Ho Ho 5k

Ho Ho 5k is run in Portland, Oregon, on December 6, 2026, with a single 5K starting at 9:00 a.m. One distance, one start time, one loop of the morning: the format keeps things simple in a month when most people are trying to hold on to their routine rather than build it.

Portland in December means you should plan for rain as much as for cold. A cap with a brim and a light shell will do more for your comfort than an extra layer underneath, and shoes with some tread help on wet pavement and painted lines. As for the effort itself, 3.1 miles is short enough to run near your limit if you have been training, and forgiving enough to walk part of if you have not. Runners aiming for a time should warm up for ten to fifteen minutes, because a cold 5K is won in the first half mile.