A red-suited and white-bearded crowd gathered on 14th Avenue in downtown Vero Beach hoping to run off some pounds while assisting mothers during the fifth annual Run Run Santa, held the weekend before Christmas.

Proceeds from the run will go toward mothers, babies and families who are enrolled in the Indian River Healthy Start Coalition’s Babies and Beyond Program, which assists them before, during and after pregnancy.

Runners, ranging in age from 4 to 80, laced up their shoes in hopes of impressing Saint Nick with their sprinting abilities during the 1-mile run, which launched from Pocahontas Park. The sled-load of participants, all decked out in Santa outfits, gave it their all, running as if Dasher and Dancer, Prancer and Vixen were following close at their heels.

Before the Santa look-alikes leaped into high gear, Brittany Streufert and Mike Acosta, of Power of Pizza Charities, greeted everyone.

“Welcome to the fifth annual Run Run Santa. Y’all look great in Vero Beach,” said Streufert.
Commenting on the size of the large crowd, compared to the smaller number that had turned out for the 2020 run, Streufert exclaimed, “Santa’s back in full force this year with numbers.

Today we have over 400 Santas running around downtown Vero Beach.”

She went on to remind the crowd that the race time record for the course was 4:44.

“So, if you’ve got some Santa speed today …” she challenged.

It seems the Grinch had other plans, and the record still stands. This year’s top finishers were both from Vero Beach. Caleb Wilkinson took first place overall with a time of 5:15 and Grace Walther came in at 5:54.

Those with a bit of extra fa-la-la left in the tank also participated in the Vero to Viera Santa Challenge, running the Viera leg of the race on Christmas Eve morning. Perhaps they were hoping to get a little something extra in their stocking this year.

To learn more about the Babies and Beyond Program, visit irchealthystartcoalition.org.

Photos by Kaila Jones