After two years of going virtual, the YMCA Christmas Run is happening in person in 2022!

Maybe 2022 was the year you made a goal of being more active and just started running or walking. You may have never thought about being part of a road race before. With that in mind, it's our pleasure to introduce you to the YMCA Christmas Run, which is part road race and part costume contest. The 39-year-old tradition is the perfect way to end the year for both running newbies and seasoned vets.

Jim Larson via Treasure Valley YMCA
Jim Larson via Treasure Valley YMCA
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We say that because the race offers three different distances that all start from Boise High School. You can take on the challenging six-mile course (there's a big hill on that route,) the mostly flat two-mile route or the one-mile Reindeer Dash. Santa is the official starter on race day!

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Before he rings the bells and starts the race with a big "Merry Christmas" there's a costume contest on the school's stairs and people bring their "A Game" for it. We'll never forget the family that dressed their kids up as reindeer and had them hitched to Santa's sleigh (a red wagon) in 2019. We've also seen someone turn themselves into a carton of egg nog or make a Santa coat out of duct tape.

Treasure Valley YMCA
Treasure Valley YMCA
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Overall distance winners and costume contest winners will receive gorgeous holiday centerpieces from Hillcrest Floral. Age group winners will get a Christmas Run Ornament!

Treasure Valley YMCA
Treasure Valley YMCA
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After the race, you're invited to grab some warm soup from Panera Bread and Life's Kitchen and a bagel from Blue Sky! All of that (plus the fact that the course is NOT on the Greenbelt) makes this race one of our favorites every year!

Want to sign-up? Click HERE to get started. (You get a t-shirt for signing up! The first 1,000 people to pick up their packets get Christmas Run Gloves) Prices go up again on December 11.

Want to Volunteer? The Treasure Valley YMCA is looking for more volunteers for tastks like packet pick-up, caroling on the course, course monitors, finish line duties, working the soup tent, etc. You can sign-up for those duties HERE!

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