Sat, Jul 17, 2027

Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K

Winston-Salem, NC

Opens Mar 31, 2027Annual since at least 2015

0.85 Miles5K

Entry is $35 now and rises to $40 after Apr 29, 2027, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K

Beat the Heat runs in the evening, which sets it apart from most road races. The course is in Winston-Salem, and the timing means you finish in the cooler part of the day rather than the heat of a summer morning. Proceeds go to local nonprofits focused on health and fitness in the area.

There is food and drink at the finish, and the post-race scene tends to stretch out a bit. The race is part of a local series organized through a Fleet Feet store, so the crowd around the finish area usually includes people who know each other and stick around.

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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

64finishers

29:35winner

50:58median

1:07:37cutoff

Top 3: Brends Perea (29:35) · Karen Preli (32:58) · Micah Dunlevy (33:15)

1 Miles · 2025 results

22finishers

6:32winner

8:33median

14:12cutoff

Top 3: J. Oliver (6:32) · M. Bergeron (6:34) · H. Lee (7:16)

The Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K has been held every year since at least 2015. 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

0.85 Miles7/17/2027 18:00$10

5K7/17/2027 18:30$40

5K7/17/2027 19:45$35

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 Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K

Will I finish last at the Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 50:58, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:07:37, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K a good first 5K?

It is a small race (64 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 Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K?

The 5K winner ran 29:35 while the median finisher took 50:58. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.