Hot Cider Hustle 8 Mile & 5K - Wheaton

Hot Cider Hustle 8 Mile & 5K - Wheaton is run in Wheaton, Illinois, on October 25, 2026. Both distances start together at 8:30 a.m.: an 8-miler over 12.9 kilometers and a 5K covering 3.1 miles, on a scenic course open to every level of runner.

Eight miles is the interesting choice here. It sits between a 10K and a half marathon, long enough that you cannot sprint it but short enough to run near threshold, which makes it a sharp fitness check in the middle of a fall half marathon build. Aim for a pace you could hold for about an hour, and hold something back through the first two miles. The 5K is the easier entry point for newer runners or anyone racing on tired legs. Hot cider, caramel apples, and a souvenir mug are waiting at the finish, and the atmosphere is a family one.