The final full weekend of holiday racing wrapped up December 20–21, giving Houston-area runners one last chance to lace up in festive gear before the calendar flips to a new year. From Galveston’s coastal miles to classic local holiday staples, it was a busy and competitive sendoff to the season.
At Santa Hustle Galveston, runners took on the island breeze across multiple distances. In the half marathon, Jason Hollander led the men with a strong 1:20:51, followed closely by Andrew Pollard (1:21:39) and David Lopez-Cepero (1:24:18). On the women’s side, Melissa Bittick claimed the win in 1:34:29, with Aria Sosa (1:38:28) and Riley Schick (1:38:29) finishing nearly stride for stride. The shorter races were just as fast, highlighted by a tight men’s 5K where Spencer Steadmand and Connor Graham both clocked 14:17, edging out Zachariah Wrobel. Candice Alfaro topped the women’s 5K in 14:59.
The Candy Cane Course delivered another festive showdown. In the 12K, Michael Maynard took the men’s win, while Isabel Woelfel led the women. The 5K races saw David Strack (18:36) and Sabrina Wong (21:18) earn top honors.
Downtown, Houston’s 12K of Christmas brought the holiday season to a close in classic fashion. Michael Archie (41:17) and Lacie Bedwell (52:35) won the men’s and women’s 12Ks, while Joshua Lim and Brooke Smith led the 6K fields. The event also featured handcycle divisions, with Roland Sanders and Erika Perez earning victories.
As the final round of holiday races fades into memory, Houston runners now turn their focus toward the new year, and whatever miles 2026 has in store. To find your next race, visit http://www.houstonrunner.com/races.
