Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to December races! Here we spotlight year-end best bets & hidden gems to help you finish 2024 strong.
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🏆 = 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
Space Coast Marathon
Dec 1; Cocoa, FL
Marathon, half marathon
Florida’s longest-running marathon boasts stellar swag
Four Corners Quad Keyah Marathon
Dec 5–8; AZ, CO, NM, UT
Marathon, half marathon
Conquer four states in four days on the Navajo Nation
Jacob Wells 3 Bridges Marathon
Dec 7; Little Rock, AR
Marathon
Low-key gem 💎 follows the Arkansas River Trail
Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon
Dec 7; Rehoboth Beach, DE
Marathon, half marathon
Coastal wetlands, maritime forests & an A+ after-party
St. Jude Memphis Marathon
Dec 7; Memphis, TN
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Run inspired to support the courageous kids of St. Jude
BCS Marathon
Dec 8; College Station, TX
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon
Flat, well-supported loop includes the Texas A&M campus
BMW Dallas Marathon Festival
Dec 13–15; Dallas, TX
50K, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, half marathon relay, 8K, 5K, 1 miler
Shining star showcases the best of Big D
Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon (above)
Dec 14–15; Biloxi, MS
Marathon, half marathon, 5K, beer mile, beer mile relay
Miles of white-sand beaches along the Gulf of Mexico
Rocket City Marathon
Dec 14–15; Huntsville, AL
Marathon, marathon relay, front half marathon, back half marathon, 10K, 5K
High-flying 50 States favorite features an indoor arena finish
Hawaii Bird Conservation Marathon
Dec 15; Volcano, HI
Marathon
BQ-friendly downhill thru Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park
👉 Or search for more December marathons
December Half Marathons
Fayetteville Half
Dec 7; Fayetteville, AR
Half marathon, 10K, 5K, 1K
Rolling loop course starts & finishes on the U of A campus
OUC Orlando Half
Dec 7; Orlando, FL
Half marathon, 5K
The City Beautiful flaunts its non-Disney side
Santa Hustle Race Series
Dec 7–22; 8 states
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Santa-size celebration delivers good tidings & holiday cheer
Wilmington Historic Half
Dec 7; Wilmington, NC
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
NC’s best half features 3 bridges & a riverwalk finish
Foot Traffic Holiday Half
Dec 8; Portland, OR
Half marathon, 15K, 10K, 5K
Festive yuletide out-and-back starring Freddi the Yeti
Nittany Valley Half
Dec 8; State College, PA
Half marathon
Hilly Penn State-centric race day marks its 40th running
Holiday Half Pomona
Dec 14–15; Pomona, CA
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Seasonal celebration starts & finishes on an NHRA dragstrip
Naptown Half
Dec 14; Annapolis, MD
Half marathon, 10K
Rolling tour of Maryland’s quaint, colonial capital city
(Registration opens Aug 13)
Run Laughlin Half
Dec 14; Laughlin, NV
Half marathon, 12K, 5K
Mojave Desert delight spans two states & two time zones
Mount Dora Half
Dec 21–22; Mount Dora, FL
Half marathon, 5K
Christmas-themed lakeside run finds the hills in Florida
👉 Or search for more December half marathons
December Ultra Marathons
Loup Garou Trail Run
Dec 7; Ville Platte, LA
100 miler, 60 miler, 40 miler, 20 miler
20-mile loops highlighted by Cajun hospitality 🐺
OTHTC High Desert Ultra
Dec 7; Ridgecrest, CA
50K, 30K
Rolling desert terrain welcomes first-timers & long-timers
Cloudland Canyon Trail Races
Dec 7–8; Rising Fawn, GA
50 miler, 50K, half marathon, 5 miler
1,200 stairs to epic waterfalls & spectacular scenery
Deception Pass 50K & 25K
Dec 14–15; Oak Harbor, WA
50K, 25K
Rugged cliffs, lush forests & breathtaking bridge views
Snowdrop ULTRA 55 Hour Race and Relay
Dec 30; Missouri City, TX
55 hr, 55 hr relay
Earn your 100-mile buckle & support pediatric cancer patients
👉 Or search for more December ultra marathons
December Other Distances
A Charlie Brown Christmas 5K & 10K
Dec 7/14/21; Los Angeles, CA & Dallas/Houston, TX
10K, 5K
Celebrate the season w/officially licensed Peanuts swag
ColderBOLDER
Dec 7; Boulder, CO
5K
“Polar opposite” sister to the beloved BOLDERBoulder 🥶
(Registration opens in Sept)
Savannah Bridge Run
Dec 7; Savannah, GA
Double Pump (10K + 5K) challenge, 10K, 5K
Test your legs with 1, 2, or 3 crossings of the Savannah River
BayPort Credit Union Surf N Santa 5 Miler
Dec 14; Virginia Beach, VA
5 miler
Twilight boardwalk run through the holiday lights
👉 Or search for more December races of other distances
December International Races
Cayman Islands Marathon 🇰🇾
Dec 1; George Town, Cayman Islands
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon
Hot & humid tour of a prosperous Caribbean island
Trinidad Alfonso Valencia Marathon 🇪🇸
Dec 1; Valencia, Spain
Marathon
Speedy urban circuit attracts top elite talent
(Sold out for 2024, plan ahead for 2025)
Volcano Marathon 🇨🇱
Dec 7; Pucón, Chile
Marathon, half marathon
Challenging 4,300-ft climb up to an active volcano
Pisa Marathon 🇮🇹
Dec 15; Pisa, Italy
Marathon, half marathon
Iconic tower’s hometown race celebrates its 25th anniversary
Muang Thai Chiang Mai Marathon 🇹🇭
Dec 22; Chiang Mai, Thailand
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 3K
Thailand’s second-largest city rolls out the red carpet
👉 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 completed over 120 races — including 60+ marathons and ultras plus all six Abbott World Marathon Majors — in locations ranging from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
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And for more helpful articles, check out our blog!
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