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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