Sat, Oct 10, 2026

Be a Hero 5K

Urbana, IL

Registration openAnnual since at least 2021

Entry is $25 now and rises to $30 after Sep 10, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Be a Hero 5K

The course runs on the campus of Cunningham Children's Home, a residential treatment and education facility for youth. The race benefits the kids and families there directly, so the crowd tends to include people who know the organization personally, not just casual participants out for a morning run.

Packet pickup runs the day before at the Spiritual Life Center on campus, with a race-morning option as a backup. Parking is on campus, and signage directs you where to go. The start area and finish are both on the grounds, so everything stays in one place.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2025 results

81finishers

17:20winner

32:40median

1:02:14cutoff

Top 3: Reis DeSantis (17:20) · Paul Neely (18:43) · Tom Gelsthorpe (18:43)

The Be a Hero 5K has been held every year since at least 2021. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K10/10/2026 09:00$25

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Be a Hero 5K

Will I finish last at the Be a Hero 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 32:40, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:02:14, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Be a Hero 5K a good first 5K?

It is a small race (81 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Be a Hero 5K?

The 5K winner ran 17:20 while the median finisher took 32:40. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.