Sat, Dec 5, 2026

Santa Made Me Do It

Bethlehem, CT

Registration openAnnual since at least 2017

About the Santa Made Me Do It

The race runs through the Bethlehem Town Green during the town's Christmastown Festival, so the streets are already alive with activity when you finish. The course is a road race, and the start is right in front of Memorial Hall, which puts you in the middle of the holiday crowd from the gun.

Parking is at the fairgrounds up the road, with shuttle buses running to and from the Green throughout the morning. The shuttles keep going after the race, so families can stay and walk around the festival. Packet pickup and day-of registration both happen at the Green before the start.

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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

173finishers

16:32winner

30:13median

50:44cutoff

Top 3: Stephen Fengler (16:32) · Jensen Hurd (17:21) · Connor Donegan (18:07)

The Santa Made Me Do It 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

5K12/5/2026 10:00$30

2 Mile Walk12/5/2026 10:00$30

Kid's Fun Run12/5/2026 09:30Free

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 Santa Made Me Do It

Will I finish last at the Santa Made Me Do It?

Almost certainly not. Half the 5K field finished slower than 30:13, and the last recorded finisher came in around 50:44, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the Santa Made Me Do It a good first 5K?

It is a small race (173 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 Santa Made Me Do It?

The 5K winner ran 16:32 while the median finisher took 30:13. That spread points to a mixed field, with a competitive front and a big recreational middle.