Sat, Nov 7, 2026

Veterans Trail Festival

Hookstown, PA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019
50K20 Miles5K1 Mile

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

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About the Veterans Trail Festival

The course runs through Raccoon Creek State Park on primarily single-track trail, and it earns its reputation. Roots, rocks, and real climbing make the longer distances genuinely demanding. The shorter out-and-back is open to walkers and runners both. Everything starts and finishes at the Recreation Hall inside the park.

Race morning opens with a presentation of Colors and the National Anthem, with stories from local veterans before the start. Post-race, the Recreation Hall hosts food and gathering inside and out. The race benefits Outdoor Immersion, an organization that works with veterans through outdoor programs, so the atmosphere around the finish reflects that.

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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.

5K · 2025 results

57finishers
22:25winner
40:25median
2:39:47cutoff

Top 3: Will Henry Lawrence (22:25) · Alex Domencic (22:28) · Jayce Stone (24:27)

20 Miles · 2025 results

50finishers
3:05:44winner
5:36:41median
7:52:47cutoff

Top 3: Nicholas Miller (3:05:44) · Ryan Taylor (3:21:41) · Judah Kaufmann (3:30:16)

50K · 2025 results

34finishers
5:00:15winner
6:31:46median
7:52:53cutoff

Top 3: Justin Kelsey (5:00:15) · Sebastian Mladenovic (5:20:05) · Heath Goshorn (5:24:46)

The Veterans Trail Festival 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

50K11/7/2026 08:00$65
20 Miles11/7/2026 08:00$55
5K11/7/2026 09:00$25
1 Mile11/7/2026 09:00$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 Veterans Trail Festival

Will I finish last at the Veterans Trail Festival?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 40:25, and the last recorded finisher came in around 2:39:47, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Veterans Trail Festival a good first 5K?

It is a small race (57 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. 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 Veterans Trail Festival?

The 5K winner ran 22:25 while the median finisher took 40:25. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.

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