Sat, Feb 27, 2027

Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run

Kinston, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2025

8K5K1 Mile

About the Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run

The race is organized around heart health awareness and runs on hospital grounds in Kinston. Runners are encouraged to wear heart-themed costumes or colors, and red ribbons are available for those running in honor of or in memory of someone with a heart-related diagnosis. Healthcare providers are on hand during the event to talk with participants.

Packet pickup opens on the morning of the race on the hospital's front lawn, right at the main entrance. Parking is on hospital grounds, with signage directing you to the right spots. Strollers and leashed dogs are both welcome on the course; stroller participants are asked to line up toward the back.

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Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run 2026 Results

Going by the 2026 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 Results · 2026

97finishers

17:32winner

33:53median

1:01:45cutoff

Top 3: Matt Kearney (17:32) · Jack Rouse (18:20) · Joaquín Mendoza (18:43)

The Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run has been held every year since at least 2025. 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 Nov 12, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

8K2/27/2027 08:00$45

5K2/27/2027 08:15$35

1 Mile2/27/2027 08:30$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.

Not sure what to aim for? The 5K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run

Will I finish last at the Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 33:53, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:01:45, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run a good first 5K?

It is a small race (97 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 Heart Strides 8K, 5K, and Fun Run?

The 5K winner ran 17:32 while the median finisher took 33:53. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

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