HalfRuns
Mistletoe Run

Mistletoe Run

Race Date

Dec 5, 2026

Location

Winston Salem, NC

Runner Favorite84

The Experience

Join us on Saturday December 5th for the most wonderful run of the year! Registration will open June 1st, 2026! Race Start Times: 1 mile Fun Run: 7:30am | Half Marathon: 8:00am | 5K: 8:15am Kick off the holiday season with our YMCA's largest annual fundraiser, The Mistletoe Run!

The Mistletoe Run is a family-friendly and community-centered event that includes a certified & chip-timed Half Marathon and 5K course! 

We also have a 1 mile Fun Run option, live music, food trucks, vendors, community mascots, local cheerleaders, athletes, donuts at the Finish Line and more. Each 5K and Half Marathon participant receives a long-sleeved custom race shirt and Finisher Medal. Our Fun Run participants receive a Finisher ribbon at the end of their race.  Our Course The Mistletoe Run is a USATF sanctioned course and begins and ends at the William G White Jr Family YMCA in downtown Winston-Salem, NC. Our 5K runners travel through Winston-Salem’s beautiful Buena Vista neighborhood, while the half marathon course will continue through the Graylyn International Conference Center, Reynolda House and Gardens, through Reynolda Village, onto Wake Forest University’s campus, then circle back around to the Y. Our Cause At the YMCA, we believe every child deserves a healthy & active life. We are proud to share that all race proceeds benefit the young people in our community by providing funding for YMCA swim lessons, summer camp, youth sports, before & after school care, teen memberships & more. Our programs build self-confidence, friendships & community while also teaching our young people how to live healthier lives.  The Mistletoe Half Marathon, 5K, and Fun Run is proudly presented by the law firm of Bell, Davis & Pitt.

Logistics

Race Day

Saturday, December 5, 2026

Start Time

8:00 AM

Giveaway

T-Shirt

Start Location

William G White, Jr. Family YMCA, Winston Salem, NC, 27101

Directions

Course Info

USATF Certified

Course Type

Loop Course

Terrain

road

Difficulty

Ultra-Flat

Elevation Gain

0'

Net Drop/km

0 m (Flat)

Separation

0.0%

Also Offers

3.1 Miles1 Miles

USATF Certified Course

NC24011BDS · Mistletoe Half Marathon 2024

Relatively flat with minimal net elevation change. Loop course — start and finish are close together.

Quality Score

Runner Favorite84
Methodology
Heritage20/20

29 years running

Size15/15

~1,360 finishers a year

Momentum5/5

growing or steady

Loyalty20/20

37% returning runners

Course & details10/15

USATF certified · 2 timing sources

National draw9/10

runners from 28 states

Front-pack speed5/5

winner 1:13:19

Weather0/10

typical high 0°F

Race Day Weather

5-year historical avg

Start (Low)

Afternoon (High)

Cool conditions — dress in layers, perfect for fast times

0.0"

Precipitation

0 mph

Wind

0%

Humidity

Historical Finish Times

How 20,054 finishers actually crossed the line across 29 years.

Most recent

2025

Total finishers

20,054

Median time

2:00:46

Latest turnout

766

States

44

10%
25%
75%
90%
0:55p50 median ≈ 1:554:20

Turnout by year

20172025

'17'18'19'21'22'23'24'25
See full results

Hover the histogram to inspect specific finish times.

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