Reindeer Run takes place on Sat, Dec 19, 2026 in Minneapolis, United States. The main route is 5 km.
- Date
- Sat, Dec 19, 2026
- Start
- Minneapolis 🇺🇸
- Distance
- 5 km
- Level
- Open to all
The Reindeer Run is a festive Lake Harriet running tradition in Minneapolis dating to 1987, offering a 10K and a 5K run/walk on 19 December 2026.
What would it take you?
Pick the level closest to yours for an estimate of finish time on this course and the training a solid preparation needs.
Estimated finish
0:25–0:30
Peak-week training
5–7 h/week
A model estimate from distance, climbing and level, not a promise. Conditions, drafting and pacing move it.
IntervalCoach turns those weekly hours into a concrete plan built around your actual fitness. Start with this race as your goal
Your road to race day
Race day at Reindeer Run is 14 weeks away. This is how a coach divides that time. The first phase starts now.
01Base2 weeks · Sep 13, 2026 – Sep 26, 2026
Aerobic foundation: mostly steady endurance work that grows the aerobic engine and the durability the later phases stand on.
02Build6 weeks · Sep 27, 2026 – Nov 7, 2026
Progressive overload: training load climbs in waves, with harder weeks stacked on the base and planned recovery weeks that let the gains land.
03Peak3 weeks · Nov 8, 2026 – Nov 28, 2026
The hardest weeks of the plan: race-specific intensity at nearly full training load, sharpening exactly what this race asks for.
04Taper2 weeks · Nov 29, 2026 – Dec 12, 2026
Volume drops while intensity stays: short, sharp efforts keep the legs awake as fatigue drains away.
05Race week1 week · Dec 13, 2026 – Dec 19, 2026
Openers, rest and logistics. The work is done; the job now is arriving fresh.
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