The Growing Minds Foundation 5K 2026
- Date
- Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Start time
- 8:00 AM start (Chicago)
- Location
- Pocahontas, Arkansas
- Entry fee
- From $29
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Early Bird Registration* The Growing Minds Foundation 5K | 5K | Oct 3, 20268:00 AM | $29 | – |
| The Growing Minds Foundation 5K | 5K | Oct 3, 20268:00 AM | $35 | – |
| Virtual ParticipationVirtual | – | Oct 3, 20268:00 AM | $25 | – |
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 $29, entry is about the same as a typical 5K in Arkansas ($31).
What a typical finish looks like
A typical finisher at a 5K in Arkansas runs 35:03, about 11:17 a mile, based on 253 races with published results. Women typically finish in 38:23 and men in 30:30.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 6:59 AM, and the *Early Bird Registration* The Growing Minds Foundation 5K starts at 8:00 AM. The start sits about 550 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
Rice street, Pocahontas, AR 72455
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 (4 years)Aggregated from official results for The Growing Minds Foundation 5K. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at The Growing Minds Foundation 5K?
In 2025, the fastest tenth finished in 27:19 or better, the top quarter in 29:20, and half the field in 34:51; the last tenth came in after 57:26.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| 20-29 | 34:52 | 30:11 |
| 30-39 | 39:11 | n/a |
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
Down 48 percent since 2022.
All events combined, from official results.
The Growing Minds Foundation 5K 5K year by year
From 2022 to 2025, the field went from 75 to 39 finishers, and the median time rose from 31:35 to 34:51.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 39 (-26%) | 34:51 | under 27:19 | 21:31 |
| 2024 | 53 (+23%) | 29:31 | under 23:13 | 21:23 |
| 2023 | 43 (-43%) | 37:03 | under 25:21 | 21:17 |
| 2022 | 75 | 31:35 | under 24:26 | 20:56 |
From each year's official results for the 5K; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Faster than most Arkansas 5Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2024 5K field finished under 26:40, against 29:23 in a typical Arkansas 5K, so times here run 9 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 October 3 the day usually runs from 60°F at dawn to 79°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 12% of days. Cold snaps dip to 50°F and hot years reach 88°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
- Rice street, Pocahontas, AR 72455Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 550 feet
- Included with entry
- T-Shirt; T-Shirt Giveaway
- 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)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is The Growing Minds Foundation 5K?
- Saturday, October 3, 2026, starting at 8:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $29 before processing fees.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Oct 3, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for Arkansas?
- At $29, entry is about the same as a typical 5K in Arkansas ($31).
- 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, 39 runners finished the The Growing Minds Foundation 5K; the median finish was 34:51 and the winner ran 21:31.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2024 5K field finished under 26:40, against 29:23 in a typical Arkansas 5K, so times here run 9 percent faster.
- Where does it start?
- Rice street, Pocahontas, AR 72455.
From the organizers
Join us for the 5th annual Growing Minds Foundation Fall Festival 5K walk/run October 3rd! The Growing Minds Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides medical scholarships to children with disabilities and complex medical needs in NorthEastern Arkansas. The 5K will begin and end at the Black River Overlook Park, located across the hwy. from First Horizon Bank in Pocahontas, AR. Each participant will receive a medal, T-shirt (must sign up by the deadline posted), race day swag, and additional medals given out to over all winners and age group winners.