A run around Lake Burley Griffin beneath the glare of the summer sun can be taxing enough in an outfit made of stretchy lycra.
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Add a bright red santa suit, fur-trimmed hat and fluffy white beard and the challenge becomes that much trickier.
Not that you could tell from the smiles on the faces of about 1000 Canberrans who happily dressed as the jolly man in red and looped the lake on foot as part of the annual Santa Fun Run on Sunday.
This is the third time the national event has taken place in the capital to benefit Variety – the Children's Charity.
The organisation funds programs and equipment to improve the lives of children who are sick, disadvantaged or have special needs.
Registrations for Canberra's race were down slightly this year due to a string of stormy days last week, but runners woke to clear skies.
Hundreds of participants warmed up with a mass dance fitness routine at Reconciliation Place before they jogged, strolled or rode their way around the track.
Among this year's crowd of santas were more than 160 officer cadets from the Canberra-based Australian Defence Force Academy who swapped their usual khaki for the more festive red-and-white get-up.
They included Haiden Trelfall, 20, who was the first runner to cross the line after he completed the five-kilometre course in less than 19 minutes.
"It was really good, everyone was getting onto the spirit.
"The suits made it more fun and you'd get funny looks from people who went past."
Variety's events manager, Claudia Milunksy, said the event began six years ago and is held simultaneously in capital cities across Australia in the lead up to Christmas.
"It's getting into the silly season and the run itself is silly, it's fun.
"It's so novel. They get a summer cotton santa suit when they register and it's ridiculous.
"You can walk, you can run, you can roll, you can do whatever you like."
"Everyone was amazed by the weather after all the rain and they were really happy to be there with their kids and their dogs."
The event's ambassador is five-time Paralympian and Canberra resident Richard Nicholson.
He was on hand on Sunday to lead the race and said it was a great way to get into the Christmas spirit and raise money for youngsters in need.
Ms Milunksy said the organisation expected to reach its $100,000 Santa Fun Run fund-raising target for NSW and the ACT by mid-December.
The fund-raising goal for the Canberra event was $20,000.
She said ACT runners had put in "a huge effort" to raise funds by taking part in the event.
