Sat, Oct 3, 2026

11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K

Carmel, IN

Registration open11th annual

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Aug 29, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K

The race starts at a gazebo in Carmel's Civic Square and winds through the surrounding area. A separate survivor course runs alongside the main route, modified to accommodate varying physical abilities, including wheelchair participants. Before the start, organizers share remarks and a patient story, and a helicopter flyover sends runners off.

Packet pickup is available at the Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine office in Carmel earlier in the week, with morning and afternoon windows on multiple days. Race-morning pickup opens at the registration tent before the start. The finish includes an awards ceremony and closing remarks.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2025 results

392finishers

19:42winner

51:03median

2:14:38cutoff

Top 3: Brandon Conner (19:42) · Daniel Reigh (20:20) · John DePowell (21:09)

· 2025 results

23finishers

12:23winner

33:10median

52:14cutoff

Top 3: Ryann Deloney (12:23) · Shelly Perry (12:28) · Tanner Freeman (14:01)

The 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K is in its 11th year.

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

5K10/3/2026 10:05$30

Brain Bolt Survivor Course10/3/2026 10:00$30

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.

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Common Questions About the 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K

Will I finish last at the 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 51:03, and the last recorded finisher came in around 2:14:38, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 392 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. 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 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K?

The 5K winner ran 19:42 while the median finisher took 51:03. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.