Sun, May 30, 2027

JJ's Journey for a Cause

Wendell, NC

Opens Dec 31, 2026Annual since at least 2022
5K1 Mile

Entry is $20 now and rises to $30 after Feb 5, 2027, so registering before then saves $10.

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About the JJ's Journey for a Cause

This race is a memorial run held in honor of a baby boy lost to SIDS, and that purpose shapes the whole morning. A kids' color run runs alongside the main event, with younger runners getting doused in color powder on a shorter course. The feel is personal and grief-touched, with a real community showing up around a specific loss.

Packet pickup happens at two spots in the days before the race: a local running store in downtown Wendell and a cafe at Wendell Falls, with race-morning pickup available for those who cannot make either. After the finish, the family hosts a birthday celebration with music, snacks, balloons, and entertainment on site.

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JJ's Journey for a Cause 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

225finishers
17:59winner
39:28median
1:08:13cutoff

Top 3: Taylor Thomason (17:59) · Derrick Nowak (18:17) · Amy Johnson (19:48)

5 Miles Results · 2026

51finishers
31:55winner
45:07median
1:11:08cutoff

Top 3: Nick Ryder (31:55) · Courtney Beach (32:06) · Benjamin Lowry (32:59)

The JJ's Journey for a Cause has been held every year since at least 2022. 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

5K6/5/2027 08:00$20
1 Mile6/5/2027 09:00Free
5K5/30/2027 00:00$20

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 JJ's Journey for a Cause

Will I finish last at the JJ's Journey for a Cause?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 39:28, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:08:13, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the JJ's Journey for a Cause a good first 5K?

A field of 225 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 JJ's Journey for a Cause?

The 5K winner ran 17:59 while the median finisher took 39:28. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.

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