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11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K 2026

Date
Saturday, October 3, 2026
Start time
10:00 AM start (Indiana)
Entry fee
From $35
Included with entry
Includes a shirt
Fundraising
Takes optional donations when you register
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Registration is open.

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Official race website

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Events and entry fees

EventDistanceWhenEntry feeCap
Brain Bolt Survivor Course–Oct 3, 202610:00 AM$35–
Brain Bolt 5K5KOct 3, 202610:05 AM$35–

Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.

Race day planning

Entry fee schedule

  • $35 until Oct 3.

Online registration closes Oct 3, 2026, unless the race fills first.

How the price compares

At $35, entry is about 17 percent above a typical 5K in Indiana, which costs $30 right now.

What a typical finish looks like

A typical finisher at a 5K in Carmel runs 34:08, about 10:59 a mile, based on 8 races with published results. Women typically finish in 38:10 and men in 30:10.

Light and altitude

Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:41 AM, and the Brain Bolt Survivor Course starts at 10:00 AM. The start sits about 850 feet above sea level.

Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.

Start location and course

The Carmel Gazebo, Carmel, IN 46032

The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.

Brain Bolt 5K

392
finishers
51:03
median (16:26 /mi)
19:42
winning time
63% / 37%
women / men
median 51:0321:471:21:46
Finish times, fastest to slowest. Each bar is a slice of the field; the dashed line is the median.

Brain Bolt Survivor Course

23
finishers
33:10
median
12:23
winning time
70% / 30%
women / men

Survivor 5k

7
finishers
45:12
median (14:33 /mi)
26:37
winning time
14% / 86%
women / men

Aggregated from official results (Champion Chip 247) for 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K. Individual finisher names are not stored here.

How fast do you need to be at 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K?

At the 2025 Brain Bolt 5K, the fastest tenth finished in 27:38 or better, the top quarter in 35:28, and half the field in 51:03; the last tenth came in after 1:08:57.

At the 2025 Brain Bolt Survivor Course, the fastest tenth finished in 14:19 or better, the top quarter in 20:57, and half the field in 33:10; the last tenth came in after 51:24.

At the 2025 Survivor 5k, the fastest tenth finished in 35:40 or better, the top quarter in 41:53, and half the field in 45:12; the last tenth came in after 59:58.

Third place by age group, 2025 Brain Bolt 5K
AgeWomenMen
Under 2032:1825:52
20-2925:1622:12
30-3926:0924:39
40-4927:5923:54
50-5930:4226:59
60-6932:1047:59
70+57:3139:53

Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.

What would my time get me?

Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.

Finishers by year

Up 22 percent since 2021.

All events combined, from official results.

11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K 5K year by year

From 2021 to 2025, the field went from 347 to 392 finishers, and the median time rose from 47:24 to 51:03.

YearFinishersMedianFastest tenthWinner
2025392 (-4%)51:03under 27:3819:42
2024410 (+7%)51:47under 27:1220:09
2023383 (+34%)55:50under 28:1220:31
2022285 (-18%)51:27under 27:0419:33
202134747:24under 27:5818:36

From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.

How fast is it?

Slower than most Indiana 5Ks

The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 35:28, against 28:30 in a typical Indiana 5K, so times here run 24 percent slower.

Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.

Typical race-day weather

Around October 3 the day usually runs from 57°F at dawn to 74°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 16% of days. Cold snaps dip to 43°F and hot years reach 83°F.

Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.

From the race's page

What the organizers of 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K cover on their registration page, in brief.

Schedule and packet pickup

Race Day Schedule

8:30-9:15am Packet Pick Up & Registration. 9:15–9:30am Welcoming remarks. 9:30-9:45am Patient Story. 9:45-9:55am Featured Survivor Tribute. 9:55am Helicopter flyover. 10:00am 5K Course Participants Go! 10:05am Survivor course (1 mile)…

Schedule and packet pickup

Packet Pickup

There are two ways to pick up your race packets! 1. Pick up your race packet at Goodman Campbell's Carmel office the week of the race. ~ Monday 09/28/2026 4:00pm-6:00pm. ~ Tuesday 09/29/2026 11:00am-1:00pm & 4:00pm-6:00pm. Address: Goodman…

Parking and travel

Parking Map

Shirt and medal

2026 SWAG

2026 Swag Coming Soon! **We try our best to order extras and make sure all registrants are covered, but shirts are not guaranteed after 9/1/26.

Full details on the race's RunSignup page

Race details

Where
The Carmel Gazebo, Carmel, IN 46032Map
Course
Road
Start elevation
About 850 feet
Included with entry
T-Shirt
Donations
Accepted when you register
Distances
5K
Editions
2026 (Oct 3, 2026), 2025 (Oct 4, 2025), 2024 (Oct 5, 2024), 2023 (Oct 7, 2023), 2022 (Oct 1, 2022), 2021 (Oct 2, 2021)

Organize this race? Add details or a correction

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Quick answers

When is 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K?
Saturday, October 3, 2026, starting at 10:00 AM.
How much does it cost?
Entry starts at $35 before processing fees.
When does registration close?
Online registration closes Oct 3, 2026, unless the race fills first.
Is the entry fee high for Indiana?
At $35, entry is about 17 percent above a typical 5K in Indiana, which costs $30 right now.
Do runners get a shirt or medal?
Entry includes a shirt, according to the race's registration page. Check it for sizes and whether kids' races get the same.
Can I donate to a cause when I register?
Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
What distances can I run?
5K.
How big is it, and how fast?
In 2025, 392 runners finished the Brain Bolt 5K; the median finish was 51:03 and the winner ran 19:42.
Is it a fast course?
The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 35:28, against 28:30 in a typical Indiana 5K, so times here run 24 percent slower.
Where does it start?
The Carmel Gazebo, Carmel, IN 46032.

From the organizers

11th ANNUAL BRAIN BOLT 5K TO HELP VICTIMS OF TRAUMATIC BRAIN AND SPINE INJURIES

Carmel, IN—Goodman Campbell Brain and Spine (GCBS) is proud to announce our 11th Annual Brain Bolt 5K Run/Walk. The race will once again benefit the treatment and care of traumatic brain and spine injuries. This year will once again include an in-person traditional and dedicated survivor course! This inclusive course will be modified to accommodate varying physical abilities. Our featured guest will share their inspirational story of survival!

IN-PERSON RACE

This year’s Brain Bolt 5K will raise funds for the Neurosurgery Foundation at Goodman Campbell.

In-person walk/run/wheelchair through beautiful Carmel, Indiana

In-person walk/run/wheelchair survivor course alongside the traditional course

Read the full description on RunSignup