As the holiday party season gets underway, and too much egg nog and butter begin to fill your veins, there’s likely a holiday-themed race to help you right the wrongs of the night before. Better yet, this weekend’s themed running races will force you to unpack the accoutrements and costumes of the season a little early, quite literally shaking the dust off as you finish your 5K.

Ugly Sweater

The puffy-painted, patchwork-stitched nightmare that gets rave reviews at your annual ugly sweater party gets its athletic unveiling at the 2012 Ugly Christmas Sweater Fun Run and Walk in Colorado Springs. Don your most cringe-worthy wear, and the proceeds from the 5k run and 1k walk go to the Cerebral Palsy Association of Colorado Springs. Bonus: The aid stations include holiday goodies. Saturday at 11:30 a.m., Monument Valley Park, $25 registration

Jingle Bells

Moments when it’s socially acceptable to wear bells on your sneakers are few and far between. Luckily, the Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis in Fort Collins gives you a reason to ring in the season without losing friends or valuable training partners to the ruckus. The 5K run/walk benefits the Arthiritis Foundation and if you arrive by 9 a.m., you can enter the costume contest. Saturday at 10:15 a.m, Colorado State University Campus Oval, $35 registration

Seasonal Speedo

If we can’t celebrate a fleet-footed, banana-hammocked, bespectacled Father Christmas, then what’s the point of the season? The first annual Denver Santa Speedo Dash is a rowdy one-mile footrace for the 21+ crowd that begins with a santa hat and shot from Mead St. Station before runners strip down to their Speedos, run like the dickens and finish up with a cold beer. Your boldness will benefit the pups and kittens at Life is Better Rescue. Saturday at 1 p.m., Mead St. Station, $35 registration

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