Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to top October races, part two! Here we highlight some best bets & hidden gems to help you find your next fall favorite.
Sign up now for a free RaceRaves account to add these events & thousands more to your Future Races.
NOTE: Unless otherwise noted, the following list includes only events that are now taking registrations for an in-person race.
🏆 = Top Rated (Overall rating of at least 4.7 across 10+ reviews)
- Late October Marathons
- Late October Half Marathons
- Late October Ultra Marathons
- Late October Other Distances
- Late October International Races
Late October Marathons
Detroit Free Press Marathon
Oct 14–15; Detroit, MI
Marathon, marathon relay, Int’l half, U.S.-only half, 5K, 1 miler
Reimagined tour of the Motor City + five miles in Canada
Baystate Marathon
Oct 15; Lowell, MA
Marathon, half marathon, half marathon relay
Fast, flat BQ favorite along the Merrimack River
Des Moines Marathon (above)
Oct 15; Des Moines, IA
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 5K
Family-friendly race day in Iowa’s vibrant capital city
Grand Rapids Marathon
Oct 15; St. Grand Rapids, MI
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Expect plenty of personal touches & community support
Lake Tahoe Marathon
Oct 15; Lake Tahoe, CA
Double marathon, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Hilly, high-altitude stunner will take your breath away
Mount Desert Island Marathon
Oct 15; Bar Harbor, ME
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon
Pristine coastline on the doorstep of Acadia Nat’l Park
Mankato Marathon
Oct 20–21; Mankato, MN
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Fall comes alive in the lush Minnesota River Valley
Columbia Gorge Marathon
Oct 22; Hood River, OR
Marathon, half marathon, half marathon relay
Dazzling kaleidoscope of colors along the Columbia River
Indianapolis Monumental Marathon
Oct 28; Indianapolis, IN
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Flat fall favorite showcases the Hoosier state capital
Marine Corps Marathon
Oct 29; Arlington, VA
50K, marathon, 10K
#RunWithTheMarines at this patriotic powerhouse
(Marathon is sold out)
👉 Or search for more October marathons
Late October Half Marathons
Luray Half
Oct 15; Luray, VA
Half marathon, half marathon relay, 5K
Small-town rural charm next door to Shenandoah Nat’l Park
Indiana Women’s Half
Oct 21; Carmel, IN
Half marathon, 5K
Popular female-focused race day moves to Carmel
Lake Washington Half
Oct 21; Kirkland, WA
Half marathon
Rolling lakeshore loop flaunts its festive fall colors
AthHalf
Oct 21–22; Athens, GA
Half marathon, 5K
College town celebration finishes at UGA’s Sanford Stadium
End of the Road Half
Oct 21–22; Waterfall, PA
Half marathon, 4 miler
Run the abandoned PA Turnpike where “The Road” was filmed
Harley Half
Oct 21–22; Biloxi, MS
Half marathon, half marathon relay, 5K
White-sand beaches & bridge crossings on the Gulf of Mexico
Chandler #AZ48 Half
Oct 22; Chandler, AZ
Half marathon, 5K
Canal path out-and-back boasts a beautiful mosaic medal
Cloverdale Vineyard Races 🏆
Oct 22; Cloverdale, CA
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Wine country gem 💎 thru the vineyards includes free brunch
Run Ocean Isle Beach
Oct 28; Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Half marathon, 5K, 1 miler
Ocean breezes, coastal vibes & trademark massive medals
Seacoast Half
Oct 29; Portsmouth, NH
Half marathon
Lovely New England tradition supports local seacoast causes
👉 Or search for more October half marathons
Late October Ultra Marathons
Lake Sonoma 100K & 55K
Oct 21; Geyersville, CA
100K, 55K
Wine country hospitality and a Western States 100 qualifier
Palo Duro Trail Run
Oct 21; Canyon, TX
50 miler, 50K, 25K
Red dirt, rolling hills & the second-largest canyon in the U.S.
Canyonlands Ultra
Oct 28; Moab, UT
100 miler, 125K, 50 miler, marathon, half marathon, 15K
Quintessential Moab experience borders two national parks
Chicago Lakefront 50/50
Oct 28; Chicago, IL
50 miler, 50K
PR-friendly urban run follows the Lake Michigan shoreline
Pike Lake Ultramarathon
Oct 28; Bainbridge, OH
60K, 12K
Colorful trails & challenging climbs in remote Southern Ohio
👉 Or search for more October ultra marathons
Late October Other Distances
Citizens Bank Pell Bridge Run
Oct 15; Jamestown, RI
4 miler
Cross the Claiborne Pell Bridge from Jamestown to Newport
Big Tex Run
Oct 21; Arlington, TX
10K, 5K
Urban loop passes AT&T Stadium 🏈 & Globe Life Field ⚾️
Big Sur River Run
Oct 28; Big Sur, CA
10K, 5K
Riverside run thru the redwoods returns after a 3-year hiatus
Tulsa Run
Oct 28; Tulsa, OK
15K, 5K, 2K
46-year Tulsa tradition now owned by Route 66 Marathon
👉 Or search for more October races of other distances
Late October International Races
Cape Town Marathon 🇿🇦
Oct 14–15; Cape Town, South Africa
46K, marathon, 22K, 10K, 5K
Iconic city hosts Africa’s aspiring World Marathon Major
Niagara Falls International Marathon 🇨🇦
Oct 22; Niagara Falls, Canada
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Out-and-back along the Niagara River finishes above the Falls
(2023 route runs entirely in Canada)
Auckland Marathon 🇳🇿
Oct 29; Auckland, New Zealand
Marathon, half marathon, 11K, 5K
By land & by sea, NZ’s largest city is a multicultural mecca
Dublin Marathon 🇮🇪
Oct 29; Dublin, Ireland
Marathon
Spectator-fueled sightseeing tour of Ireland’s capital city
(Sold out for 2023, with transfer option in July)
Frankfurt Marathon 🇩🇪
Oct 29; Frankfurt, Germany
Marathon, marathon relay
Fast course with a red-carpet finish in the fabulous Festhalle
👉 Or search for more October 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 also completed over 100 races — including 50+ marathons and ultras — in locations ranging from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
Other RaceRaves articles you’ll enjoy (trust us!)
Lunatic Spotlight: More Alike Than Different
Getting to Know the Abbott World Marathon Majors
Let’s Talk Marathons: The AMR Trains Podcast
The Best Race Distance
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