Calling all "dashers" and "prancers!" In the midst of all your running around this holiday season, register now for one of these four, holiday-themed runs – elf and Santa hats welcome. Check out Winston-Salem’s top 5K runs this holiday season – what better way to burn off Turkey Day calories and stay a step ahead of that New Year’s resolution!
Souper 5K at Tanglewood Park – Saturday, Nov. 12
Imagine a million twinkling lights lining the countryside roads of Tanglewood Park creating a LED winter wonderland. Enjoy an exclusive first look at one of the Southeast’s largest holiday light displays when you run (or walk) the Souper 5K Saturday, Nov. 12 at Tanglewood Park’s Festival of Lights (FOL).
A portion of the proceeds benefit the Manna Meals Soup Ministry, which delivers more than 50,000 bowls of hot soup annually to local communities in need.
Registration Cost: Starts at $35 (Day-of registration available, opens at 4 p.m. on Race Day)
Race Start Time: 6 p.m.
To register and/or learn more go to http://jonesracingcompany.com/souper-5k.
Turkey Strut – Thursday, Nov. 24
"Earn your bird" at the 9th Annual Turkey Strut 5K. Get your run (or strut) on Thanksgiving Day before you carve the turkey or sit down for an afternoon of football. One interesting twist to this 5K – turkeys are given to the Top Three Overall Male & Female and Top Three Overall Masters Male & Female. The Turkey Strut is a USA Track & Field (USATF) Certified 5K course and a one-mile fun run/walk. Race participants will run alongside BB&T Field (football home of the Wake Forest Demon Deacons), Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and the Deacon Baseball field. All participants are asked to bring at least three canned goods for the Second Harvest Food Bank and a portion of all registration proceeds supports the food bank.
Online registration closes Tuesday, Nov. 22. Fees begin at $10 for the One-Mile Fun Run and $30 for the 5K route. Same-day race registration is available from 7:30 – 8:30 a.m. on Race Day.
To learn more visit TurkeyStrut.com.
Winston-Salem Mistletoe Run – Saturday, Dec. 3
Whether you’re a fan of running to or away from the mistletoe, the annual Mistletoe Run in Winston-Salem is the unofficial kick-off to the holiday season for runners, novice and veteran. Join more than 2,500 runners decked out in holiday apparel at the 33rd Annual Mistletoe Run in downtown Winston-Salem. The Mistletoe Run offers two races – a 5K, which allows runners to walk, run or jog their way through Winston-Salem’s Buena Vista neighborhood and a half marathon course for more seasoned runners to loop through the Historic West End District, Graylyn Estate, Reynolda Estate, onto the campus of Wake Forest University before circling back downtown. Looking to make it a weekend in Winston-Salem?
Go to VisitWinstonSalem.com/winston-salem-mistletoe-run to find out where to stay and other holiday happenings this weekend.
Running of the Lights – Saturday, Dec. 31
Ring in the New Year on a healthy note! Once the ball drops the race begins! The Running of the Lights 5.5K/1.75-mile fun run, winds through Tanglewood Park’s Festival of Lights – a majestic light show featuring a million lights and consistently rated among the best in the Southeast. Participants can stroll through the Christmas wonderland at whatever pace they choose, and then warm up with hot chocolate at the finish line. Participants and spectators alike countdown to midnight via a Live Feed to New York’s Time Square celebration. To learn more and to register go to RunningOfTheLights.com.