Sat, Dec 19, 2026

Jolliest Bunch of Runners This Side of the Brazos 5K/1K

Waco, TX

Registration openAnnual since at least 2025

Entry is $30 now and rises to $35 after Nov 7, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Jolliest Bunch of Runners This Side of the Brazos 5K/1K

The course runs along the Brazos River, so there is water beside you for much of the route. The shorter distance is untimed and treated as a fun run, while the longer distance is officially timed with age group and masters awards. There is also a costume contest, with a category specifically for the best Griswold family outfit.

Packet pickup the evening before is at a local running store on Franklin Ave. Race-morning pickup is at Indian Spring Park, which is also the start area. Hot cocoa stations are out on the course, and holiday music plays during the run.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

In for this one or still deciding, keep race season near Waco 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, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

· 2025 results

293finishers

18:31winner

35:24:00median

55:13:00cutoff

Top 3: Isaiah Gallegos (18:31) · Noelle Smurawa (18:44) · Katie Messerall (19:46)

The Jolliest Bunch of Runners This Side of the Brazos 5K/1K has been held every year since at least 2025. 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 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

5K - Timed Run/Walk - includes cotton blend short sleeved shirt, guaranteed only if registered by December 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. CST12/19/2026 09:00$35

1K Non-Timed Fun Run/Walk - includes cotton blend short sleeved shirt, guaranteed only if registered by December 9, 2026, 11:59 p.m. CST12/19/2026 08:30$30

Plan Your Trip

Where to Stay

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Waco — 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 Jolliest Bunch of Runners This Side of the Brazos 5K/1K

Will I finish last at the Jolliest Bunch of Runners This Side of the Brazos 5K/1K?

Almost certainly not. Half the race field finished slower than 35:24:00, and the last recorded finisher came in around 55:13:00, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Jolliest Bunch of Runners This Side of the Brazos 5K/1K a good first race?

A field of 293 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 race, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Jolliest Bunch of Runners This Side of the Brazos 5K/1K?

The race winner ran 18:31 while the median finisher took 35:24:00. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.