Sun, Dec 6, 2026
Gloucester, MA
Entry is $29 now and rises to $39 after Aug 31, 2026, so registering before then saves $10.
The course runs along the coastline, so ocean views stay with you for most of the half marathon. The 5K follows the same general area. Both routes feel like a waterfront run rather than a park loop, with the smell of salt air and open sky overhead. Holiday costumes are common in the field, and the finish has seasonal treats waiting.
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Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, with a competitive front end and a big recreational middle.
13.1 Miles · 2025 results
Top 3: Andy Nunez (1:17:53) · Berk Ozturk (1:19:20) · Danny White (1:21:41)
3.1 Miles · 2025 results
Top 3: Dustin Weigl (16:45) · Jacob Zapatka (18:12) · James Blum (19:59)
The Happy Holidays Half MerryThon & 5K Race has been held every year since at least 2013. That is as far back as RunSignup's records for this race go, so it may well be older.
Enter a finish time to see where it lands against the most recent 13.1 Miles results.
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.
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Almost certainly not. Half the 13.1 Miles field finished slower than 2:04:40, and the last recorded finisher came in around 2:58:55, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.
A field of 356 is big enough that you will have company at your pace without feeling lost in a crowd. There is no qualifying time, and the finish-time spread above shows how varied the field really is. If it is your first 13.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.
The 13.1 Miles winner ran 1:17:53 while the median finisher took 2:04:40. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.
