Great Bay 5K | Race for a Healthy Estuary

Race Date: October 24, 2026

Results

The Great Bay 5K is excited to hold its 28th annual race in 2026!  The GB5K is the final race in the popular Seacoast Road Race Series and supports the non-profit Great Bay Stewards. The course passes the shores of Great Bay, and is a fun, fast, scenic, and mostly downhill event. 

Wheelchair racers are welcome and will start at 8:45 a.m., prior to the 9:00 a.m. runner/walker start. No motorized wheelchairs are permitted, and wheelchair racers are responsible for maintaining their own equipment.

Participants in the 5K events will receive a long-sleeve race shirt, and everyone will get a bib with tear strips that you can take to select establishments for free beer or cider. Please keep in mind that you must register by October 1 to get a race shirt. People who register after that may claim a shirt if any remain on race day.

All proceeds from the Great Bay 5K go to the non-profit Great Bay Stewards, which supports conservation, education, community outreach, stewardship, and research of the Great Bay Estuary.

Awards:

Finisher Awards:

Top 3 Male/Female Runners: $200 (1st), $100 (2nd), $50 (3rd)
Top 3 Male/Female Competitive Walkers: $100 (1st), $50 (2nd), $25 (3rd)
Top 3 Male/Female Wheelchair Racers: $100 (1st), $50 (2nd), $25 (3rd)

New Course Record Breaker Bonus: 

$100 award to the male/female runner who breaks the course record (Men: 14:28 by Adam Martin Caldwell [2023]; Women: 16:32 by Rachel Schilkowsky [2019]).

New Hampshire 5K Record:

$1,000 award to the male/female who breaks the current New Hampshire 5K record (Men: 14:12 by Eric Jenkins [2021, Portsmouth Seacoast Rotary Turkey Trot]; Women: 15:28 by Lynn Jennings [1993, Couple NH]).

Mackenzie Mile Awards - First Mile Leader:

$50 bonus to the first male/female to reach the 1-mile mark, provided they maintain a similar pace for the remainder of the race.

Single-Gender Teams ($100 prize): 

Open to teams with at least 5 female or 5 male runners in the 5K. Scored by cross-country style placement in respective age groups (e.g., 1st place = 1 point, 2nd place = 2 points); lowest total score wins.

New England Oyster Cup Mixed Team Competition ($250 prize):

Awarded to the team with the fastest cumulative time for their top 3 men and top 3 women combined, plus the team name is engraved on the New England Oyster Cup trophy.

Largest Team ($250 award): 

Awarded to the team with the highest number of registered participants.
Age-Graded Awards

Top 3 Male/Female Age-Graded Times: 

$100 (1st), $50 (2nd), $25 (3rd). Finish times are adjusted for age and gender relative to open division benchmarks.
Age Group Awards

Top 3 Male/Female Finishers: 

Awarded across the following age brackets:

9 and under
10–14
15–19
20–24
25–29
30–34
35–39
40–44
45–49
50–54
55–59
60–64
65–69
70–74
75–79 (listed as 75-70)
80–84
85–89
90–94
95–99
100+

Specialty & Fun Awards

Annual Bob Kennedy "For the Love of Running" Award: Special recognition awarded to the oldest runner to complete the race.
Costume Awards ($25 each): Awarded for Best Male Costume, Best Female Costume, and Best Group Costume (2 or more participants).