Sat, Jan 9, 2027

Race for the Grasshopper 5K

Gaffney, SC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2020

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Oct 31, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Race for the Grasshopper 5K

The race is rooted in a real moment from the Battle of Cowpens, when two American officers sprinted for a captured British cannon after the fighting ended. The course runs a single loop on the paved road through Cowpens Battlefield, so the history is not just backstory; it is what you are running through.

Packet pickup runs the evening before at a local running store in Spartanburg, with race-morning pickup available at the battlefield parking lot. The organizers are upfront that winter weather can occasionally force a reschedule, so keep an eye on any communications before you head out.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Gaffney on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2026 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2026 results

221finishers

16:24winner

30:26median

56:48cutoff

Top 3: Matthew Gray (16:24) · Drew Harris (16:32) · Eric Guth (17:27)

The Race for the Grasshopper 5K has been held every year since at least 2020. 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

5K1/9/2027 08:30$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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Gaffney — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.

Common Questions About the Race for the Grasshopper 5K

Will I finish last at the Race for the Grasshopper 5K?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 30:26, and the last recorded finisher came in around 56:48, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Race for the Grasshopper 5K a good first 5K?

A field of 221 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 Race for the Grasshopper 5K?

The 5K winner ran 16:24 while the median finisher took 30:26. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.