and Away 5k

The course runs through Hatbox Events Park while hot air balloons are launching and drifting overhead. That is the whole point of the morning, and on a calm day it is genuinely striking. The route is certified, and the park setting keeps things flat and open. Wind can affect the balloon side of things, so conditions shape how much of the spectacle you actually get.

Packet pickup runs the evening before at the Muskogee Parks and Recreation office at Spaulding Park. If you miss that window, you can grab your packet at the start and finish tent at Hatbox on race morning. Refreshments are out on the course and at the finish.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2024 results, this is a small, friendly field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2024 results

203finishers

18:15winner

34:51median

1:13:51cutoff

Top 3: Alan Cox (18:15) · Tucker Friend (18:23) · Victor Nava (19:29)

The Up Up and Away 5k 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 Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K8/22/2026 07:30$30

1 Mile8/22/2026 07:30$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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Up Up and Away 5k

Will I finish last at the Up Up and Away 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 34:51, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:13:51, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Up Up and Away 5k a good first 5K?

A field of 203 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 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Up Up and Away 5k?

The 5K winner ran 18:15 while the median finisher took 34:51. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.