Women's Distance Festival 2027
- Date
- Sunday, May 16, 2027
- Start time
- 8:00 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Columbia, Maryland
- Entry fee
- From $40 · goes up to $45 on Mar 22, 2027
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Registration is open.
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Official race websiteAdd to calendar: Apple or Outlook · Google
Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WDF 5K | 5K | May 16, 20278:00 AM | $40$45 after Mar 22, 2027 | – |
| WDF 5K [VIRTUAL]Virtual | 5K | May 16, 20278:00 AM | $30$35 after Mar 22, 2027 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
The 5K fee goes up to $45 on Mar 22, 2027.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- $40 until Mar 21, then $45 until Apr 18, then $55 until May 14, then $60 until May 16.
Online registration closes May 16, 2027, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $40, entry is about 14 percent above a typical 5K in Maryland, which costs $35 right now.
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 5K in Columbia runs 32:44, about 10:32 a mile, based on 8 races with published results. Women typically finish in 34:55 and men in 29:25.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 5:53 AM, and the WDF 5K starts at 8:00 AM. The start sits about 450 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
10600 Hickory Ridge Rd, Columbia, MD 21044
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2026 results
All resultsAggregated from official results (Howard County Striders) for Women's Distance Festival. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Women's Distance Festival?
In 2026, the fastest tenth finished in 24:49 or better, the top quarter in 29:25, and half the field in 35:22; the last tenth came in after 46:40.
What would my time get me?
Where a finish time would have placed in 2026.
How fast is it?
About average for Maryland 5Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2026 5K field finished under 29:25, against 29:50 in a typical Maryland 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 May 16 the day usually runs from 54°F at dawn to 73°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 40% of days. Cold snaps dip to 46°F and hot years reach 84°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
- 10600 Hickory Ridge Rd, Columbia, MD 21044Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 450 feet
- Included with entry
- TBD, but tell us your size just in case!
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 5K
- Editions
- 2027 (May 16, 2027), 2026 (May 17, 2026)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is Women's Distance Festival?
- Sunday, May 16, 2027, starting at 8:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $40 before processing fees, and rises to $45 on Mar 22, 2027.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes May 16, 2027, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for Maryland?
- At $40, entry is about 14 percent above a typical 5K in Maryland, which costs $35 right now.
- 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 2026, 199 runners finished the WDF 5K; the median finish was 35:22 and the winner ran 17:47.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2026 5K field finished under 29:25, against 29:50 in a typical Maryland 5K, so times here are about average.
- Where does it start?
- 10600 Hickory Ridge Rd, Columbia, MD 21044.
From the organizers
The Women's Distance Festival 5K (also known as WDF 5K) is a road race exclusively for female participants of all ages. It is held at the Athletic Building of Howard Community College in Columbia, MD. It is one of many events that comprise the Maryland RRCA WDF Series.
Howard Community College's Athletic Building is located off Dragon Place, near the campus entrance on Campus Drive & Hickory Ridge Road, Columbia, MD.