Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to top July & August races! Here we spotlight best bets & hidden gems to help you stay motivated once summer starts to sizzle.
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🏆 = Top Rated (Overall rating of at least 4.7 across 10+ reviews)
- July & August Marathons
- July & August Half Marathons
- July & August Ultra Marathons
- July & August Other Distances
- July & August International Races
July & August Marathons
Mad Marathon
Jul 7; Waitsfield, VT
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, half marathon relay, 10K, 5K
New England charm aside, these hills will test your pride
Madison Marathon / Big Sky Marathon
Jul 13–14; Madison, MT / Ennis, MT
Marathon, half marathon
Breathtaking challenges in Big Sky Country
Mesa Falls Marathon
Jul 20; Ashton, ID
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Lovely road/trail hybrid thru Caribou-Targhee Nat’l Forest
Juneau Marathon
Jul 27; Douglas, AK
Marathon, half marathon
Wild Alaskan beauty starring Mendenhall Glacier
San Francisco Marathon
Jul 27–28; San Francisco, CA
Double marathon, marathon, 1st half marathon, 2nd half marathon, 10K, 5K, 1K
Urban eyeful from Bay Bridge to Golden Gate
Paavo Nurmi Marathon
Aug 9–10; Hurley, WI
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 5K
Point-to-point honors Finland’s 12-time Olympic medalist
Crater Lake Rim Runs
Aug 10; Crater Lake, OR
Marathon, 13 miler, 6.7 miler
High elevation, punishing hills & “spectacular” scenery
Tunnel Vision Marathon
Aug 11; Snoqualmie Pass, WA
Marathon, half marathon
BQ favorite drops 2,000+ ft on a crushed gravel rail-trail
Anchorage RunFest (Humpy’s Marathon & Skinny Raven Half)
Aug 17–18; Anchorage, AK
49K, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 5K, 1 miler
Family-friendly reason to run Anchorage this summer
Leading Ladies & Dakota Spirit Marathon
Aug 18; Spearfish, SD
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K
Speedy downhill delight on Spearfish Canyon Scenic Byway
Santa Rosa Marathon (above)
Aug 24–25; Santa Rosa, CA
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Toast the end of summer in Sonoma County wine country
👉 Or search for more July & August marathons
July & August Half Marathons
Battle Creek Half
Jul 6; Springfield, MI
Half marathon, 5K
Cereal City showcase starts on a backdrop of hot air balloons
Spearfish Canyon Half
Jul 13; Spearfish, SD
Half marathon, 5K
Black Hills beauty raises funds for abused & neglected children
Star Valley Half
Jul 13; Thayne, WY
Half marathon
Small-town celebration of life near Grand Teton Nat’l Park
Blobfest Half
Jul 14; Phoenixville, PA
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Hometown homage to the campy 1958 sci-fi horror classic 🎥
Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half
Jul 20–21; Napa, CA
Half marathon, 5K
The nation’s premier wine country half celebrates 20 years
Christmas in July Half Indianapolis
Jul 27; Indianapolis, IN
Half marathon, 5K
Urban park run brings holiday spirit & swag to Indy
Rocky Mountain Half 🏆
Aug 2–3; Estes Park, CO
Half marathon, 5K
Enjoy “epic views” w/your Rocky Mountain runner’s high
Bridge of the Gods Half 🏆
Aug 4; Cascade Locks, OR
Half marathon, 10K
“Gorge”ous run across & along the Columbia River
Madison Mini Half
Aug 10; Madison, WI
Half marathon, 5K
Raucous & rolling tour of Wisconsin’s colorful capital city
Iron Horse Half 🏆
Aug 25; North Bend, WA
Half marathon
Forested rails-to-trails downhill is a PR waiting to happen
Pro Football Hall of Fame Half
Aug 25; Canton, OH
Half marathon
Reimagined race day returns its popular HOF ring medal
👉 Or search for more July & August half marathons
July & August Ultra Marathons
Siskiyou Out Back Trail Running Festival (SOB)
Jul 13–14; Ashland, OR
100K, 50 miler, 50K, 15K, 8K
Festive event in the Siskiyou Mountains marks its 25th year
Burning River Endurance Run
Jul 27; Cuyahoga Falls, OH
100 miler, 100 mile relay, 50 miler, marathon
Multi-terrain course crosses Cuyahoga Valley Nat’l Park
Loopy Looper
Aug 3; Pennsauken, NJ
24 hr, 24 hr relay, 12 hr, 12 hr relay, 100 miler
Riverfront loops w/views of the Philadelphia skyline
Headlands Endurance Runs
Aug 10; Mill Valley, CA
50 miler, marathon
Spectacular tour of the Golden Gate Nat’l Recreation Area
TransRockies Run
Aug 12–17; Buena Vista, CO
120 miler, 58 miler
High-altitude, 6-day “Summer Camp for Big Kids”
North Country Trail Run
Aug 24–25; Wellston, MI
50 miler, 50K, marathon, half marathon
A+ aid stations & massive medals in Manistee Nat’l Forest
👉 Or search for more July & August ultra marathons
July & August Other Distances
Ragnar Road Northwest Passage
Jul 12–13; Langley, WA
200 mile relay, 60 mile relay
Savor the sublime beauty of the Pacific Northwest
BTN Big 10K
Jul 13; Chicago, IL
10K, 5K
Come for the camaraderie, stay for the post-race tailgate
Boilermaker Road Race 🏆
Jul 14; Utica, NY
15K, 5K
Family- and fitness-focused community extravaganza
Quad-City Times Bix 7
Jul 27; Davenport, IA
7 miler, 2 miler
Iconic summer spectacle celebrates its 50th running
TD Beach to Beacon 10K Road Race
Aug 3; Cape Elizabeth, ME
10K
New England favorite attracts world-class elites
(General Registration opens Apr 19)
Shawshank Hustle 🏆
Aug 10; Mansfield, OH
4.6 miler
Immersive tribute hosted by Shawshank State Prison
👉 Or search for more July & August races of other distances
July & August International Races
Victoria Falls Marathon 🇿🇼
Jul 7; Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe
Marathon, half marathon, half marathon relay, 7K
Experience one of the 7 Natural Wonders of the World
Australian Outback Marathon 🇦🇺
Jul 27; Alice Springs, Australia
Marathon, half marathon, 11K, 6K
Red earth run in the shadow of a sacred Aboriginal site
São Paulo SP City Marathon 🇧🇷
Jul 28; São Paulo, Brazil
Marathon, half marathon
South America’s largest city rolls out the red carpet
Come to Galápagos Marathon 🇪🇨
Aug 4, Oct 13; Galápagos, Ecuador
Marathon, half marathon, 10K
Eco-friendly adventure follows in Darwin’s footsteps 🐢
Isle of Man Marathon 🇮🇲
Aug 11; Ramsey, Isle of Man
Marathon, half marathon
Rolling hills & idyllic countryside in the British Isles
Reykjavik Marathon 🇮🇸
Aug 24; Reykjavik, Iceland
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 3K
Destination celebration falls on Reykjavik Culture Night
👉 Or search for more July & August international races
Looking for more great races across the U.S. and around the world? Check out our Featured Races for:
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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 60+ marathons and ultras plus all six Abbott World Marathon Majors — in locations ranging from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
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And for more helpful articles, check out our blog!
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