This Halloween themed 10k is delightfully challenging and incredibly fun. The route takes runners through the town of Sleepy Hollow, starting in the downtown area, snaking through a beautiful neighborhood, and right along the Hudson River before returning to the town center.

The terrain is generally rolling, but there are two significant hills to really challenge your endurance and strength. I found the first hill (located in the neighborhood) to be the toughest. At one point, I felt like I was slowing to nearly a walk. Fortunately, it is preceded and followed by the generally flatter stretch along the river which provides the opportunity to stabilize your heart rate leading into and following the effort. The second significant hill comes at the very end of the race - approximately the last quarter mile. I found this hill, while steep and long, to be less challenging ONLY because the finish line is in sight about midway up the hill. That little bit of motivation (especially seeing I was about to meet my goal time) was enough to help me focus beyond the pain and finish strong.

Volunteers and locals are enthusiastic and helpful and the water stations are well-placed. Beyond the beautiful scenery and architecture, the route is full of Halloween decor and costumed revelers to keep your mind active. The end of race party is very locally-focused, with local vendors and town representatives. It’s very welcoming and kid-friendly. Runners (of age) are treated to a free beer and everyone is treated with a visit from the Headless Horseman! No medals for participants, but runners receive a long sleeved shirt - it’s nicely designed and cotton, and serves as a great souvenir for a great run.

The Surf-N-Santa 5 Miler is an absolute blast and a spectacle to behold. Like most other “Santa” races, participants are provided the full costume as part of the entry, but VB’s version offers a course through the Boardwalk’s “Holiday Lights at the Beach.” Growing up, my family used to drive this path each year, so it was pretty fun to experience it on foot with a bunch of festive friends.

The course is entirely flat and was very easy to follow, and volunteers/supporters were peppered throughout to offer aid and encouragement along the way. Water stations were suitable for the distance, and the administrative aspects (registration, check in, tracking/timing, etc.) were all pretty convenient. The standout items were definitely related to the atmosphere. It wasn’t particularly competitive - people were there to have fun. The Santa suits, the lights, the music, the mid-race gingerbread cookies - everything you could hope for in a theme run like this.

The post-race celebration was lively and welcoming. There was plenty of food and drink options, good music, and only a handful of vendors.

Overall, this is a fun race and an awesome community event. I haven’t found my way down for the race since 2017, but I definitely intend to run it again once the kiddos are juuuust a bit older. I highly recommend to anyone local and to those interested in visiting the city in the off season (it’s more than just a beach town).