Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to January races! Here we spotlight best bets & hidden gems to help you get the new year off to a running start.
Sign up now for a free RaceRaves account to add these events & thousands more to your Future Races.
🏆 = Top Rated (Overall rating of at least 4.7 across 10+ reviews)
January Marathons
State 47 Las Cruces Marathon
Jan 3; Las Cruces, NM
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 4.7 miler
Desert out-and-back delivers gorgeous mountain views
Chevron Houston Marathon
Jan 10–11; Houston, TX
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Flat, fast tour of Space City attracts world-class talent
Daufuskie Island Marathon
Jan 17; Daufuskie Island, SC
Marathon, half marathon
Two-loop gem 💎 circles SC’s southernmost sea island
Louisiana Marathon (above)
Jan 17–18; Baton Rouge, LA
Marathon, half marathon, quarter marathon, 5K
Cajun-inspired running festival celebrates 15 years
Run Jekyll (fka Jekyll Island Marathon)
Jan 17–18; Jekyll Island, GA
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Historic barrier island houses a sea turtle sanctuary
Carlsbad Marathon
Jan 18; Carlsbad, CA
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Oceanfront run offers winter warmth & SoCal sunshine
Maui Oceanfront Marathon
Jan 18; Lahaina, HI
Marathon, half marathon, 6 miler, 5K
Say “Aloha” to ocean views & breaching whales
Classic City Marathon
Jan 24; Athens, GA
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon
Hilly up-and-comer highlights the best of Athens
Big Beach Marathon
Jan 24–25; Gulf Shores, AL
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Run in a state park and party on a big beach 🎉
Town of Celebration Marathon 🏆
Jan 25; Celebration, FL
Marathon, half marathon
Treat yourself to Disney’s lovely next-door neighbor
👉 Or search for more January marathons
January Half Marathons
Key West Half
Jan 17–18; Key West, FL
Half marathon, 10K, 8K, 5K, beer mile
Play hard & party harder in the Conch Republic 🐚
Austin International Half
Jan 18; Austin, TX
Half marathon, half marathon relay
Downhill-to-Downtown course is a PR waiting to happen
Rose Bowl Half
Jan 18; Pasadena, CA
Half marathon, 5K
Spirited urban tour features a finish on the 50-yard line
Asheville Hot Chocolate Races
Jan 24; Asheville, NC
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Winter warmup fueled by artisanal hot chocolate
Charleston Half
Jan 31; Charleston, SC
Half marathon, 5K
Charming port city rolls out the red carpet for runners
F3 Lake Half
Jan 31; Chicago, IL
Half marathon, 5K
Bone-chilling, toughness-instilling lakefront test
👉 Or search for more January half marathons
January Ultra Marathons
San Diego 50 & Trail Runs
Jan 10; San Diego, CA
50 miler, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10 miler, 5 miler, 5K
Rolling, runnable trails reward with stunning lake views
Big Bend Ultra
Jan 18; Terlingua, TX
100K, 55K, 35K, 20K, 10K
Remote desert adventure outside Big Bend National Park
St. Croix Scenic 50
Jan 18; La Vallee, Virgin Islands
50K, 50K relay
Trade your winter blues for Caribbean hues 🌴
Cactus Roulette
Jan 24–25; Lawrence, KS
24 hr, 12 hr, 6 hr
Fixed-time fun features unique “luck of the draw” format
Arches Ultra
Jan 31; Moab, UT
50 miler, 50K, half marathon, 9K
Sand & slickrock challenge next door to Arches Nat’l Park
👉 Or search for more January ultra marathons
January International Races
Neujahrsmarathon Zürich (New Year’s Marathon Zürich) 🇨🇭
Jan 1; Schlieren, Switzerland
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, quarter marathon
Ring in the New Year w/the world’s first marathon of 2026
Egyptian Marathon 🇪🇬
Jan 9; Luxor, Egypt
Marathon, half marathon, 12K, 5K
Ancient history comes alive in the Valley of Kings & Queens
Bermuda Triangle Challenge 🇧🇲
Jan 16–18; Hamilton, Bermuda
Marathon, half marathon, half marathon relay, 10K, 5K, 1 miler
Feel your worries vanish at this friendly island festival
Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 🇭🇰
Jan 18; Tsim Sha Tsui, Hong Kong
Marathon, half marathon, 10K
Sweeping views of Victoria Harbour & the iconic city skyline
(Public ballot open Sep 8–17)
First Light Marathon 🇳🇿
Jan 24; Gisborne, New Zealand
Marathon, half marathon, 6K
Idyllic setting is the first in the world to see the sunrise
👉 Or search for more January international races
Looking for more great races across the U.S. and around the world? Check out our Featured Races for:
Looking for more running events? Search for races by state/city or month, and try our handy Find a Race tool to search for events by name, date range, distance, location, terrain & more. Then sign up for a free account to build your wish list and start coloring in your 50 States Map!
Author: Mike Sohaskey
Mike Sohaskey is the co-founder of RaceRaves, the premier online reviews community for runners to share their race experiences and find their next challenge. Mike honed his creative and critical thinking skills as a research scientist, earning a Ph.D. in Cancer Biology from Stanford. He’s completed over 120 races — including marathons on all seven continents plus all six Abbott World Marathon Majors — in locations ranging from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
Other RaceRaves articles you’ll enjoy (trust us!)
Net-Downhill Marathons for Boston Qualifying
Anniversary Races to Celebrate (2025–26)
8 Travel Tips for a Successful Destination Race
Top Five Things You Can Do as a RaceRaves Member
And for more helpful articles, check out our blog!
Subscribe & Stay Connected
Find this article informative? Please share it, and let others know RaceRaves is the premier online resource to DISCOVER, REVIEW & TRACK all their races and to CONNECT with other runners! Plus, sign up for our newsletter to receive the best racing-related content and special offers every month!
No comments yet