5K Run / Walk for Clean Water 2026
- Date
- Saturday, November 14, 2026
- Start time
- 8:30 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Salisbury, North Carolina
- Entry fee
- From $5
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Registration is open.
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Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5K Run Walk | 5K | Nov 14, 20268:30 AM | $25 | – |
| Water Droplet 1/2 Mile Fun Run | Kids | Nov 14, 20269:15 AM | $5 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- 5K Run Walk: $25 until Nov 13.
- Water Droplet 1/2 Mile Fun Run: $5 until Nov 13.
Online registration closes Nov 13, 2026, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $25, entry is about 17 percent below a typical 5K in North Carolina, which costs $30 right now.
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 5K in Salisbury runs 33:26, about 10:46 a mile, based on 14 races with published results. Women typically finish in 37:50 and men in 28:36.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 6:56 AM, and the 5K Run Walk starts at 8:30 AM. The start sits about 770 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
Grace Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC 28147
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2025 results
All results (5 years)5K Run Walk
Water Droplet 1/2 Mile Fun Run
Aggregated from official results (Salisbury Rowan Runners) for 5K Run / Walk for Clean Water. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at 5K Run / Walk for Clean Water?
At the 2025 5K Run Walk, the fastest tenth finished in 21:49 or better, the top quarter in 24:14, and half the field in 30:36; the last tenth came in after 48:10.
At the 2025 Water Droplet 1/2 Mile Fun Run, the fastest tenth finished in 3:51 or better, the top quarter in 3:56, and half the field in 4:39; the last tenth came in after 5:18.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 26:51 | 23:20 |
| 20-29 | 25:28 | 34:06 |
| 50-59 | 24:07 | n/a |
| 60-69 | 32:42 | 29:55 |
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
About the same size since 2021.
All events combined, from official results.
5K Run / Walk for Clean Water 5K year by year
From 2021 to 2025, the field went from 54 to 65 finishers, and the median time rose from 29:38 to 30:36.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 65 (+8%) | 30:36 | under 21:49 | 17:41 |
| 2024 | 60 (+82%) | 27:36 | under 19:52 | 17:22 |
| 2023 | 33 (-13%) | 33:33 | under 25:14 | 23:27 |
| 2022 | 38 (-30%) | 29:46 | under 22:01 | 20:35 |
| 2021 | 54 | 29:38 | under 23:00 | 18:49 |
From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Faster than most North Carolina 5Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 24:14, against 28:39 in a typical North Carolina 5K, so times here run 15 percent faster.
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 November 14 the day usually runs from 43°F at dawn to 65°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 15% of days. Cold snaps dip to 31°F and hot years reach 75°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.
Race details
- Where
- Grace Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC 28147Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 770 feet
- Included with entry
- T-Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 5K, Kids
- Editions
- 2026 (Nov 14, 2026), 2025 (Nov 8, 2025), 2024 (Nov 9, 2024), 2023 (Nov 11, 2023), 2022 (Nov 12, 2022), 2021 (Nov 13, 2021)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is 5K Run / Walk for Clean Water?
- Saturday, November 14, 2026, starting at 8:30 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $5 before processing fees.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Nov 13, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for North Carolina?
- At $25, entry is about 17 percent below a typical 5K in North Carolina, 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, Kids.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2025, 65 runners finished the 5K Run Walk; the median finish was 30:36 and the winner ran 17:41.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2025 5K field finished under 24:14, against 28:39 in a typical North Carolina 5K, so times here run 15 percent faster.
- Where does it start?
- Grace Lutheran Church, Salisbury, NC 28147.
From the organizers
Why Water?
The global water crisis doesn’t always make headlines. But the truth is that it claims more lives each year than war.
Globally, 1.8 billion people – that’s about one out of every four people – drink from contaminated water sources. Unsafe water leads to illnesses that claim the lives of 840,000 people each year, almost half of whom are children under the age of five.
What’s more, women and children spend hours each day collecting water. This keeps them from school, work, and time with family. This keeps families and communities from learning, earning an income, and contributing to the local economy.