Sat, Feb 27, 2027

NPSWC March for Sickle Cell 5K Run/Walk

New Bern, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2018

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Jan 24, 2027, so registering before then saves $5.

About the NPSWC March for Sickle Cell 5K Run/Walk

This race benefits sickle cell disease awareness and raises money for treatment, transportation, and daily support for patients and families in the local area. It runs as both an in-person event in New Bern and a virtual option where participants complete the distance on a course of their own choosing, including a treadmill, and submit their results through an app.

Packet pickup the evening before is at Coastal Sole, a running store on Dr. ML King Jr. Blvd. The in-person and virtual windows close on the same day, so virtual runners need to get their time in before the end of that day. Age group awards go to the top male and female finishers across a wide range of brackets.

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Finish-Time Stats

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 · 2026 results

99finishers

23:26winner

48:55median

1:16:54cutoff

Top 3: Cooper Albers (23:26) · Alixandra Albers (23:30) · Lileth Muench (23:38)

The NPSWC March for Sickle Cell 5K Run/Walk has been held every year since at least 2018. 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 Sep 10, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K3/13/2027 09:00$30

5K2/27/2027 00:00$30

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 NPSWC March for Sickle Cell 5K Run/Walk

Will I finish last at the NPSWC March for Sickle Cell 5K Run/Walk?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 48:55, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:16:54, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the NPSWC March for Sickle Cell 5K Run/Walk a good first 5K?

It is a small race (99 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 NPSWC March for Sickle Cell 5K Run/Walk?

The 5K winner ran 23:26 while the median finisher took 48:55. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.