Fri, Dec 11, 2026

2026 YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K and One Mile Elf Run/Walk

Frederick, MD

Registration openAnnual since at least 2020

10K5K1 Mile10K5K

Entry is $16 now and rises to $20 after Jul 29, 2026, so registering before then saves $4.

About the 2026 YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K and One Mile Elf Run/Walk

The courses run out and back along Shifferstadt Boulevard from Monocacy Village Park, with the longer distance doing a couple of laps while the short Elf Run heads toward Mohican Drive and back. The park sits in a neighborhood setting, and the holiday costume crowd gives the start line a different energy than your average weekend morning.

Packet pickup happens at the Downtown YMCA on North Market Street across several days before the race, and same-day pickup is not offered, so plan ahead. Parking at the park lot is reserved for staff, but street parking on Delaware Road and the roads nearby fills the gap. Snacks and water are at the pavilion after you finish, and vendors set up there as well.

Free race emails

Get the Weekly RunSesh

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

3.1 Miles · 2025 results

368finishers

16:51winner

35:40median

1:16:30cutoff

Top 3: Jonah Smith (16:51) · Patrick Klein (18:57) · Chris Burgenson (19:00)

6.2 Miles · 2025 results

189finishers

35:19winner

59:55median

1:38:09cutoff

Top 3: Daveen Bavari (35:19) · Jesse Henderson (36:33) · Jesse Magolon (37:36)

The 2026 YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K and One Mile Elf Run/Walk has been held every year since at least 2020. 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 3.1 Miles 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

6.2 Miles12/12/2026 09:00$29

3.1 Miles12/12/2026 09:15$29

1 Mile12/12/2026 08:30$16

10K12/11/2026 09:00$29

5K12/11/2026 09:00$29

1 Mile12/11/2026 09:00$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

Traveling for this race? The map shows hotels and rentals in and around Frederick — 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 2026 YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K and One Mile Elf Run/Walk

Will I finish last at the 2026 YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K and One Mile Elf Run/Walk?

Almost certainly not. Half the 3.1 Miles field finished slower than 35:40, and the last recorded finisher came in around 1:16:30, so there is a long tail of runners behind the middle of the pack. Most fields are far slower than people expect.

Is the 2026 YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K and One Mile Elf Run/Walk a good first 3.1 Miles?

A field of 368 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 3.1 Miles, that spread matters more than the winner's time.

How competitive is the 2026 YMCA Santa Run 5K/10K and One Mile Elf Run/Walk?

The 3.1 Miles winner ran 16:51 while the median finisher took 35:40. That spread points to a broad, mostly recreational field rather than a race dominated by club runners.