She Runs by the Seashore

I’m the kind of person that likes to wait until after Thanksgiving to start thinking about Christmas — or at least before celebrating Christmas — but when it comes to races, it’s good to have some notice. The Christmas-, holiday- and winter-themed races are starting soon, and here’s a roundup of some local ones to the Delmarva area, in order of when they’re happening.

OCMD Winterfest of Lights Jingle Bell 5K Run: Check out the Winterfest of Lights in Ocean City, Maryland, on foot at the OCMD Winterfest of Lights Jingle Bell 5K in an evening run on Sunday, Dec. 7. The race begins at 5 p.m. at Northside Park at 125th Street in Ocean City, according to an online race registration form.

It’s $28 for participants age 13 and older, and $23 for those ages 12 and younger, according to the registration form. An online flier says “fees are subject to increase on race day,” so if you want to sign up before then, online registration is available here. You can also mail in the form linked in the previous paragraph.

People can pick up their race packets at the Abbey Burger Bistro in Ocean City, right by Northside Park at 12601 Coastal Highway (turn off the main road), on race day from 3:30-4:40 p.m., the registration form states.

Participants will also get to enjoy hot cocoa and cookies, and will be able to take a trip on the Winterfest Express, according to the race event page.

People can also bring toys to donate for Toys for Tots.

Learn more about the event here.

Reindeer Run 5K Run/Walk or 10K Run: Dancer and Prancer and Comet and Vixen — and Runner? The Richard A. Henson Family YMCA in Salisbury is hosting the Reindeer Run 5K Run/Walk or 10K Run on Saturday, Dec. 13.

The race kicks off from the YMCA, which is at 715 S. Schumaker Drive in Salisbury, Maryland, at 8 a.m. according to the race flier.

The cost is currently $25 for the 5K and $35 for the 10K. After Dec. 6, costs go up for each race by $5, according to the flier. Registration is available at Active.com.

The race benefits the Strong Kids Campaign. Here’s an online flier about the 2014 Strong Kids Campaign, if you want to learn more.

For more information, go here.

Share the Holiday Spirit 5K Run/Walk: At the Share the Holiday Spirit 5K Run/Walk, set for Saturday, Dec. 13, at Silver Lake Park in Dover, Delaware, you could not only win an award for your speed, but also for your good-looking and/or delicious cookies.

That’s according to the entry form for the race, which begins at 10 a.m., with a Kiddie K preceding it for free at 9:50 a.m. It’s held in memory of Laura Gondeck, the race website states.

Registration is $20 through Dec. 6, and $25 afterward, the entry form states. Race-day registration kicks off at 9 a.m.

If someone collects $100 in donations for Delaware Guidance Services for Children & Youth, race registration is free, according to the form. Delaware Guidance Services for Children & Youth will benefit from the event.

Bring food donations for local homeless shelters, too, the website states.

Mail-in the entry form or register online.

Learn more here, at the TriSports Charitable Events website.

Santa Chase: Run the luminary-lit Santa Chase the night of Saturday, Dec. 13, at Martinak State Park in Denton, Maryland. Runners and walkers will travel two miles beginning at 7:30 p.m., according to the online registration form.

Ahead of race day, it’s $15 to participate, $20 for a runner with his or her dog and $50 for a group of four, the form states. For the group, register via mail or at the Caroline County Recreation & Parks office at 107 S. 4th St. in Denton. On race day, it’s $20 for a runner to participate, and registration runs from 6-7:25 p.m.

The registration form can be mailed in, or online registration is available here.

Benefiting from the race are the vision-related efforts of Lions International and the Denton and Ridgely clubs, along with the pet pantry for the Caroline County Humane Society, the registration form states.

People will be honored both for speed and for unique costumes.

To take part in Santa’s Magic Workshop beforehand from 4-7 p.m., bring cash to donate to the Caroline County Humane Society or a canned food for St. Martin’s Barn Food Pantry, according to the registration form.

The park is at 137 Deep Shore Road in Denton.

For more information, go here, and check out the link with the registration form for details.

Snowball 5K Run: This one isn’t exactly holiday-themed, but it is winter-themed, so it gets to be a part of the list. The Snowball 5K Run is set for 10 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 14, with runners starting the race at Cape Henlopen State Park’s fishing pier, according to the event page on the Seashore Striders website.

If you register for the race — the park is in Lewes, Delaware — by Friday, Dec. 12, the cost is $20, and that goes up to $25 for those who register the day of the race from 9-9:50 a.m., the website states.

Online registration is available here. The race aids the Sussex County Needy Family Fund, the website states, and people are encouraged to bring canned foods for people in need.

For a map or more information, go here, to the Seashore Striders event page.

Surfin’ Snowman 5-Miler & Santa’s Helper 2-Mile Family Run/Walk Challenge: The Surfin’ Snowman 5-Miler & Santa’s Helper 2-Miler Family Run/Walk Challenge is set for noon on Saturday, Dec. 27.

Run just after Christmas and benefit the Bethany Beach Volunteer Fire Company and Justin’s Beach House in Bethany Beach, Delaware, according to the race website.

Through Nov. 30, the cost is $35 to sign up for the 5-miler and $30 to sign up for the 2-miler, the race website states. That cost goes up by $5 for each race through Christmas Eve ($40 and $35, respectively), and then for the last few days, it increases by another $5 ($45 and $40, respectively).

Online registration is available here.

People can pick up their packets on Friday, Dec. 26, from 3-8 p.m., although a place for that has not been announced yet, the website states. Race-day registration and packet pickup runs from 10-11:45 a.m. at Baja Beach House Grill, 109 Garfield Parkway, Bethany Beach. The website says it’s required for participants to be at the Bethany Bandstand for the pre-race meeting at 11:45 a.m. on race day.

The start of both events is at Garfield Parkway and Atlantic Avenue in Bethany Beach. And you’ll also get to enjoy hot cocoa at the end, according to the website.

For maps and more information, visit the event website.

I’ll be resting up following the Rehoboth Beach Seashore Marathon on Dec. 6, and I’m not planning to do any other races during December. Have fun if you choose to run one of these holiday- or snow-themed races, and good luck!