Sat, Dec 19, 2026

Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k

Auburn, CA

Registration openAnnual since at least 2018

Entry is $30 now and rises to $37 after Nov 30, 2026, so registering before then saves $7.

About the Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k

This one runs through downtown Auburn with a holiday twist: participants pick a side, Team Santa or Team Grinch, so there is a loose rivalry woven into the morning. The course is a standard road distance, open to runners and walkers, and the themed costume element means the crowd on course looks more like a holiday parade than a typical winter race.

There is also a virtual option for anyone who cannot get there in person. Virtual participants complete the distance on their own and submit results through an online portal, with a submission window that stretches from race day through the end of the holiday week.

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Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k 2025 Results

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K Results · 2025

150finishers

19:49winner

38:09median

1:45:44cutoff

Top 3: Jessy Herring (19:49) · Bennett Patterson (20:08) · Dane Wadle (20:49)

The Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k has been held every year since at least 2018. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.

Where Would You Finish?

Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 5K results.

Median

See how your time stacks up nationally →

How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Oct 18, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

5K12/19/2026 09:30$30

VIRTUAL SANTA TEAM12/19/2026 09:00$25

VIRTUAL GRINCH TEAM12/19/2026 09:00$25

Going for a Time?

Set a goal and get a pace band: every mile split on a card sized for your phone lock screen, so race morning needs no math.

Not sure what to aim for? The 5K pace chart lists the pace for every finish time.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k

Will I finish last at the Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 38:09, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:45:44, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k a good first 5K?

It is a small race (150 finishers), which is friendlier and less intimidating than a big-city event, though the field thins out. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Auburn Santa Run/Walk 5k?

The 5K winner ran 19:49 while the median finisher took 38:09. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.