Sat, Apr 24, 2027

SMS Peace, Love, & Hope Run

Salem, VA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2019

5K1 Mile

Entry is $15 now and rises to $20 after Jan 31, 2027, so registering before then saves $5.

About the SMS Peace, Love, & Hope Run

The course runs along the Mason Creek Greenway, a paved path that keeps things smooth underfoot. There are several distance options, from a short loop to a longer run, making it a race where the school community and neighbors tend to show up together. The surrounding area is flat enough that the focus stays on the morning rather than the climbing.

Packet pickup happens at the school campus and at a local running store in the days before the race, with a final window at the Greenway on race morning. Parking is in the lots near the Greenway, including a main lot off Roanoke Boulevard where volunteers are stationed to help direct traffic. Strollers are welcome on the course; dogs are not.

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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

92finishers

16:52winner

32:32median

59:49cutoff

Top 3: George Tolton (16:52) · Cody Orton (16:59) · Bryan Plunkett (17:23)

The SMS Peace, Love, & Hope 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 Sep 22, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K4/24/2027 09:15$30

1 Mile4/24/2027 08:30$15

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

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Common Questions About the SMS Peace, Love, & Hope Run

Will I finish last at the SMS Peace, Love, & Hope Run?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 32:32, and the last recorded finisher came in around 59:49, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the SMS Peace, Love, & Hope Run a good first 5K?

It is a small race (92 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 SMS Peace, Love, & Hope Run?

The 5K winner ran 16:52 while the median finisher took 32:32. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.