Sat, Sep 12, 2026

Joe LaRocco 5K and 1K Elementary School Run

Salem, VA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019

5K1K

Entry is $15 now and rises to $20 after Sep 5, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Joe LaRocco 5K and 1K Elementary School Run

The course runs on grass and gravel at Green Hill Park, flat the whole way through. It sits inside a larger cross country invitational, so the grounds are busy with high school and middle school teams when the open race goes off. The race is named for a Cave Spring High School coach who spent decades in the sport as both a coach and a race official.

Packet pickup is on race morning at the park entrance, near the concessions area and marked with a blue flag. Basic food and drink are available behind the start line, and additional vendors are on site.

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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

147finishers

15:59winner

24:01median

37:20cutoff

Top 3: Stuart Vailes (15:59) · Luke Barlow (16:20) · Jonathan Goerlich (16:47)

1K · 2025 results

61finishers

3:54winner

4:57median

7:36cutoff

Top 3: R. Addair (3:54) · A. Sarmadi (4:00) · C. Aikens (4:03)

The Joe LaRocco 5K and 1K Elementary School Run has been held every year since at least 2019. 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

5K9/12/2026 08:00$15

1K9/12/2026 09:00$7

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Common Questions About the Joe LaRocco 5K and 1K Elementary School Run

Will I finish last at the Joe LaRocco 5K and 1K Elementary School Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 24:01, and the last recorded finisher came in around 37:20, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Joe LaRocco 5K and 1K Elementary School Run a good first 5K?

It is a small race (147 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 Joe LaRocco 5K and 1K Elementary School Run?

The 5K winner ran 15:59 while the median finisher took 24:01. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.