Tue, Dec 1, 2026

Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle

New Bern, NC

Registration openAnnual since at least 2015

10K5K1 Mile48.6 Miles

Entry is $15 now and rises to $20 after Dec 11, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle

The course runs through downtown New Bern and starts and finishes at Union Point Park on the water. There are options ranging from a short family loop around the park to a longer run that takes you out through the streets of downtown and back. The race benefits Craven Smart Start, which serves young children and families in the area.

Packet pickup runs the evening before at the Craven Smart Start office, with race-morning pickup available at Union Point Park. Age-group awards go several places deep across a wide range of categories for both the shorter and longer distances.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near New Bern on your radar: a Monday look ahead and a Thursday rundown of the weekend's races.

Two helpful emails per week. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a small, friendly field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.

5K · 2025 results

63finishers

17:56winner

32:23median

55:18cutoff

Top 3: William Daniel Arce (17:56) · Aaron Caroon (18:09) · T. Delamar (19:18)

10K · 2025 results

23finishers

34:44winner

59:40median

1:21:07cutoff

Top 3: John Paliotti (34:44) · Arnaud FORTIN (42:20) · Matt Kirk (44:31)

The Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle has been held every year since at least 2015. 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 Jul 27, 2026.

Distances & Start Times

10K12/12/2026 08:00$35

5K12/12/2026 08:15$30

1 Mile12/12/2026 08:45$15

48.6 Miles12/1/2026 00:00$40

10K12/5/2026 00:00$20

5K12/5/2026 00:00$20

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.

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around New Bern — pan or zoom to compare what's nearby.

The map is provided by Stay22. If you book through it, RunSesh may earn a commission at no extra cost to you — it never affects the races we list.

Common Questions About the Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle

Will I finish last at the Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 32:23, and the last recorded finisher came in around 55:18, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle a good first 5K?

It is a small race (63 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 Craven Smart Start Holiday Hustle?

The 5K winner ran 17:56 while the median finisher took 32:23. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.