Sun, Dec 6, 2026

Ho Ho 5k

Portland, OR

Registration openAnnual since at least 2023

About the Ho Ho 5k

The Ho Ho 5k is a holiday-themed race in Portland that leans into the season hard. Costumes are encouraged, dogs are welcome on course, and the post-race area runs warm with people who dressed up and stuck around. The race also collects canned food, pet food for the humane society, and clothing donations, so showing up with a bag in hand fits right in.

Registration and bib pickup open race morning, so there is no need to make a separate trip the day before. The organizers suggest bringing a change of warm clothes, which makes sense if you plan to hang around after finishing. Ho Hos and Snoballs are at the finish, along with what sounds like a fruitcake with some history behind it.

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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

132finishers

20:50winner

35:21median

58:19cutoff

Top 3: Steve Kerr (20:50) · Joe Schneider (21:01) · Joshua Kellebrew (21:09)

The Ho Ho 5k has been held every year since at least 2023. 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

5K12/6/2026 09:00$40

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.

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Where to Stay

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Common Questions About the Ho Ho 5k

Will I finish last at the Ho Ho 5k?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 35:21, and the last recorded finisher came in around 58:19, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Ho Ho 5k a good first 5K?

It is a small race (132 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 Ho Ho 5k?

The 5K winner ran 20:50 while the median finisher took 35:21. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.

Where can I train for the Ho Ho 5k?

Join a local run club. FoPo Run Club, Portland Running Club, Deadstock Run Club and others in Portland welcome runners of all paces, and a weekly group run is the most reliable way to hold a training block together.