First Run

Celebrate the holiday spirit in the middle of summer at the Christmas in July 5K/10K/Half Marathon! This means Santa is on Vacay!

Come on out and join us at Kiwanis Park in Eugene.This festive race brings all the cheer of the season—without the cold—giving athletes a fun and energetic way to race during the warm summer months.

Whether you’re tackling the 5K, 10K, or Half Marathon, you’ll enjoy a spirited race atmosphere filled with holiday flair, seasonal fun, and motivation from start to finish. Runners and walkers of all levels are welcome to join in the celebration.

All athletes who cross the finish line will receive a custom finisher medal and a spirited, race-themed shirt to commemorate their accomplishment. Awards will be presented to men and women for all three distances to the top finishers in the usual five-year age groups, starting at 10 & Under.

Break out the holiday cheer, lace up your running shoes, and make summer miles merry at the Christmas in July 5K/10K/Half Marathon.

Proceeds

All event proceeds will benefit ShelterCare. ShelterCare is a Eugene/Springfield based nonprofit that provides housing and behavioral health services to individuals and families who are experiencing homelessness, or on the verge of becoming homeless.

General Event Details

On October 18th, ShelterCare will be partnering with Thrill the World Eugene to host a Zombie-themed 5k with 100+ zombies hidden around the Alton Baker race course!

Zombies will not touch you, so please do not touch them. All of our zombies are volunteers. Some zombie makeup may be too scary for young children.

Please no dogs, unless service dogs. We do not want any of our zombie friends to get bitten!

For this event, you may run or walk! We encourage runners to line up towards the front of the start line. Strollers are also welcome, please line up towards the back of the start line. There will be a timing chip in your race bib, which will record your start time and end time as you cross the race line! The course is fully paved!

If you are interested in volunteering at this event, please email us at [email protected]

Race Shirts

Design announced summer 2026!

It's time to celebrate the season - come in costume ready to compete for prizes!

All 5K participants get to decide which direction they want to run on the 5K course - clock-wise or counter-clockwise. All participants start together and then either veer left at the end of the gravel straight, or straight ahead on Day Island Road. Participants will be able to see each other going the opposite direction midway through the course.

If you're doing the 10K, you'll do the 5K loop twice, going in opposite directions each time - you can decide which direction you run first. Yes, there's some strategy involved, and of course fun!