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The NCANA Run for Joy 5K

calendar_today 24 Oct, 2026

directions_run Running

language Official Website

sell $25.00 – $30.00

The NCANA Run for Joy 5K

About the Event

The NCANA Run for Joy is a 5K race that supports mental health advocacy and wellness for health care trainees. Mental health issues and suicide are becoming increasingly common among health care trainees and providers.  Training programs are usually very rigorous, caring for patients is stressful, and those who care for others often feel that they can’t or shouldn’t admit that they need care themselves. Unfortunately, there is often a stigma associated with mental illness, and trainees may feel that admitting that they struggle could damage their careers.

   

Run for Joy seeks to combat this stigma and support the mental wellness of heath care trainees. Proceeds from the race help finance initiatives that enhance mental wellness and provide support for those needing mental health services. Donations and race proceeds are managed by Run for Joy, Inc, a charitable organization established for this purpose. Run for Joy was started after the tragic death of Katelyn Joy Beardsley. Katelyn was a vibrant young woman who brought immense joy to everyone who knew her. She had a strong love for God and for people.  She was unapologetically authentic and could sit with people in their deepest sadness or laugh with them in their highest joys. Katelyn actively counseled and encouraged many others in the midst of their depression, and we know lives were preserved because of her.  Katelyn also loved running, which was her favorite way to combat her own depression and anxiety.  In the summer of 2018, Katelyn enrolled in the Nurse Anesthesia program at Wake Forest University School of Medicine to fulfill her life-long dream of becoming a CRNA.  Unfortunately, that dream was never realized.  On June 11, 2020, two months prior to graduation, Katelyn died by suicide. We will never know all the things that led to this tragic end to such a beautiful life.  Because Katelyn was high functioning and upbeat, no one saw this coming.  Data show that many others are struggling like Katelyn. Run for Joy seeks to bring help and awareness to this critical situation.   

Issue: Mental health advocacy and wellness for health care trainees 

Races Offered

5K

Oct 24, 2026

straighten

Distance — 3.1 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

09:00

sell

$30.00

Virtual 5K

Oct 24, 2026

straighten

Distance — 3.1 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

09:00

sell

$25.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for October in Winston Salem.

thermostat Temperature
10.1° / 21.4°
wb_sunny Feels like
7.9° / 19.3°
light_mode Avg sunshine hours
9h 29m
water_drop Avg rainfall
0.8 mm
ac_unit Avg snowfall
—
air Avg wind speed
10.1 km/h (Light breeze)
opacity Sweat loss rate
Moderate
terrain Course conditions
Firm and slightly soft
sunny Max UV Index
Moderate (4.0)
humidity_mid Humidity
68.5%
wb_twilight Sunrise
07:28
nightlight Sunset
18:43

About Winston Salem

Learn more about the host city, Winston Salem.

Scenic view of

Winston-Salem is a city in Forsyth County, North Carolina, United States, and its county seat. It is the fifth-most populous city in North Carolina and 91st-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 249,545 at the 2020 census. The Winston-Salem metropolitan area has an estimated 705,000 residents, making it the fourth-largest metropolitan area based in North Carolina. It is the second-most-populous city in North Carolina's Piedmont Triad region, home to about 1.7 million residents.

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Hotels & Places to Stay

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Race Results

Official finishing times from previous editions of The NCANA Run for Joy 5K.

Place Name Time
🥇 Caroline Hentzen —
🥈 Sarah Sellers —
🥉 Blake Sellers —
4 Dustin Carr —
5 Justin Coache —

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