Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K Virtual Races

Virtual races have become a new normal in this age of coronavirus.  And people love them!
You must register to participate in the Cook Medical Beat the Heat events. 
You can run your virtual race anytime between Wednesday, July 15 and Saturday, July 18.
Race results will be uploaded by participants.  Instructions will be provided when you register.
Results must be reported no later than midnight on Saturday, July 18.
You can run on any course you choose. GPS distances and treadmill dashboards are acceptable for distance verifications.

Note that you must be registered and have an assigned bib number to submit results.  Look up your bib number on your registration confirmation email or on the Find A Participant link above after registering.

Race T-Shirts AND Official Beat the Heat Pint Glasses are guaranteed for all 5K participants registered by June 30.  After that, it is first-come, first-serve for remaining inventory. Ther is a limited supply of both and some shirt sizes will run out soon.  Beat the Heat Pint Glasses are awarded most years only to the top finishers.  This year, every 5K participant gets a glass if one of the first 475 to register!  It is your reward for participating in this unusual year.  Shirts and glasses are provided at no extra charge at a drive through packet pickup during race week (details to be announced soon.) We can mail the shirts and glasses for an extra fee to be paid during registration. Or you can decide to waive your shirt and glass with your extra funds going to our charity partners instead.

First Time 5K Runners will receive Beat the Heat Wrist Bands when they pick up their shirts and will be email customized Finisher Certificates after they finish.  And we will give special recognition to all First Time 5K Runners after the race through social media.  Run your first 5K in the 2020 Beat the Heat Virtual Races!

We have 3 time periods when participants can pick up t-shirts and pint glasses during race week at a drive-through packet pickup at Fleet Feet Sports Winston-Salem. 

4pm to 6pm on Thursday, 7/16
4pm to 6pm on Friday, 7/17
10am to 1pm on Saturday, 7/18

Click here for additional details for Packet Pickup.

If you post a time, then you are in the drawing for some awesome door prizes!  We have over $3,000 in door prizes to give away. Finish your race and post your time to be eligible.  

See the Door Prize List Here!

Twin City Track Club is delighted to announce the selection of Beat the Heat Charity Partners for 2020.

- Ainsley's Angels in the Triad
- Mission: Feet First (MFF)

The Charity Partner program is a way to further support our mission to promote fitness and health, and to improve the quality of life for individuals and families. A portion of the event proceeds goes towards each of these non-profit charities.
Race participants are given the opportunity to contribute to the Charity Partners at the time of event registration, further increasing the charitable contributions.
Anyone can make a donation to the charity partners at any time.  You do not need to register to make a donation.

Click Here to Donate!

With all other summer races canceled, this is the opportunity for elite runners in North Carolina to toe the line virtually and compete against each other and determine who are the fastest runners in the state. Beat the Heat NC Elite Virtual Race will be open to NC residents only and entry is by invitation only.  A special code is required to register for the Elite Race. Contact race director if interested.  

• Runs must be completed with times posted during a 4 day period from Wednesday, July 15 through Saturday, July 18.
• Virtual races must be run on road, greenway, or trail (cannot run on track or treadmill) and cannot be run on a net downhill course (30 feet net downhill over 5K is the max allowed). 
• The route should be distance verified by certification, GPS measurement, or some other course measurement method with reasonable accuracy. We suggest that you verify GPS measurements by multiple readings on the same course and credible splits. Many greenways have marked splits that have been proven as reliable measurements by frequent usage validations. (modified 7/8/2020)
• Pacing is allowed (including cyclist), but no drafting.
• Results must be submitted to the race director and approved before posting to live online results. Require evidence of time and distance for top finishers (GPS photo, Strava, USATF course #, etc.)
• Other evidence/promotion encouraged (e.g. Facebook Live recording of race; other social media postings)
• Results will be posted for open, masters, grandmasters divisions – no prizes; recognition only (but lots of it!).  This will not be an official championship and will not be USATF sanctioned.

Top Finishers will be recognized for all events by display in the online results and post race communications.  No awards will be presented for top finishers this year.

One Mile Run

Top 10 Finishers in age groups as follows:
6 & under; 7-8; 9-10; 11-12; 13-14

Beat the Heat 5K

Top 5 Overall Finishers - Male and Female
Top 5 Finishers in each Age Group - Male and Female
Age Groups: 14 and under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70-74, 75-79, 80 and over

NC Elite 5K

Top 20 Open Finishers: (Men and Women)
Top 5 Masters: (Men and Women)
Top 3 Grand Masters: (Men and Women)

USATF North Carolina Awards will not be available in 2020.

Ainsley’s Angels in the Triad takes people off the sidelines to over the finish line. Through endurance events and road races just like Beat the Heat, the organization promotes teamwork, fitness, and inclusion by pairing an able-bodied runner with a special needs athlete rider. When an angel runner lends their legs and is pulled by one of our angel riders in a race, they give the rider the ability to participate in something previously thought impossible. Funds awarded will be used towards the purchase of specialized racing chairs to service our rapidly expanding athlete rider base. More racing chairs gives us the ability to reach and serve more families, and 100% of money awarded through this partnership will stay local to impact our Triad riders.

Click Here to Donate!

Mission: Feet First (MFF) was created by the owners of Fleet Feet Winston-Salem to blend their passion for good fitting shoes with their desire to help those in need in the local community. Proper fitting shoes are a basic need, and allows both children and adults to operate comfortably not only throughout the day, but during any fitness activities. Since 2009, Mission: Feet First has been fitting local low-income running groups and clubs at elementary schools and the Rescue Mission. MFF fits over 1,000 people for shoes annually and donates another 1,000 pair. Proceeds from Beat the Heat will be used to purchase shoe inventory for the Mission: Feet First program.

Click Here to Donate!

Free Live Tracking and Progress Alerts on Race Day!

(Race organizers are providing this as an included service.)

Make sure you download the RaceJoy mobile app for live phone tracking at the Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K Virtual Races.

Carry your phone and use RaceJoy to add to your race experience with these key features:

GPS Progress Alerts

• Receive GPS-based progress alerts at mile points on the course for current pace and estimated finish time.
• Post to your Facebook and Twitter walls.
• Have friends and family track your performance.

Live GPS Tracking

• Supporting spectators can track your blue dot moving along the course from home or at the race site.
• NearMe proximity alerts notify spectators when you are drawing near.
• Find each other using RaceJoy’s MeetUp tool.

Send-a-Cheer

• Receive fun, motivational audio cheers from your supporting fans.
• Start sending cheers to others doing the race at any time.

The Cook Medical Beat the Heat 5K Virtual Races is sponsoring RaceJoy to provide participants and spectators these features for free (normally a 99 cents upgrade fee for both the participant and spectator).