Race Report: Santa Made Me Do It

Today, I will be recapping the Santa Made Me Do It race hosted by The First Mile. This race is held as part of the Bethlehem Christmastown Festival There were two road race and walk options for the event: a 5k run and a 2 mile walk; I participated in the 5k run.

Course Map

Date: 6 December, 2025

Town: Bethlehem, CT, USA

Distance: 5km

Conditions: It was a cold wintry morning for the 2025 race, with about an inch of snow on the ground. It was 28F when the race started. It was snowing lightly when the race began but that soon ended and the sky was overcast for the rest of the run. It was not particularly windy.

Parking: There was ample parking at the Bethlehem Fairgrounds, but I found that the parking was arranged with very few gaps for cars to enter or exit. That made leaving the race more challenging. Participants and festival attendees alike were transported to the Town Green via school bus.

Check In: Very smooth with no line. The race swag included a cotton tee shirt and a Christmas ornament, which was inconvenient because all runners had to leave their cars at the Fairgrounds over a mile away. There was no bag check, but a volunteer told me that I could leave my shirt and ornament in the gazebo on the Town Green. When I returned after the race to retrieve my items, they were gone! I have never had anything stolen at a race before so I am glad it was just some race swag.

Course Description: This was an out-and-back road race with a few rolling hills. The course was well-marshalled and easy to follow. The light snow did add a slippery element to the run.

The race started with a short downhill along the town green, then a hairpin turn to proceed back up the little green and into the rural residential areas where the rest of the course would lead us. There were beautiful views in the second mile of some snowy farmlands, plus a photo op with horses in the distance.

Afterparty: There were plenty of packaged snacks, including fruit gummies and granola bars. I had somewhere to be after the race so I grabbed a bottle of water and hightailed it back to the shuttle bus.