Crete Country Christmas 5k Grinch Run

About the Event

Gather your Christmas spirit and chase down the Grinch in our Crete Country Christmas Grinch 5K. Runners, Walkers, Strollers are all welcome to dress for the occasion in Grinch Green and come out for fun. The race will benefit the Crete Food Pantry. We ask all participants to bring a nonperishable food item to donate on the morning of the race.

Included in your 5K registration:

Grinch 5 K Race Shirt
Fruit, water, granola provided in runner's tent.
Satisfaction of completing a 5K in December

Breakfast with the Grinch!

The breakfast will be held from 9 am - 11 am after the race. (Seating times at 9, 9:30, 10 & 10:30) Visit Cretepark.com for Breakfast information and registration.

Races Offered

Crete Country Christmas Grinch 5k (Age 12 and Under)

Dec 05, 2026

straighten

Distance — 3.1 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:00

sell

$25.00

Crete Country Christmas Grinch 5k (Age 13 and over)

Dec 05, 2026

straighten

Distance — 3.1 Miles

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:00

sell

$35.00

Weather History

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for December in Crete.

thermostat Temperature

-3.4° / 3.5°

wb_sunny Feels like

-8.8° / -1.1°

light_mode Avg sunshine hours

4h 19m

water_drop Avg rainfall

2.4 mm

ac_unit Avg snowfall

0.3 cm

air Avg wind speed

14.8 km/h (Gentle breeze)

opacity Sweat loss rate

Low

terrain Course conditions

Firm and slightly soft

sunny Max UV Index

Low (2.0)

humidity_mid Humidity

78.0%

wb_twilight Sunrise

08:09

nightlight Sunset

17:23

About Crete

Learn more about the host city, Crete.

Crete is the largest of the Greek islands and is the fifth largest in the Mediterranean Sea - after Sicily, Sardinia, Cyprus, and Corsica. It is located between the Sea of Crete and the Libyan Sea, south of the Peloponnese. It contains the southernmost city within the European continent, Ierapetra, which is only about 645 km (401 mi) from the coast of Libya. Crete is approximately 260 km (160 mi) long and 60 km (37 mi) wide. The island is divided into four prefectures: from west to east, Chania, Rethymnon, Heraklion, and Lasithi. Crete's population is approximately 650,000.

Hotels & Places to Stay

Race Results

Official finishing times from previous editions of Crete Country Christmas 5k Grinch Run.

Place	Name	Gender	Age	City	Time
🥇	John Niendorf	M	32	Crete, IL	17:35.64
🥈	Kevin Hardin	M	32	Plainfield, IL	18:25.56
🥉	Stephen Stolzenbach	M	44	Crete, IL	19:34.88
4	Joe Stavitzke	M	48	Schererville, IN	20:03.84
5	Julia Stolzenbach	F	13	Crete, IL	20:16.62
6	Anthony Perozzi	M	16	Crete, IL	20:24.31
7	Donna Niendorf	F	31	Crete, IL	20:56.34
8	Evelyn Stolzenbach	F	16	Crete, IL	22:10.1
9	John Digaetano	M	54	Crete, IL	23:13.34
10	Kenneth Sinise	M	30	—	23:53.46
11	Margaret Rivera	F	41	Chicago, IL	23:57.32
12	Alex Wiater	M	30	Crete, IL	24:14.56
13	Chris Szala	M	52	Crown Point, IN	24:22.46
14	Will Faber Jr	M	40	Chicago, IL	24:48.01
15	Kevin Rodrigez	M	21	—	24:50.05
16	Matt Ruhl	M	47	Tinley Park, IL	25:12.08
17	Noah Miller	M	24	Crete, IL	25:38.24
18	Kim Davis	F	48	Dyer, IN	26:27.95
19	Nicholas Josten	M	25	Monee, IL	26:29.07
20	Taylor Parus	F	31	Plainfield, IL	26:36.82
21	Zack Deery	M	37	Saint John, IN	27:47.13
22	Michael Schneider	M	41	Crete, IL	27:55.06
23	A. Stolzenbach	F	11	Crete, IL	28:15.31
24	Adyson Gale	F	14	Crete, IL	28:15.92
25	Cecily Lehman	F	32	Morton, IL	28:19.98
26	Matthew Cervak	M	38	Crete, IL	29:12.27
27	Ian Swillum	M	38	Crete, IL	29:19.55
28	Rylan Morris	M	14	Beecher, IL	29:20.97
29	Jessica Kaniewski	F	31	Dyer, IN	30:02.79
30	Kathy Siefert	F	39	Valparaiso, IN	30:09.22
31	Kylee Baldovin	F	30	Dyer, IN	30:13.68
32	Lilly Raftery	F	17	—	30:35.03
33	Tim Sovereign	M	67	South Chicago Heights, IL	30:49.29
34	Regina LeMense	F	28	Chicago, IL	31:14.69
35	Mary RANDLE	F	54	Crete, IL	31:16.51
36	Kathryn Stolzenbach	F	43	Crete, IL	31:20.53
37	Emma Fitzpatrick	F	25	Crete, IL	31:32.53
38	Bill Faber Sr	M	72	Chicago, IL	33:12.46
39	Michael Bult	M	50	Steger, IL	33:30.88
40	Vanessa Villanueva	F	27	south Chicago Heights, IL	34:09.62
41	Patty Wiater	F	61	Crete, IL	34:20.97
42	Jenni Stickler	F	56	Crete, IL	34:30.26
43	Yessenia Arce	F	16	Crete, IL	34:43
44	David Watson	M	17	Crete, IL	34:50.36
45	Annette Heisner	F	27	Beecher, IL	34:59.47
46	Nathen Lippert	M	36	Steger, IL	34:59.67
47	Ebony Kimmins	F	26	Steger, IL	34:59.87
48	Jean Tolchinsky	F	80	Crete, IL	35:34.51
49	Jessica Regan	F	29	Homewood, IL	35:52.75
50	Noelle Fitzpatrick	F	23	CreteCrete, IL	37:58.43