Sat, Sep 26, 2026

Watershed 5K

Fairbanks, AK

Opens Aug 18, 2026Annual since at least 2024

About the Watershed 5K

The course runs through the neighborhood streets around the school and dips onto nearby trails, so the terrain shifts underfoot as you go. It starts and finishes at the school itself, which gives the morning a tight, local feel. This is a fundraiser for the school's parent-teacher association, and that shapes the crowd.

The school lot is available for parking. The same morning, the school runs a pancake and sausage breakfast fundraiser, so families have a reason to linger well past the finish line.

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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

109finishers

20:06winner

33:38median

1:28:26cutoff

Top 3: Cyrus Marvin (20:06) · Lars Vinlove (21:01) · S. Dugas (21:45)

The Watershed 5K 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.

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

5K9/26/2026 10:00$20

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 Watershed 5K

Will I finish last at the Watershed 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 33:38, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:28:26, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Watershed 5K a good first 5K?

It is a small race (109 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 Watershed 5K?

The 5K winner ran 20:06 while the median finisher took 33:38. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.