THE
FIRST FINISH
INVITATIONAL
5K • 10K • HALF MARATHON
SATURDAY, JANUARY 23, 2027
HENDERSONVILLE, TENNESSEE
Presented by: Finish Line Society
START THE YEAR WITH PURPOSE
CHOOSE YOUR DISTANCE.
SHOW UP STRONG.
EARN YOUR FIRST FINISH.
CHOOSE YOUR DISTANCE
HALF MARATHON
Price:
$69.90
incl. $4.90 Fee
Time:
8:30AM CST
Start the year with 13.1 miles. The Half Marathon is built for runners ready to take on a bigger challenge, pursue a new personal best, or make their first major finish of 2027 one to remember.
VIRTUAL RUN
Price:
$54
incl. $4 Fee
Can't join us in Hendersonville on race day? You can still earn your First Finish from wherever you are. Complete your run at the time and location of your choice and receive an official First Finish Invitational race bib, participant shirt, and finisher medal by mail.
YOUR FIRST FINISH OF 2027 STARTS HERE.
A new year brings new goals, new challenges, and a new opportunity to discover what you're capable of.
The First Finish Invitational brings runners from across Middle Tennessee together for an early-season 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon built around one simple idea:
Before you chase everything you want to accomplish this year, earn your first finish.
Whether you're chasing a PR, stepping up to a new distance, returning to running, walking your first 5K, or simply looking for a reason to start the year moving forward, there is a starting line here for you.
Choose your challenge — 5K, 10K, or 13.1 miles — and join us Saturday, January 23, 2027 for a winter race experience designed for competitive runners, first-time racers, families, run clubs, walkers, and everyone in between.
YOUR RACE.
YOUR GOAL.
YOUR FIRST FINISH.
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PARTICIPANTS CAN LOOK FORWARD TO:
Professionally chip-timed 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon events
Custom First Finish Invitational finisher medal
Official race shirt
Professional race photography
Overall and age-group awards
On-course hydration and support
Post-race refreshments
Finish-line celebration
A welcoming race environment for a wide range of experience levels
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The calendar changes on January 1.
The year becomes yours when you decide what you're going to do with it.
Join Finish Line Society for the inaugural First Finish Invitational and make your first finish of 2027 one worth remembering.
THE FINISH LINE IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
PARTICIPANT PERKS
OFFICIAL RACE SHIRT
Every registered participant will receive an official First Finish Invitational race shirt.
Shirt sizing and availability may be limited for registrations received after the shirt guarantee deadline.
CUSTOM FINISHER MEDAL
Every finisher will receive a custom First Finish Invitational medal commemorating their first Finish Line Society finish of 2027.
PROFESSIONAL TIMING & RESULTS
All in-person distances will be professionally chip timed. Preliminary results will be available following the race, with official results posted online.
ON-COURSE SUPPORT
Courses will be clearly marked and supported by race staff, volunteers, and hydration stations.
POST-RACE EXPERIENCE
Stick around after you finish for refreshments, awards, race photography, sponsor and partner activations, and the Finish Line Society finish-line experience.
RACE AWARDS
OVERALL AWARDS
Top three male and female finishers.
AGE-GROUP AWARDS
Top three male and female finishers in the following age groups:
10 & Under
11–14
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
80+
Final award categories are subject to adjustment prior to race day.
RACE DAY PHOTOGRAPHY
Professional photographers will be on course and around the finish line capturing race-day moments, competition, celebrations, and the people behind every finish.
Official race photos will be made available after the event so participants can relive and share their First Finish experience.
EVENT INFORMATION
EARLY PACKET PICKUP
Friday, January 22, 2027
2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Location: To Be Announced
The official early packet pickup location will be announced as race weekend approaches and communicated directly to registered participants.
RACE DAY INFORMATION
7:00 AM — Race-Day Packet Pickup & Registration Opens
7:50 AM — Opening Announcements & Half Marathon Staging
8:00 AM — Half Marathon Start
8:15 AM — 10K Start
8:30 AM — 5K Start
Post-Race — Awards presented as results become official
Schedule is subject to minor adjustments. Registered participants will be notified of any changes.
COURSE, VENUE & PARKING
The First Finish Invitational is planned for Veterans Park in Hendersonville, Tennessee, pending final venue and permitting approvals.
Current 5K, 10K, and Half Marathon course maps are available now. Final parking instructions, aid-station locations, start/finish staging, and participant-access details will be published as race weekend approaches.
Registered participants will receive final race-week instructions by email before the event.
WEATHER POLICY
The First Finish Invitational is scheduled to take place rain or shine.
Because January weather in Middle Tennessee can vary, participants should plan and dress appropriately for race-day conditions.
If severe or unsafe weather affects the event, updates will be communicated through the race website and directly to registered participants by email.
OPENING REGISTRATION PRICING
OPENING PRICING THROUGH OCTOBER 31
Register by October 31 to secure the lowest available pricing for the inaugural First Finish Invitational.
RACING FOR SOMETHING MORE
Finish Line Society believes races can create an impact beyond the finish line.
We are currently selecting a community or nonprofit partner for the inaugural First Finish Invitational.
COMMUNITY PARTNER ANNOUNCEMENT COMING SOON.
More information about our 2027 community partnership and how participants can get involved will be announced in the coming weeks.
OUR MISSION
The First Finish Invitational is produced by Finish Line Society, an event organization focused on creating memorable race experiences built around community, movement, and meaningful accomplishment.
Our goal is to produce events that feel organized, welcoming, competitive, and personal — races where first-time participants feel just as much a part of the experience as the athletes racing at the front.
Every runner brings a different story to the starting line.
We build the finish line where those stories meet.
THE FINISH LINE IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.
WHO SHOULD RUN FIRST FINISH?
First-time runners and racers
Families and walkers
Competitive runners chasing PRs
Run clubs and training groups
Athletes building toward spring race goals
Runners stepping up to a new distance
Anyone looking for a reason to start 2027 moving forward
PARTNERS & SPONSORS
INTERESTED IN PARTNERING WITH US?
The First Finish Invitational offers businesses and organizations meaningful opportunities to connect with runners, families, and the active communities of Hendersonville, Sumner County, and greater Middle Tennessee.
Partnership opportunities may include race-day activations, vendor space, digital exposure, participant experiences, product sampling, distance sponsorships, and custom collaborations.
MAKE YOUR FIRST ONE COUNT.
