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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