Course
Course Map
We have a flat course with 2 loops around the Brenau University campus.
5KKids
Dempsey Dash 5K and 1k Fun Run 2027
- Date
- Saturday, March 13, 2027
- Start time
- 9:00 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Gainesville, Georgia
- Entry fee
- From $10 · goes up to $25 on Mar 13, 2027
- Included with entry
- Includes a shirt
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
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Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1K Fun Run (Brenau students and employees) | Kids | Mar 13, 20279:00 AM | $15$25 after Mar 13, 2027 | – |
| 1K Fun Run (Children under 10) | Kids | Mar 13, 20279:00 AM | $10$15 after Mar 13, 2027 | – |
| 1K Fun Run (Friends, Family & Community) | Kids | Mar 13, 20279:00 AM | $15$25 after Mar 13, 2027 | – |
| 5K Run (Brenau Employees) | 5K | Mar 13, 20279:00 AM | $15$20 after Mar 13, 2027 | – |
| 5K Run (Brenau Students) | 5K | Mar 13, 20279:00 AM | $10$15 after Mar 13, 2027 | – |
| 5K Run (Friends, Family & Community) | 5K | Mar 13, 20279:00 AM | $30$45 after Mar 13, 2027 | – |
| 5K (Phantom Runner/Shirt Purchase OnlyVirtual | 5K | Mar 13, 20279:00 AM | $20 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- 1K Fun Run (Brenau students and employees) and 1K Fun Run (Friends, Family & Community): $15 until Mar 12, then $25 until Mar 13.
- 1K Fun Run (Children under 10) and 5K Run (Brenau Students): $10 until Mar 12, then $15 until Mar 13.
- 5K Run (Brenau Employees): $15 until Mar 12, then $20 until Mar 13.
- 5K Run (Friends, Family & Community): $30 until Mar 12, then $45 until Mar 13.
Online registration closes Mar 13, 2027, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $15, entry is about 50 percent below a typical 5K in Georgia, which costs $30 right now.
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 5K in Gainesville runs 34:14, about 11:01 a mile, based on 19 races with published results. Women typically finish in 36:51 and men in 30:38.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 6:50 AM, and the 1K Fun Run (Brenau students and employees) starts at 9:00 AM. The start sits about 1,210 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
Brenau University Amphitheater, Gainesville, GA 30501
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2026 results
All results (5 years)5K Run (Brenau Employees)
4,433
finishers
34:14
median (11:01 /mi)
17:33
winning time
53% / 47%
women / men
5K Run (Brenau Students)
3,763
finishers
34:54
median (11:14 /mi)
17:33
winning time
47% / 53%
women / men
5K Run (Friends, Family & Community)
1,338
finishers
31:12
median (10:03 /mi)
17:33
winning time
70% / 30%
women / men
Aggregated from official results (ChronoTrack Live) for Dempsey Dash 5K and 1k Fun Run. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at Dempsey Dash 5K and 1k Fun Run?
At the 2026 5K Run (Brenau Employees), the fastest tenth finished in 23:01 or better, the top quarter in 27:06, and half the field in 34:14; the last tenth came in after 54:35.
At the 2026 5K Run (Brenau Students), the fastest tenth finished in 23:15 or better, the top quarter in 27:36, and half the field in 34:54; the last tenth came in after 56:04.
At the 2026 5K Run (Friends, Family & Community), the fastest tenth finished in 22:47 or better, the top quarter in 25:41, and half the field in 31:12; the last tenth came in after 42:04.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 22:09 | 19:04 |
| 20-29 | 21:22 | 17:33 |
| 30-39 | 30:28 | 19:25 |
| 40-49 | 25:41 | 17:44 |
| 50-59 | 26:04 | 23:07 |
| 60-69 | 36:26 | 27:11 |
| 70+ | n/a | 31:02 |
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 2026.
Finishers by year
Up 14130 percent since 2022.
67
2022
67
2023
95
2024
147
2025
9,534
2026
All events combined, from official results.
Dempsey Dash 5K and 1k Fun Run 5K year by year
From 2022 to 2026, the field went from 67 to 4,433 finishers, and the median time rose from 31:32 to 34:14.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4,433 (+2916%) | 34:14 | under 23:01 | 17:33 |
| 2025 | 147 (+55%) | 36:44 | under 25:07 | 21:27 |
| 2024 | 95 (+42%) | 35:22 | under 25:23 | 18:51 |
| 2023 | 67 (same) | 33:07 | under 24:17 | 19:39 |
| 2022 | 67 | 31:32 | under 22:19 | 17:26 |
From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Faster than most Georgia 5Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2026 5K field finished under 27:06, against 29:30 in a typical Georgia 5K, so times here run 8 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 March 13 the day usually runs from 46°F at dawn to 63°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 27% of days. Cold snaps dip to 30°F and hot years reach 74°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 Dempsey Dash 5K and 1k Fun Run cover on their registration page, in brief.
Awards
Awards
5K Overall Male & Female. 5K TOP Male & Female in each age group category: 9 and under, 10-14, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+.
Race details
- Where
- Brenau University Amphitheater, Gainesville, GA 30501Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 1,210 feet
- Results posted by the race
- LIVE RESULTS
- Included with entry
- Dempsey Dash T-Shirt
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 5K, Kids
- Editions
- 2027 (Mar 13, 2027), 2026 (Mar 14, 2026), 2025 (Mar 8, 2025), 2024 (Mar 9, 2024), 2023 (Mar 11, 2023), 2022 (Mar 12, 2022)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is Dempsey Dash 5K and 1k Fun Run?
- Saturday, March 13, 2027, starting at 9:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $10 before processing fees, and rises to $25 on Mar 13, 2027.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Mar 13, 2027, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for Georgia?
- At $15, entry is about 50 percent below a typical 5K in Georgia, 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 2026, 4,433 runners finished the 5K Run (Brenau Employees); the median finish was 34:14 and the winner ran 17:33.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2026 5K field finished under 27:06, against 29:30 in a typical Georgia 5K, so times here run 8 percent faster.
- Where does it start?
- Brenau University Amphitheater, Gainesville, GA 30501.
From the organizers
On March 14, Brenau University will host its annual Dempsey Dash 5K and 1K Fun Run in memory of the university’s long-time executive vice president and CFO, Wayne Dempsey. The event benefits the Wayne W. Dempsey Endowed Scholarship Fund, first funded in Dempsey’s memory in 2014 by an anonymous donor.
Official Dempsey Dash T-shirts provided for all pre-registered participants by February 20. All other registered participants through race day will receive shirt while supplies last.
Certified race: Certification # is GA24002DJ
Why A Bowtie?