Sat, Aug 22, 2026

CARA RUN For Their Lives! 2026

Sanford, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2020

5K10K15K

Entry is $35 now and rises to $40 after Aug 8, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the CARA RUN For Their Lives! 2026

The course runs through historic downtown Sanford and along a greenway, with a few hills mixed into otherwise manageable terrain. Both a shorter and a longer distance option are on the table, and you can tackle one or both on the same morning. Leashed dogs and strollers are welcome on course, which shapes the crowd noticeably.

Everything on race morning happens at Kiwanis Park, including bib pickup, which opens well before the first wave goes off. There is no advance pickup, so plan to arrive early. The race benefits a local no-kill animal shelter that runs entirely on donations and events like this one.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Sanford on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly 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

229finishers

17:16winner

34:26median

1:53:38cutoff

Top 3: Torris Price 3rd (17:16) · Zachary Ferguson (17:18) · John Dean (19:40)

10K · 2025 results

100finishers

40:42winner

1:02:19median

1:55:29cutoff

Top 3: Kaan Peksenar (40:42) · Eduardo Santos (42:05) · Miguel Beltre (43:28)

The CARA RUN For Their Lives! 2026 has been held every year since at least 2020. 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

5K8/22/2026 07:30$35

10K8/22/2026 08:15$35

Virtual Run (or SLEEP!) For Their Lives! 20268/22/2026 07:30$30

15K8/22/2026 07:30$48

KID'S FUN RUN! 1/2 Mile (w/ T-shirt)8/22/2026 08:30$20

KID'S FUN RUN! 1/2 Mile (NO T-SHIRT OPTION)8/22/2026 08:30$10

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

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Sanford — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.

Common Questions About the CARA RUN For Their Lives! 2026

Will I finish last at the CARA RUN For Their Lives! 2026?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 34:26, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:53:38, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the CARA RUN For Their Lives! 2026 a good first 5K?

A field of 229 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 CARA RUN For Their Lives! 2026?

The 5K winner ran 17:16 while the median finisher took 34:26. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.