Hotcake Hustle 2026
- Date
- Saturday, October 10, 2026
- Start time
- 9:00 AM start (Detroit)
- Location
- Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Entry fee
- From $40
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Registration is open.
We earn a small commission when you register through this link, at no cost to you. Details
Add to calendar: Apple or Outlook · Google
Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5K Run/Walk | 5K | Oct 10, 20269:00 AM | $40 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- $40 until Oct 9.
Online registration closes Oct 9, 2026, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $40, entry is about 33 percent above a typical 5K in Michigan, which costs $30 right now.
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 5K in Kalamazoo runs 40:13, about 12:57 a mile, based on 10 races with published results. Women typically finish in 43:15 and men in 34:33.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:47 AM, and the 5K Run/Walk starts at 9:00 AM. The start sits about 800 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
6330 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI 49048
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2025 results
All results (5 years)Aggregated from official results for Hotcake Hustle. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Hotcake Hustle?
In 2025, the fastest tenth finished in 24:40 or better, the top quarter in 29:07, and half the field in 34:01; the last tenth came in after 46:14.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 29:24 | n/a |
| 20-29 | 30:43 | 20:26 |
| 30-39 | 29:45 | n/a |
| 40-49 | 34:17 | n/a |
| 50-59 | 34:46 | n/a |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
What would my time get me?
Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.
Finishers by year
Up 64 percent since 2021.
All events combined, from official results.
Hotcake Hustle 5K year by year
From 2021 to 2025, the field went from 39 to 64 finishers, and the median time rose from 28:23 to 34:01.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 64 (+52%) | 34:01 | under 24:40 | 19:28 |
| 2024 | 42 (+50%) | 32:06 | under 23:06 | 19:10 |
| 2023 | 28 (-53%) | 30:02 | under 21:36 | 17:14 |
| 2022 | 59 (+51%) | 29:23 | under 24:18 | 17:57 |
| 2021 | 39 | 28:23 | under 21:39 | 17:51 |
From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
About average for Michigan 5Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 29:07, against 28:36 in a typical Michigan 5K, so times here are about average.
Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.
Typical race-day weather
Around October 10 the day usually runs from 47°F at dawn to 65°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 29% of days. Cold snaps dip to 39°F and hot years reach 76°F.
Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
Race details
- Where
- 6330 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI 49048Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 800 feet
- Included with entry
- T-Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 5K
- Editions
- 2026 (Oct 10, 2026), 2025 (Oct 11, 2025), 2024 (Oct 12, 2024), 2023 (Oct 14, 2023), 2022 (Oct 15, 2022), 2021 (Oct 9, 2021)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is Hotcake Hustle?
- Saturday, October 10, 2026, starting at 9:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $40 before processing fees.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Oct 9, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for Michigan?
- At $40, entry is about 33 percent above a typical 5K in Michigan, which costs $30 right now.
- Do runners get a shirt or medal?
- Entry includes a shirt, according to the race's registration page. Check it for sizes and whether kids' races get the same.
- Can I donate to a cause when I register?
- Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
- What distances can I run?
- 5K.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2025, 64 runners finished the 5K Run/Walk; the median finish was 34:01 and the winner ran 19:28.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 29:07, against 28:36 in a typical Michigan 5K, so times here are about average.
- Where does it start?
- 6330 King Hwy, Kalamazoo, MI 49048.
From the organizers
2026 Hotcake Hustle
EVERY REGISTERED PARTICIPANT WILL RECEIVE A FREE PANCAKE AND SAUSAGE BREAKFAST ON SITE AFTER THE RACE. ADDITIONAL BREAKFASTS MAY BE PURCHASED FOR A MINIMUM $5 DONATION.
PACKET PICK UP WILL BEGIN AT 7:30 AM RACE MORNING.
IN PERSON RUNNERS WILL BE DONE AS A WATERFALL START (JUST LIKE LAST YEAR). BASED ON CHIP TIMING EVERYONE'S INDIVIDUAL TIME WILL START AS THEY CROSS THE START LINE AND END WHEN THEY FINISH. THE CLOCK WILL BE STARTED AS A GUIDE FOR SPECTATORS, BUT THE TIMER WILL HAVE THE OFFICIAL TIMING BASED ON THE CHIPS.