Thu, Dec 3, 2026

Jingle Bell Trot

Trent Woods, NC

Opens Aug 9, 2026Annual since at least 2017

About the Jingle Bell Trot

The course runs down Canterbury Road, which is strung with holiday lights for the event. It is a road race on a residential street, so the surface is flat and the surroundings feel neighborhood-scale. The lights are the main thing: at dusk, the street is lit up the whole way, and that is what draws people back.

Packet pickup the evening before is at Bangert Elementary School, with race-day pickup available as well. Parking is in the school lots, and there is overflow at a nearby park with a short walk in. Pushchairs and running strollers are permitted on the course. Food trucks are set up for before and after the race.

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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

115finishers

18:36winner

32:24median

1:01:36cutoff

Top 3: Dan Henry (18:36) · Henry Rhodes (19:51) · Luke Cowley (21:24)

The Jingle Bell Trot has been held every year since at least 2017. 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

Fun Run/Walk12/3/2026 18:00$25

Fun Run/Walk Bangert Students/Staff12/3/2026 18:00$20

5K12/3/2026 18:30$25

5K12/3/2026 18:30$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.

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Common Questions About the Jingle Bell Trot

Will I finish last at the Jingle Bell Trot?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 32:24, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:01:36, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Jingle Bell Trot a good first 5K?

It is a small race (115 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 Jingle Bell Trot?

The 5K winner ran 18:36 while the median finisher took 32:24. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.