Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to top December races! Here we spotlight best bets & hidden gems to help you end the racing year on a high note.
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NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the following list includes only events that are now taking registrations for an in-person race.
🏆 = Top Rated (Overall rating of at least 4.7 across 10+ reviews)
- December Marathons
- December Half Marathons
- December Ultra Marathons
- December Other Distances
- December International Races
December Marathons
Millinocket Marathon
Dec 2; Millinocket, ME
Marathon, half marathon
Free event created to support a struggling mill town
Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon
Dec 2; Rehoboth Beach, DE
Marathon, half marathon
Lovely coastal scenery & an unbeatable post-race party
St. Jude Memphis Marathon
Dec 2; Memphis, TN
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Feel-good race day benefits the courageous kids of St. Jude
BMW Dallas Marathon Festival
Dec 8–10; Dallas, TX
50K, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, half marathon relay, 10K, 5K
Cowboy up at The Ultimate Race Weekend 🤠
Holloman Ace of Races Marathon
Dec 9; Alamogordo, NM
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Inaugural run hosted by Holloman Air Force Base
Hoover Dam Marathon
Dec 9; Boulder City, NV
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Road/trail hybrid overlooks Lake Mead & Hoover Dam
Kiawah Island Marathon
Dec 9; Kiawah Island, SC
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Golfers & grandeur galore at this “quaint little island race”
Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon (above)
Dec 9–10; Biloxi, MS
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Flat beachfront point-to-point on the Gulf of Mexico
Palm Beaches Marathon
Dec 9–10; West Palm Beach, FL
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Palm-lined waterfront gem 💎 boasts an A+ swag bag
Rocket City Marathon
Dec 9–10; Huntsville, AL
Marathon, marathon relay, back half marathon, front half marathon, 10K, 5K
AL’s top marathon hits the highlights of historic Huntsville
Tucson Marathon
Dec 10; Oracle, AZ
50K, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon
Downhill desert BQ gets a fresh start under new ownership
👉 Or search for more December marathons
December Half Marathons
Fayetteville Half
Dec 2; Fayetteville, AR
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Rolling loop starts & finishes on the Univ. of Arkansas campus
Wilmington Historic Half
Dec 2; Wilmington, NC
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Over 3 bridges & ’round the lake, to Riverfront Park we go
Huntersville Half
Dec 8–9; Huntersville, NC
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Charlotte holiday tradition includes two on-course challenges
Helen Holiday Half
Dec 9; Helen, GA
Half marathon, 10K
Newbie-friendly trail run in a charming Bavarian-style village
Pigeon Forge Half
Dec 9; Pigeon Forge, TN
Half marathon, half marathon relay, 5K
Family fun near Dollywood & Great Smoky Mountains NP
Islamorada Half
Dec 9–10; Islamorada, FL
Half marathon, 10K, 5K, beer mile
Oceanside tour of the Florida Keys starts with sunrise 🌅
Florida Holiday Distance Classic
Dec 10; Madeira Beach, FL
Half marathon, 10K
Beach to ‘burbs, Santa brings holiday cheer to Greater Tampa
Foot Traffic Holiday Half
Dec 10; Portland, OR
Half marathon, 10 miler, 10K, 5K
‘Tis the season for carolers, costumes & Freddi the Yeti
Jingle Bell Half
Dec 10; Haverhill, MA
Half marathon, 5K
Good tidings & rolling hills at “the merriest run in Massaschusetts”
Santa to the Sea Half
Dec 10; Oxnard, CA
Half marathon, quarter marathon, 5K
Festive seaside nonprofit supports a great “Claus”
👉 Or search for more December half marathons
December Ultra Marathons
New River Gorge Trail Festival Winter Edition
Dec 2; Fayetteville, WV
50K, half marathon
“Wild & wonderful” exploration of America’s newest National Park
Deception Pass 50K & 25K
Dec 9–10; Oak Harbor, WA
50K, 25K
Rugged coastline, dramatic bluffs & breathtaking bridge views
Paramount Ranch Trail Runs
Dec 16; Agoura Hills, CA
50K, marathon, 30K, half marathon, 10K
Holiday loops thru a historic Hollywood Western movie set
(Registration opens Sept 1)
Across the Years
Dec 28–Jan 3; Phoenix, AZ
Last Runner Standing, 6 days, 72 hr, 48 hr, 24 hr, 12 hr, 6 hr, 200 miler, 100 miler, marathon
Year-end celebration challenges runners to push their limits
Run Undead Ultra Trail Party
Dec 31; Pelham, AL
100 miler, 100K, 50 miler, 50K, 25K
Round-the-clock New Year’s revelry on a 5-mile loop 🧟
👉 Or search for more December ultra marathons
December Other Distances
A Charlie Brown Christmas 5K & 10K
Dec 2 (Houston, TX), Dec 16 (Dallas, TX; Los Angeles, CA)
10K, 5K
Officially licensed holiday romp with the Peanuts gang
NYRR Ted Corbitt 15K
Dec 2; New York, NY
15K
Central Park tour pays tribute to the late distance-running pioneer
Savannah Bridge Run
Dec 2; Savannah, GA
15K challenge, 10K, 5K
Cross that bridge when you get to it—once, twice, even thrice
Space Force T-Minus 10-Miler
Dec 9; Cape Canaveral, FL
10 miler
Launch a late-season PR in the home of the U.S. space program
👉 Or search for more December races of other distances
December International Races
Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon 🇸🇬
Dec 2–3; Singapore
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Urban World Athletics Gold Label Race brings the heat
Angkor Wat International Half 🇰🇭
Dec 3; Siem Reap, Cambodia
Half marathon, 10K, 5K, 3K
Awe-inspiring temples in the world’s largest religious structure
Run Barbados Marathon Weekend 🇧🇧
Dec 9–10; Benab, Barbados
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
The Caribbean’s most popular marathon marks its 40th year
Pisa Marathon 🇮🇹
Dec 17; Pisa, Italy
Marathon, half marathon
Lean into this speedy circuit & finish beneath the iconic Tower
Portsmouth Coastal Waterside Marathon 🇬🇧
Dec 17; Portsmouth, United Kingdom
50K, marathon, half marathon
Waterfront run “sail”ebrates the home of the Royal Navy
👉 Or search for more December international races
Looking for more great races across the U.S. and around the world? Check out our Featured Races for:
Looking for more running events? Search for races by state/city or month, and try our handy Find a Race tool to search for events by name, date range, distance, location, terrain & more. Then sign up for a free account to build your wish list and start coloring in your 50 States Map!
Author: Mike Sohaskey
Mike Sohaskey is the co-founder of RaceRaves, the premier online reviews community for runners to share their race experiences and find their next challenge. Mike honed his creative and critical thinking skills as a research scientist, earning a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Stanford. He’s also completed over 100 races — including 50+ marathons and ultras — in locations ranging from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
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And for more helpful articles, check out our blog!
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