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| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Half Marathon | Half Marathon | Oct 17, 20267:30 AM | $95$100 after Oct 1, 2026 | – |
| Half Marathon Firefighter Challenge- For Firefighters Running in Full Gear! | Half Marathon | Oct 17, 20267:30 AM | $65 | – |
| Quarter Marathon- 10k with some bonus running | Other | Oct 17, 20267:35 AM | $50$60 after Oct 1, 2026 | – |
| Run for Your Hero 5k | 5K | Oct 17, 20267:40 AM | $35 | 200 |
| Virtual Half MarathonVirtual | Half Marathon | Oct 17, 20268:00 AM | $95$100 after Oct 1, 2026 | – |
| Virtual Quarter MarathonVirtual | Other | Oct 17, 20268:00 AM | $55$65 after Oct 1, 2026 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
The Half Marathon fee goes up to $100 on Oct 1, 2026.
Online registration closes Oct 17, 2026, unless the race fills first.
At $95, entry is about 46 percent above a typical half marathon in Arkansas, which costs $65 right now.
A typical finisher at a half marathon in Arkansas runs 2:13:53, about 10:13 a mile, based on 31 races with published results. Women typically finish in 2:21:38 and men in 2:02:57.
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:23 AM, and the Half Marathon starts at 7:30 AM. The start sits about 1,370 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
251 N West Ave, Fayetteville, AR 72701
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
Aggregated from official results for Hero Half Marathon. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
At the 2025 Half Marathon, the fastest tenth finished in 1:43:36 or better, the top quarter in 1:52:59, and half the field in 2:05:27; the last tenth came in after 2:51:28.
At the 2025 Run for Your Hero 5k, the fastest tenth finished in 25:03 or better, the top quarter in 28:30, and half the field in 34:47; the last tenth came in after 48:59.
At the 2025 Quarter Marathon- 10k with some bonus running, the fastest tenth finished in 53:12 or better, the top quarter in 1:02:56, and half the field in 1:12:07; the last tenth came in after 1:27:07.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 1:54:23 | 1:47:45 |
| 20-29 | 1:46:48 | 1:21:42 |
| 30-39 | 1:43:18 | 1:24:14 |
| 40-49 | 1:56:13 | 1:39:55 |
| 50-59 | 2:00:48 | 1:45:14 |
| 60-69 | n/a | 2:10:59 |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.
Up 29 percent since 2021.
All events combined, from official results.
From 2021 to 2025, the field went from 322 to 315 finishers, and the median time dropped from 2:09:27 to 2:05:27.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 315 (-1%) | 2:05:27 | under 1:43:36 | 1:16:21 |
| 2024 | 318 (-8%) | 2:13:53 | under 1:42:45 | 1:04:52 |
| 2023 | 346 (+6%) | 2:14:04 | under 1:41:01 | 1:14:32 |
| 2022 | 327 (+2%) | 2:17:14 | under 1:43:07 | 1:14:52 |
| 2021 | 322 | 2:09:27 | under 1:40:58 | 1:11:49 |
From each year's official results for the Half Marathon; virtual options are left out.
Faster than most Arkansas half marathons
The fastest quarter of the 2025 half marathon field finished under 1:52:59, against 2:00:42 in a typical Arkansas half marathon, so times here run 6 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.
Around October 17 the day usually runs from 55°F at dawn to 75°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 15% of days. Cold snaps dip to 44°F and hot years reach 82°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.
What the organizers of Hero Half Marathon cover on their registration page, in brief.
Schedule and packet pickup
Packet Pick Up. Friday, October 16th 3pm-7pm at Rise Physical Therapy (2668 E Citizens Dr #5, Fayetteville, AR 72703). Saturday, October 17th 6:45am-7:15am at the race start- packet pick up WILL CLOSE at 7:15am. Course. Race Start/Finish…
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
The Hero Half Marathon is a fundraising race and community event hosted by The Spark Foundation in partnership with Fayetteville Firefighters’ IAFF – Local 2866. Race proceeds benefit organizations that meet important community needs, increase fitness opportunities for the community, and make Fayetteville and Arkansas a great place to live, work, and play.
The Spark Foundation is all about encouraging our community to get active and stay active. We will award age group awards for the Top 3 male and female finishers in each age division for both the half marathon and quarter marathon.