Meatballs on the Run 5K
About this race
🏃♂️🍝 Introducing the INAUGURAL 2026 Meatballs on the Run 5K! 🍝🏃♀️
Proudly sponsored by the Gillespie Cross Country Boosters
For the first time ever during the 72nd Annual Benld Italian-American Days, we’re adding a little cardio before the carbs!
- Date: Sunday, May 24, 2026
- Start Time: 9:00 AM
- Location: Benld City Park
Join us for the inaugural Meatballs on the Run 5K, whether you’re a competitive runner, casual jogger, or firmly in the “I’m walking and that’s final” category — everyone is welcome!
Why run? It’s simple:
- 👉 Get your workout in.
- 👉 Feel accomplished.
- 👉 Then reward yourself with a plate of FREE festival spaghetti later that morning.
We call that elite-level carb strategy. 💪🍝
- Registration Fee: $35
- Includes: Official event t-shirt (proof you earned your noodles!) 👕
Be part of year one of what might just become Benld’s newest tradition. Come for the run, stay for the sauce, and celebrate 72 years of community and culture!
Pick your distance
Running
5K
Typical race-day weather
Based on 1 year of Open-Meteo archive data for this event's race dates in Benld, plus the 3 days either side.
The sun rises at 5:39 AM and sets at 8:13 PM local time (CDT) in Benld on May 24, 2026 — 14h 34m of daylight.
Course
No course map published yet.
The organizer hasn't released a route for this event, and we don't publish guesses. If you're the organizer, send us a GPX file and we'll draw the profile.
Reviews
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2026 results — Meatballs on the Run 5K
5K · 65 finishers
| Place | Name | Time | Pace |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Matthew Plovich | 18:30 | 5:57 /mi |
| 2 | Marshall Garwood | 20:20 | 6:33 /mi |
| 3 | Thodrick Dirks | 20:40 | 6:39 /mi |
| 4 | Asher Putnam | 20:44 | 6:40 /mi |
| 5 | Nolan Hostettler | 21:09 | 6:48 /mi |
Every finisher is on the results page, filterable by distance, gender and age group.
All results by year
Other races near Benld
Different organizers, within 40 miles, in the next three months
MCDD Beaver Dam Dash
PTD-P's Turkey Trot 5K/1 Mile
CHRISTmas Ugly Sweater 5K
Edwardsville Turkey Trot 5K
Where this page comes from. Race details were last updated on . We re-check listings regularly and again in the week before race day.
- Entries, prices, waves and inclusions — the event's official registration page
- Temperature and humidity — Copernicus ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0)
- Elevation and terrain relief — Copernicus DEM GLO-90, ESA (CC BY 4.0)
- Comparisons and counts — Race Discovery calendar, 1 Benld event
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