11th Annual "Keepin' it Rural" 5K/10K Holiday Elf Run

Come enjoy the Eleventh Annual Keepin' It Rural 5K/10K Trail Race and Holiday Elf Run at the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, a hidden gem in north county San Diego home to diverse wildlife, scenic trails, and biological diversity. With a start/finish line and post-race expo set at the base of the Olivenhain Dam, the Keepin’ It Rural 5k/10k Elf Run is a truly unique event on the San Diego race calendar!

This will be a chip-timed race for both the 5k and 10k runners. Hikers can enjoy the 5k course while the 10k is limited to runners. A 2 hour time limit will be imposed on the course.

DATE: Sunday, December 6, 2025

For more information: http://www.letskeepitrural.com

NOTE: Accessing the race staging area prior to the morning of the event (by foot, bicycle, or vehicle by way of Via Ambiente) is prohibited due to the sensitivity of the area near the dam and water treatment facilities. Doing so will affect our ability to hold this race in the future. You are welcome to pre-run course if you access the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve (EFRR) from 8833 Harmony Grove Rd during EFRR’s regular hours of operation. Please stay on designated trails at all times.

*ATTENTION TEAM LEADERS!*

We are still doing the Golden Goat 10K Team Competition, we are just changing up how we do it this year. To enter the 10K Team Competition, please follow the steps below:

1. Gather your team together and determine your team name. You need a minimum of 5 entrants to create a team.

2. Contact our Race Director JP at the Event Phone Number listed under "Location and Contact" and request a team discount code.

3. Have each team member register individually for the 10K Runners Event on RunReg using the team discount code. Each team member must also put the name of your team in the “Team/Club/Company” box while registering. This is how we keep track of who is on each team.

4. Individual team members can pick up their race packets at The Lost Abbey on Saturday, December 5th from 6:00-8:00 PM.

5. The race starts Sunday December 6th starting at 7:45 AM. Good Luck Teams!

SCHEDULE:

Packet Pickup

Saturday, December 5th

6pm to 8pm: Packet pickup is at Lost Abbey Sanctuary in San Elijo. Grab a beer and some food truck food while you're there!
All packets must be picked up on Saturday night. Lost Abbey Sanctuary, 1215 San Elijo Road, San Marcos, CA 92078. If this poses a challenge please reach out and we'll make arrangements for Sunday morning pickup..

Race Day

Sunday, December 6th

6:45: Registration begins (for last minute registrations and/or customer support)

7:00: Expo/Festival ready for business

7:30: REGISTRATION CLOSES 10K

7:45: 10K Runners start

7:45: REGISTRATION CLOSES 5K

8:00: 5K Runners start

8:05: 5K Hikers/Family Hikers start

9:45: Both courses close

10:00: 1K Fun Run for kids aged 10 and under.

10:15: Raffle winners announced

10:30: Award Festival for 10K Runners, 5K Runners, 1K Fun Run and Team Competition.

Presented by the Elfin Forest Harmony Grove Town Council, a volunteer-run, 501c(3) non profit community advocacy involved in habitat conservation efforts. This year's profits will be shared with another great non-profit, the Escondido Creek Conservancy, an organization who has conserved thousands of acres in the Escondido Creek watershed from Lake Wohlford to Elfin Forest.

This is an non-refundable event. If the unlikely event the race is cancelled, we will reschedule the event to the best of our abilities.