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: The 2012 through 2014 races had nearly 1000 finishers!

The Resolution Run 5K is part of the First Night® State College festivities. First Night® State College is three days 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.

 
Sponsor

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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    

Race Information
  • First Night 2015: The 18th First Night 5K will be held on December 31, 2014 at 6:30 PM. 
  • Race Registration: Online registration through EventBrite:

           https://www.eventbrite.com/e/first-night-state-college-resolution-run-5k-tickets-13410415915

       You can also register by mail using this Registration Form. Pre-race day registration and packet pick-up will be from 3 to 7 PM at the State College Municipal Building at 243 S. Allen St. Race day registration and packet pick-up will be from 4 to 6 PM at the St. Paul's United Methodist Church gym at 250 E. College Ave.

  • 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 New!
  • Romance On The Run: From Runner's World Women's Weekly, January 7, 2002.
  • For information on the First Night Resolution Run 5K, contact Dave Eggler at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Women's course and event record: Rebecca Donoghue, 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