North by North 5k - MD

North by North 5k - MD is run in Bel Air, Maryland, on December 27, 2026. The event has a single format, a 5K (3.1 miles), starting at 8:00 a.m. It is a straightforward race in the quiet week between Christmas and New Year, when most calendars are otherwise empty.

Holiday-week 5Ks are useful precisely because they are short: you can run one hard without disrupting anything else, and it gives your December running a point to aim at. If you want a fast time, get the warm-up right, ten to fifteen minutes of easy jogging and a few strides before the 8:00 a.m. gun, then run the first mile at goal pace instead of ahead of it. If you are just starting out, walk breaks are entirely fine and a 5K is the classic first race for a reason.