Trail to Tryon Holiday Half

Trail to Tryon Holiday Half takes place in New Bern, North Carolina, on December 5, 2026, with the half marathon (13.1 miles), the 10K (6.2 miles) and the 5K (3.1 miles) all starting together at 7:30 AM. Every distance begins at Tryon Palace and passes through downtown New Bern, its waterfront parks and residential neighborhoods before finishing at the NC History Center.

A flat coastal-plain half in December is a reasonable target for a first attempt at 13.1 miles or for a personal best, and a 16-week build with a weekly long run stretching toward 11 or 12 miles is the standard route there. The 10K and 5K give slower runners and families a way into the same morning. Afterward there is a celebration at Bate Commons with food, drinks and awards, and the race lands alongside the town's holiday activities, which makes a full weekend out of it.