Fortnight Before Christmas

Fortnight Before Christmas is a road event in Cary, North Carolina, on December 12, 2026. Three distances are on the schedule: a 7K (4.3 miles), a 5K (3.1 miles) and a fun mile. The unusual 7K sits just above the familiar 5K, which gives regular runners something slightly different to race without asking for a longer training block.

Short road races in December are useful markers. The 5K tells you where your speed is after the fall, the 7K adds a few minutes of sustained effort that exposes pacing habits, and the fun mile gives kids or first-timers a distance they can finish confidently. If you want a fast 5K, do a couple of sessions at goal pace in the two weeks beforehand and arrive early enough to warm up properly in the cold.