Can You Run a 5K Before Beethoven Finishes His Fifth?
Ludwig van Beethoven has been dead for nearly 200 years, but Tacoma runners will soon have an opportunity to race him.
Symphony Tacoma’s second annual Beat Beethoven 5K begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, September 26, in Wright Park. Instead of racing against an ordinary clock, participants will attempt to complete the course before Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony reaches its famous final note.
The symphony lasts approximately 30 minutes, giving runners about half an hour to cover 3.1 miles. That requires maintaining a pace of roughly nine minutes and 39 seconds per mile—a legitimate challenge for casual runners, but an attainable target for plenty of experienced racers.
Anyone who crosses the finish line before the music ends will receive a voucher for an eligible concert in Symphony Tacoma’s 2026–27 Classics season. The voucher cannot be used for the orchestra’s Holiday Favorites or Messiah concerts.
Slower runners, walkers and people more interested in the experience than the competition are still welcome. Every participant who completes the course will receive a finisher’s medal, regardless of whether Beethoven gets there first.
That makes the event part road race, part outdoor concert and part very unusual encounter with one of classical music’s most recognizable works. The opening “da-da-da-daaa” motif will launch participants into motion, while the rest of the symphony becomes a constantly audible reminder that the clock is running.
The morning begins with packet pickup and same-day registration at 8 a.m. The race starts at 9, awards are scheduled for 10 and the course will close at approximately 10:30.
Because regular registration ended September 1, the current late-registration price is $60. A race shirt is not included at that price, although organizers expect to have a limited number available for purchase on a first-come, first-served basis.
Beat Beethoven is also a fundraiser supporting Symphony Tacoma and its efforts to share orchestral music throughout the community. That means even runners who lose the race against the famous composer will still be helping Tacoma’s orchestra reach the finish line.
The second annual Beat Beethoven 5K begins at 9 a.m. Saturday, September 26, at Wright Park.
For more information and to register click here.
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