The Run Before Christmas - SantaCon 8k 2026
- Date
- Saturday, December 19, 2026
- Start time
- 8:00 AM start (New York)
- Location
- Clinton, New Jersey
- Entry fee
- From $45 · goes up to $50 on Nov 19, 2026
- Fundraising
- Takes optional donations when you register
Registration is open.
We earn a small commission when you register through this link, at no cost to you. Details
Official race websiteAdd to calendar: Apple or Outlook · Google
Events and entry fees
| Event | Distance | When | Entry fee | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8(ish)K | 8K | Dec 19, 20268:00 AM | $45$50 after Nov 19, 2026 | – |
Entry fees exclude processing fees. Prices and dates come from the race's registration page and refresh nightly.
The 8K fee goes up to $50 on Nov 19, 2026.
Race day planning
Entry fee schedule
- $45 until Nov 18, then $50 until Dec 12, then $55 until Dec 19.
Online registration closes Dec 19, 2026, unless the race fills first.
How the price compares
At $45, entry is about 13 percent above a typical 8K in New Jersey, which costs $40 right now.
Light and altitude
Sunrise on race morning is at about 7:18 AM, and the 8(ish)K starts at 8:00 AM. The start sits about 380 feet above sea level.
Fees exclude processing fees. Comparisons use current entry fees and published results from races nearby.
Start location and course
Red Mill Museum Village, Clinton, NJ 08801
The pin marks the address the race lists, which is usually the start. The organizers have not shared a course map with us yet.
2025 results
All results (2 years)Aggregated from official results for The Run Before Christmas - SantaCon 8k. Individual finisher names are not stored here.
How fast do you need to be at The Run Before Christmas - SantaCon 8k?
In 2025, the fastest tenth finished in 30:16 or better, the top quarter in 34:26, and half the field in 39:54; the last tenth came in after 50:06.
| Age | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Under 20 | 35:01 | 29:33 |
| 20-29 | 30:51 | 24:13 |
| 30-39 | 31:37 | 28:34 |
| 40-49 | 34:09 | 26:05 |
| 50-59 | 32:56 | 32:16 |
| 60-69 | 41:51 | 34:47 |
Groups with fewer than five finishers are left out. Awards vary by race; check the race's rules.
What would my time get me?
Where a finish time would have placed in 2025.
Finishers by year
Down 20 percent since 2024.
All events combined, from official results.
The Run Before Christmas - SantaCon 8k 8K year by year
From 2024 to 2025, the field went from 332 to 266 finishers, and the median time dropped from 50:09 to 39:54.
| Year | Finishers | Median | Fastest tenth | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 266 (-20%) | 39:54 | under 30:16 | 22:28 |
| 2024 | 332 | 50:09 | under 39:48 | 30:49 |
From each year's official results for the 8K; virtual options are left out.
How fast is it?
Faster than most New Jersey 8Ks
The fastest quarter of the 2025 8K field finished under 34:26, against 41:25 in a typical New Jersey 8K, so times here run 17 percent faster.
Compares the fastest quarter of each field, so walkers and first-timers do not skew it. It reflects the course and the field together: a flat course, cool weather, or a competitive crowd all make times faster.
Typical race-day weather
Around December 19 the day usually runs from 25°F at dawn to 40°F in the afternoon, with measurable rain on about 23% of days. Cold snaps dip to 15°F and hot years reach 51°F.
Based on 75 days within a week of the date over the last 5 years, from historical weather for the start area. Not a forecast.
Race details
- Where
- Red Mill Museum Village, Clinton, NJ 08801Map
- Course
- Road
- Start elevation
- About 380 feet
- Included with entry
- Holiday Gift
- Donations
- Accepted when you register
- Distances
- 8K
- Editions
- 2026 (Dec 19, 2026), 2025 (Dec 20, 2025), 2024 (Dec 21, 2024)
Organize this race? Add details or a correction
Plan your race
Quick answers
- When is The Run Before Christmas - SantaCon 8k?
- Saturday, December 19, 2026, starting at 8:00 AM.
- How much does it cost?
- Entry starts at $45 before processing fees, and rises to $50 on Nov 19, 2026.
- When does registration close?
- Online registration closes Dec 19, 2026, unless the race fills first.
- Is the entry fee high for New Jersey?
- At $45, entry is about 13 percent above a typical 8K in New Jersey, which costs $40 right now.
- Can I donate to a cause when I register?
- Yes. The registration form offers an optional donation, usually for the charity or nonprofit the race supports. The race's own page names the cause.
- What distances can I run?
- 8K.
- How big is it, and how fast?
- In 2025, 266 runners finished the 8K; the median finish was 39:54 and the winner ran 22:28.
- Is it a fast course?
- The fastest quarter of the 2025 8K field finished under 34:26, against 41:25 in a typical New Jersey 8K, so times here run 17 percent faster.
- Where does it start?
- Red Mill Museum Village, Clinton, NJ 08801.
From the organizers
Twas the Run Before Christmas and all round the town,
the Santas were jogging...nowhere was a frown!
Join us in this Clinton Holiday Tradition - the annual "Run Before Christmas - Santa Con 8k", brought to you by some of the "locals" behind the Main Street Half Marathon of Hunterdon and the Red Mill!
Please note, holiday (Santa) gear requested.