Rockin Santa Half Marathon & Sunshine Santa 5K
Knoxville, TN
- Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
Get into the holiday spirit with the Rockin Santa Half Marathon & Sunshine Santa 5K at Victor Ashe Park in Knoxville, TN. Events benefit the Sunshine Ambassadors, enriching the lives of people with disabilities through dance! Christmas Rock-n-Roll music will abound from Victor Ashe Park and along the routes. … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Dec 13):
| 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
| H (°F) | 59 | 48 | 57 | 57 | 55 |
| L (°F) | 31 | 27 | 29 | 33 | 26 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Fun Winter Half
This is great motivation to get up and get going on a cold morning. The three loops are kind of a count down sort of thing to me. Production was … MORE
This is great motivation to get up and get going on a cold morning. The three loops are kind of a count down sort of thing to me. Production was terrific as usual.
Really Nice Local Race
Second year in a row for me. 20 minutes away from home. Benefits the Sunshine Ambassadors - “Enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities through dance”. 5 stars overall because … MORE
Second year in a row for me. 20 minutes away from home. Benefits the Sunshine Ambassadors – “Enriching the lives of individuals with disabilities through dance”. 5 stars overall because it does well what it sets out to do.
Plenty of parking, great covered packet pickup the evening before and morning of (generous pre and post race snacks, coffee, coke, and water). Nice course of three loops around Victor Ashe Park. Good communication, aid stations with water, gatorade, and some snacks staffed by friendly volunteers. Heated restrooms along with portapotties – I didn’t see any long lines.
The weather was nice for December again. Blue skies with high clouds moving in, 28 at the start and low 50s 2+ hours later. Nice hill on the stick of the lollipop loop, near the end. Great police support (the stick is outside the park, I like looking at the houses).
The swag this year was a hooded long sleeve thin cotton shirt and a nice medal. Some ambassadors did a three set performance before the start and handed out medals. Great pics posted the next day. What’s not to enjoy about this? And, it makes it much easier to get out for a long run on a cold day. See you next year hopefully.
Pleasant Half Marathon
This was about 20 minutes away for me. 3 laps of a lollipop loop around Victor Ashe Park. The 2022 weather was clear, 38 at the start, and a breeze … MORE
This was about 20 minutes away for me. 3 laps of a lollipop loop around Victor Ashe Park. The 2022 weather was clear, 38 at the start, and a breeze on and off.
The course had pleasant scenery which was helped by a clear day after weeks of rain and clouds. I enjoyed looking at the park and some interesting old houses along the way. My watch had total ascent of 700 ft.
The course was well marked and monitored, aid stations seemed very sufficient, spaced and staffed with great volunteers.
There were 113 half marathon finishers, the race started at 9:00 which made for nice light and warmer temperatures. The 5k started at 9:15.
Swag was a sweatshirt, santa hat, and ornament with the race on it, and age group placers got a nice mug.
Definitely a very nice race and good way to get outside on a cold day when I would have tended to stay inside and to keep my training run distance down.
Nice small race with some swag
Race starts/ends in a city park with restooms. There are also portapots. Mainly on asphalt road/trail and cement sidewalk one very small section on grass. Plenty of water/aid stops. Three … MORE
Race starts/ends in a city park with restooms. There are also portapots. Mainly on asphalt road/trail and cement sidewalk one very small section on grass. Plenty of water/aid stops. Three loop course with some hills. Miles are not marked. Nice refreshments afterwards. Half marathoners get longsleeve shirt, medal, santa hat and gloves. See attached. Race results posted fast and can get awards right after completion of race. Free photos posted about a week after race.