Jingle Hills Run

Jingle Hills Run takes place in Bel Air, Maryland, on December 12, 2026. One race is listed: 3.5 miles (5.6 km), starting at 8:00 AM. The distance sits between a 5K and a 5-miler, which makes it a slightly unusual and rather satisfying thing to race.

Because 3.5 miles is longer than the 5K most runners are calibrated for, the trap is pacing it like one and fading in the final half mile. Start a few seconds per mile slower than your 5K pace and you should finish strong. The name suggests rolling ground, so be ready to run by effort on the climbs rather than fighting to hold an even split. A month of consistent running with one weekly tempo effort prepares you well, and a proper warm-up before an 8:00 AM December start in Maryland is worth the extra ten minutes.