Jingle bell, jingle bell, jingle bell-theme runs everywhere.
The Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis in Little Rock begins at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Clinton Presidential Center, 1200 President Clinton Ave.
Online registration is available through 3 p.m. Friday. The Jingle Bell 5K is $30, the 1 Mile Walk is $25. (Pro tip: Use the code word "jingle" during online registration to receive a $5 discount.) Race-day registration will cost an extra $5.
Don't want to run the race, but still want to participate and support the cause? The Arthritis Foundation invites you to donate $20 but come hang out or stay home to Jingle in Your Jammies.
All registration fees include an event T-shirt, and costumes are encouraged.
Pre-race packet pickup will be 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the Arthritis Foundation, 10 Corporate Hill Drive, No. 220, Little Rock.
Race-day registration and packet pickup begins at 9:15 a.m. Saturday. There will also be pre-race festivities, including a kids zone, pictures with Santa, face painting and, at 10:30 a.m., a group Jazzercise warmup before the race.
The 5K will be chip-timed, and timing chips will not be available for pickup until race day, so organizers ask racers to arrive at least a half-hour early.
Strollers and dogs are welcome during the 5K, but organizers ask that anyone pushing a stroller or running with a dog line up at the back of the pack so as not to interfere with other runners.
Awards will be given for the three fastest runners in the 5K by sex and age group. Awards will also be given for best costume, best dog costume and best fundraiser. All proceeds go to the Arthritis Foundation. More information is at arthritis.org.
For registration and more information, go to jbr.org and search for "Little Rock." (There will be another Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis on Dec. 12 at Lake Fayetteville Park, 1330 Lake Fayetteville Road in Springdale.)
• Jingle Bell Jog 5K and Reindeer Fun Run
9 a.m. Saturday at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, 4703 N. Crossover Road, Springdale. The 5K is $25 and the Reindeer Fun Run (ages 12 and under) is $10. Participants can register as "sleep ins" to support the botanical garden without running and still receive an event T-shirt for $25.
For registration and more information, try bgozarks.org or (479) 750-2620.
• Speedy Santa 5K
8:30 a.m. Saturday at First Baptist Church of Benton, 211 S. Market St., Benton. The 5K is $25 if you register by midnight tonight. Registration Tuesday through race day is $30 and race-day registration and packet pickup will be available 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. Saturday. Awards will be three deep by age group. Event T-shirts are guaranteed; late registrants who don't receive a T-shirt will get a $5 discount. Post-race refreshments and awards will be at the church. For online registration, go to runsignup.com and search for "Speedy Santa 5K in Benton."
• Harvest Run 5K/1M
10 a.m. Saturday at the Bona Dea Trails and Sanctuary, Lake Front Drive off Arkansas Avenue (Arkansas 7), Russellville. The 5K is $25, and the Kids 1 Mile Fun Run is $15. Or you could register as a virtual runner to support the McElroy House and receive a T-shirt without running.
Online registration is at mcelroyharvestrun.com; the phone number is (479) 692-1511.
• Santa Fun Run 5K
8 a.m. Saturday at Rison Baptist Church, 300 E. Magnolia St., Rison. $20 adults, $10 kids. On-site registration begins at 7:15 a.m. Refreshments and pictures with Santa after the race.
For more information, try risonbaptistchurch.net or (870) 325-6358.
• White River Christmas Half Marathon and Relay in Batesville
9 a.m. Saturday at Fellowship Bible Church of Batesville, Landers Theater, 332 E. Main St., Batesville. Online registration is available until 7 p.m. Friday. Registration fee is $30 per runner.
Runners may run the entire half-marathon, or split it between two runners relay-style, with an exchange near the White River Bridge. Awards will be given three deep overall and by sex and age group. Awards will also be given to the top three relay teams.
Packet pickup will be 4:30 to 6 p.m. Friday at the church. Race-day registration and packet pickup will be available from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.
All fees will benefit families in need at Christmas, chosen through the Northcentral Arkansas Development Council.
For registration and more information, go to wrroadrunners.org and click on "Club and Local Races."
Pro tip
For all practical purposes, the 2015 racing season is over. Not to discount any of the events happening across the state in December, but organizers are already releasing race dates and opening registrations for the 2016 season. If you are a runner (or know one) who likes to save money, begin checking websites for early registration, particularly for big out-of-town and novelty races.
Race organizers are a tricky crew and have figured out a masterful way to maximize their revenue streams through their registration fees. With each new season, they need an initial influx of capital, and dealing with a horde of last-minute sign-ups is an ordeal. So they offer cheaper registration fees on Day One in order to entice people. However, later in the season, prices go up.
A last-minute registration for a local 5K might cost you an extra $5 or $10, but marathon-distance races and novelty events could cost as much as $30 or $40 more. There are races out there that will cost you twice as much the day before the race as you would have paid had you signed up the day registration opened.
Prices rise because they can, and because people (including this writer) will pay the freight. But for an avid racer, opening-day versus last-minute registration adds up to hundreds of dollars over a year. Why pay a procrastination tax if you know you want to do an event?
ActiveStyle on 11/30/2015