Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to late October races! Here we spotlight best bets & hidden gems to round out the busiest month of the racing season.
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🏆 = 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 19–20; Detroit, MI
Marathon, marathon relay, International Half, Motor City Half, 5K, 1 miler
International tour of the Motor City & Canada
Hartford Marathon
Oct 19; Hartford, CT
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 5K
Start at the Capitol, finish at Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch
Kansas City Marathon
Oct 19; Kansas City, MO
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
High-energy race day in the City of Fountains ⛲️
(First half of the I-35 Challenge)
7 Bridges Marathon & 4 Bridges Half
Oct 20; Chattanooga, TN
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Over the river & through the parks, a Scenic City showcase
Baystate Marathon
Oct 20; Lowell, MA
Marathon, half marathon, half marathon relay
Flat double loop along the Merrimack River is a BQ best bet
Columbia Gorge Marathon 🏆
Oct 20; Hood River, OR
Marathon, half marathon, half marathon relay
Pacific Northwest beauty flaunts its fall foliage
Des Moines Marathon
Oct 20; Des Moines, IA
Marathon, Marathon Relay, Half Marathon, 5K
Midwest favorite shows its runners a capital time
(Second half of the I-35 Challenge)
Lake Tahoe Marathon & Emerald Bay Half
Oct 20; Homewood, CA
Double marathon, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Breathtaking point-to-point wows the senses
Mount Desert Island Marathon
Oct 20; Bar Harbor, ME
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon
Seaside stunnah a stone’s throw from Acadia Natl Pahk
Marine Corps Marathon
Oct 27; Arlington, VA
50K, marathon, 10K
Patriotic powerhouse highlights the best of DC
👉 Or search for more October marathons
Late October Half Marathons
Buffalo Creek Half
Oct 19; Cabot, PA
Half marathon
Gentle downhill gem 💎 on a quiet wooded rail-trail
End of the Road Half
Oct 19–20; Waterfall, PA
Half marathon (Sat & Sun), 4 miler
Abandoned PA Turnpike run with 5 miles of tunnels
Runtastic HAUNTED SLC
Oct 19; Salt Lake City, UT
Half marathon, 5K
Speedy 1,800-ft drop plus a spooky cool medal
Cloverdale Vineyard Races 🏆
Oct 20; Cloverdale, CA
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Savor Sonoma Wine Country & a hearty post-race brunch
New England Half
Oct 20; Concord, NH
Half marathon
All colorful country roads lead to the NH State House
TMC Get Moving Tucson Half
Oct 20; Tucson, AZ
Half marathon, 4 miler, 1 miler
Enjoy spectacular sunrise views from atop Sentinel Peak 🌅
Purdue Boilermaker Half
Oct 26; West Lafayette, IN
Half marathon, 5K
Lovely autumn tour of a Big Ten college campus
Run Ocean Isle Beach
Oct 26; Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Half marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 miler
Coastal breezes, white-sand beaches & massive medals
Good Life Halfsy 🏆
Oct 27; Lincoln, NE
Half marathon
Raucous, PR-friendly running party voted NE’s best half
Malibu Moves Half (NEW)
Oct 27; Malibu, CA
Half marathon, 5K
Celebrate one of the world’s most iconic coastlines
👉 Or search for more October half marathons
Late October Ultra Marathons
Man Against Horse Race
Oct 19; Prescott Valley, AZ
50 miler, 25 miler, half marathon
Two legs or four? Classic competition marks its 40th year
New Orleans Ultramarathon
Oct 19; New Orleans, LA
50 miler, 50K, half marathon
Urban ultra offers a runner’s-eye view of the Big Easy
Yippee-Ki-Yay 50K
Oct 19; Council Bluffs, IA
50K, half marathon, 10K
Smooth, low-key rail-trail route through the Heartland
Tecumseh Trail Challenge
Oct 19; Nashville, IN
50K, marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 8 miler
Lose (or find) yourself in tranquil Yellowwood State Forest
Mammoth Cave 50K & 25K
Oct 26; Park City, KY
50K, 25K
First-timer friendly out-&-back in Mammoth Cave Nat’l Park
👉 Or search for more October ultra marathons
Late October Other Distances
Atlanta 10 Miler & 5K
Oct 20; Atlanta, GA
10 miler, 5K
Popular urban loop starts & finishes in upscale Midtown
Delaware Distance Classic 15K & 5K
Oct 20; Wilmington, DE
15K, 5K
41-year tradition travels the flat, multi-use Markell Trail
Frank Lloyd Wright Races
Oct 20; Oak Park, IL
10K, 5K
Explore the enduring legacy of the nation’s greatest architect
Wicked 10K
Oct 25–26; Virginia Beach, VA
10K, 5K
Trick-or-treat yourself to coastal Halloween fun
Narrowleaf Lake Run
Oct 27; Loveland, CO
15K, 10K, 5K, 1K
Mile-high smiles & a chance of early-season snowfall
👉 Or search for more October races of other distances
Late October International Races
Prince Edward Island Marathon 🇨🇦
Oct 19–20; Charlottetown, Canada
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 16K, 10K, 5K
Charming maritime province hosts its 20th annual event
Sanlam Cape Town Marathon 🇿🇦
Oct 19–20; Cape Town, South Africa
46K, marathon, 22K, 10K, 5K
Iconic city aspires to Africa’s first World Marathon Major
Vietnam Jungle Marathon 🇻🇳
Oct 19; Phu Luong, Vietnam
70K, 55K, marathon, 25K, 10K
Rugged, remote challenge rewards w/ “spectacular scenery”
Polar Circle Marathon 🇬🇱
Oct 26–27; Kangerlassuaq, Greenland
Marathon, half marathon
Run on the Greenland Ice Sheet in the Arctic Circle
Venice Marathon 🇮🇹
Oct 27; Venice, Italy
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 4K
Go with the flow in the seductive City of Canals
👉 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 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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