Sun, Dec 20, 2026

Reindeer Run 5K & Kids 1/2 Mile

Rochester, NY

Registration openAnnual since at least 2014

Entry is $33 now and rises to $38 after Sep 29, 2026, so registering before then saves $5.

About the Reindeer Run 5K & Kids 1/2 Mile

The course starts outside Blue Cross Arena in downtown Rochester, which gives the start area a big-venue feel even for a short race. A kids' dash runs after the main wave, so families tend to stick around past the finish. There is also a virtual option if you want to run your own route on your own schedule.

Packet pickup runs across two days before the race at Fleet Feet at The Armory, a local running store. The organizers are clear that picking up early keeps race-morning lines short. If you do wait, there is a brief race-day pickup window at the arena before the start.

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Finish-Time Stats

Going by the 2025 results, this is a decent-sized field, and the spread of finish times is wide, so this is a mostly recreational race rather than one for club runners.

5K · 2025 results

609finishers

14:57winner

31:11median

1:04:27cutoff

Top 3: Nick Bauman (14:57) · Will Goodness (15:29) · Tyler Fischer (15:53)

· 2025 results

84finishers

3:40winner

5:52median

9:35cutoff

Top 3: C. Miller (3:40) · R. Kirchhoff (3:49) · R. Allen (3:50)

The Reindeer Run 5K & Kids 1/2 Mile has been held every year since at least 2014. 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

5K12/20/2026 08:30$33

5K12/20/2026 08:00$30

In Person Kids 1/2 Mile12/20/2026 09:20$15

Virtual Kids 1/2 Mile12/20/2026 08:00$15

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

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Common Questions About the Reindeer Run 5K & Kids 1/2 Mile

Will I finish last at the Reindeer Run 5K & Kids 1/2 Mile?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 31:11, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:04:27, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Reindeer Run 5K & Kids 1/2 Mile a good first 5K?

A field of 609 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 5K, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the Reindeer Run 5K & Kids 1/2 Mile?

The 5K winner ran 14:57 while the median finisher took 31:11. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.