Lincoln's Jingle Bell Run

Lincoln's Jingle Bell Run is held on December 5, 2026 in Robinson, Illinois. Both events start at 8:00 AM: the 5K race and a 1.6-mile run (2.6 km) for those who want something shorter. It is a small-town road morning, over early enough to leave the rest of the day free.

The 1.6-mile option is an oddity worth using. It is long enough to hurt if you race it and short enough to recover from within a day, which makes it a good speed check before a winter training block. For the 5K, the pacing plan matters more than fitness on the day: settle into a rhythm you could sustain for 20 minutes and only commit in the final third. An 8:00 AM December start also means arriving early enough to warm up indoors or in the car, then jogging a few easy minutes right before the gun.