First Night State College Resolution Run 5K

First Night® State College
Resolution Run 5K

The First Night Resolution Run 5K was first run on New Year's Eve, 1997. About 130 hearty souls showed up on a frigid, windy night for the race through downtown State College and the Penn State Campus. Since then, the race has grown every year and has become a much anticipated part of the First Night® State College festivities as well as the start  of the local running calendar. Like the Boalsburg Memorial Day Race, the First Night 5K is a "fun run" attracting first time racers, families, kids, out-of-town Christmas visitors, costumed runners (there's a prize for the best costume!), as well as serious competitors. The course is fast, with a relatively mild (by State College standards) hill in the first half-mile, an even milder one in the second mile, and a long downhill to the finish. Well over 700 runners have taken part in recent years' Resolution Runs, and the race keeps on growing: Since 2012, the race has had between 300 and 1000 finishers!

The Resolution Run 5K is part of the First Night® State College festivities. First Night® State College is a day of winter fun, including music, crafts, ice sculptures, indoor and outdoor performances and activities, and a Grand Procession through downtown State College. For more information on First Night, visit the First Night® State College web site.

Race Sponsors
 
  • Centre Elite Gymnastics  
  • Drayer Physical Therapy Institute
 
Race Results
 
First Night Resolution Run 5K Results from Years Gone By:

(First Night has its own special dating system. First Night activities begin on December 30, but the
activities are dated by the coming year, so the 1998 First Night 5K was held on December 31, 1997)

 

1998 1999 2000 2001
2002 2003 2004 2005
2006                 2007                 2008                 2009

2010

               2011

                2012

               2013

                 2014

               2015                2016                2017 

              2018

 2019                2020

2021 (No Race due to COVID) 
2022 2023    

Race Information
  • First Night 2024: The 27th First Night State College Resolution 5K will be held on December 31, 2023 at 6:30 PM.  The first 300 registrants will receive a runner swag bag!
  • Results of the 2023 race are here. 
  • Race Registration: Registration information for the 2024 race will appear here closer to the race date.
  • Course Description, Map, and Elevation Profile from the NVRC Maps Pages.
  • Runner's Gazette story on the 2000 First Night Resolution Run 5K.
  • Marty Mazur on First Night Y2K.
  • First Night T-Shirts Through The Years
  • Romance On The Run: From Runner's World Women's Weekly, January 7, 2002.
  • For information on the First Night Resolution Run 5K, contact Jayson Jackson at Jayson Jackson This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Women's course and event record: Rebecca Donaghue, 2006, 16:29
Men's event record: Gavin Gaynor, 1997, 15:11
Men's course record: Artie Gilkes, 2006, 15:15

Created 01/07/04