US Road Running New Year 5K, 10K & 13.1 Harrisburg, PA
Harrisburg, PA
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
All finishers will receive a themed medal. 5K & 10K Course (1.56M)The course is an out-and-back (3.11M)The 5K does the out-and-back one time.The 10K does the out-and-back two times. Half Marathon Course (1.64M)The course is an out-and-back. (3.28M)The Half Marathon does the out-and-back four times. Course Time Limit3 hours and … MORE
Local Historical Weather (Jan 01):
| 2026 | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
| H (°F) | 36 | 48 | 42 | 57 | 55 |
| L (°F) | 19 | 39 | 38 | 42 | 50 |
Find Nearby Lodging (hotel, rental, etc.):
Freaking cold!
I decided to embrace the suck and travel north (from TN) to Harrisburg, PA for this New Years' Day race, hoping for a cold race. Harrisburg did not disappoint. When … MORE
I decided to embrace the suck and travel north (from TN) to Harrisburg, PA for this New Years’ Day race, hoping for a cold race. Harrisburg did not disappoint. When I got out of my car it was 24 degrees. Not the coldest I have run in, but the run was along the river the entire way and winds of probably 30 to 40 mph were blowing the entire morning. The frozen ice flowing river didn’t make the weather colder but it made my brain think it was colder!
It was an out and back loop course. One loop was 5k, two was 10k, three was 15k (according to the turnaround signs), and four laps was a HM. I finished two loops and decided I was only going to do the 15k and so set out on the third lap, pleased as punch that I’d be crossing the Walnut St Bridge only on the out and back portion one more time. It was freaking cold! When I completed my 3rd lap for the 15k and let the race organizers know that I was dropping to the 15k distance they informed me that there was no 15k, only a 5k, 10k and a half marathon. I weakly responded that the turnaround signs indicated a 15k distance as well but I didn’t really care, lol, I just wanted to get back to my car.
So I grabbed my metal, a pack of crackers, water, a banana, and then sprinted down the stairs to my car.
There is ample parking right next to the start/finish line. If you don’t mind walking about ten minutes and then waiting in the cold until the gun time you can stay at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, just across the bridge from City Island. This is where I stayed but parking was so easy that I chose to drive and if I was doing the race again I would stay somewhere cheaper.
The race was small, there were port-a-johns at the start, and since it is a loop race you see them four times. The aid station at the start/finish line was minimal, but did have water and a few basic snacks.
The course was a start near the baseball stadium on City Island, run across the Walnut St. Bridge, then take a left and head up the river, and turn around and come back. It was flat as a pancake, but cold as a well digger’s ass!
Would I do it again? If I was within a few hours driving, yes. Am I glad I drove up from TN to do the race? Yes, because I was able to see Amish country, Valley Forge, Gettysburg, and DC on the trip. And I got to watch the strawberry drop a block in front of the hotel, with fireworks, on New Years’ Eve. But I wouldn’t have made the trip *just* to do that race.
In short, good organization, average snacks and swag, yes to port-a-johns, easy parking, nice hotel nearby. But just really cold, potentially.