Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to top May races! Here we spotlight best bets & hidden gems for your consideration as the spring racing season shifts into high gear.
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🏆 = Top Rated (Overall rating of at least 4.7 across 10+ reviews)
May Marathons
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon 🏆
May 4–5; Cincinnati, OH
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 miler
Popular porcine party proves its (pork) chops
OC Marathon Running Festival
May 4–5; Newport Beach, CA
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Orange County’s spring favorite marks its 20th anniversary
Colorado Marathon
May 5; Fort Collins, CO
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Gorgeous downhill run from the Rockies to Fort Collins
Madeline Island Marathon
May 18; La Pointe, WI
Marathon, half marathon
Low-key tour of a lovely island on Lake Superior
Ogden Marathon 🏆
May 18; Ogden, UT
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 12K, 5K
BQ-friendly beauty at the foot of the Wasatch Range
Queen Bee Montana Marathon 🏆
May 19; Billings, MT
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Small race, fast course, Big Sky, “gigantic” community spirit
Buffalo Marathon
May 25–26; Buffalo, NY
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
The City of Good Neighbors serves up a lively urban loop
Prince of Wales Island Marathon
May 25; Craig, AK
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon
Remote gem 💎 showcases the beauty of SE Alaska
Traverse City Track Club Bayshore Marathon
May 25; Traverse City, MI
Marathon, half marathon, 10K
Postcard-perfect destination race along Lake Michigan
Coeur d’Alene Marathon 🏆
May 26; Coeur d’Alene, ID
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Pristine pleasure voted Idaho’s best marathon & half marathon
Fargo Marathon 🏆 (above)
May 28–Jun 1; Fargo, ND
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
“America’s Best Small-Town Race” celebrates 20 years
👉 Or search for more May marathons
May Half Marathons
Frederick Running Festival 🏆
May 4–5; Frederick, MD
Half marathon, half marathon relay, 5K
Spirited suburban loop of a historic Civil War city
OneAmerica 500 Festival Mini-Marathon (Indy Mini)
May 4; Indianapolis, IN
Half marathon, 5K
Kiss the bricks at “The Greatest Spectacle in Running”
Run The Bluegrass
May 11; Lexington, KY
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
“America’s Prettiest Half Marathon” follows new roads in 2024
Running with the Cows 🏆
May 11; Bucyrus, KS
Half marathon, 5K
Rolling, rural fan favorite finishes with a post-race feast 😋
Santa Barbara Wine Country Half 🏆
May 11; Solvang, CA
Half marathon, half marathon relay
Idyllic Mother’s Day weekend in “The Danish Capital of America”
Joplin Memorial Run
May 18; Joplin, MO
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Small-town run to remember the victims of the 2011 tornado
(2024 will be the final edition)
La Jolla Half
May 18; San Diego, CA
Half marathon, 5K
Coastal hills + ocean views = a breathtaking duo
Run Madtown
May 25–26; Madison, WI
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Soak up the sights & sounds of Wisconsin’s vibrant capital
Boston’s Run to Remember
May 27; Boston, MA
Half marathon, 5 miler
Memorial Day tribute honors first responders 🇺🇸
Grand Teton Half 🏆
May 31–Jun 1; Wilson, WY
Half marathon, 5K
“Simply amazing” run boasts “spectacular scenery”
👉 Or search for more May half marathons
May Ultra Marathons
Strolling Jim
May 4; Wartrace, TN
40 miler, marathon, half marathon, 10K
Old-school Laz classic travels the hilly roads of rural TN
Tillamook Burn Trail Run
May 10–12; Timber, OR
50 miler, 50K, 20 miler
Run one, two or all three distances in a reborn rainforest
Bryce Canyon Ultras 🏆
May 18; Hatch, UT
100 miler, 50 miler, 60K, 50K, 30K
High-altitude challenge is “amazing in all ways possible”
Highball to Thurmond Ultra
May 19; Thurmond, WV
50 miler, 50 mile relay, 55K
Epic road/trail hybrid through New River Gorge Nat’l Park
Sugar Badger 50/50
May 25; Belleville, WI
50 miler, 50K, half marathon
Flat & festive rail-trail out-and-back hits all the right notes
👉 Or search for more May ultra marathons
May Other Distances
Golden Gate Relay
May 4–5; Napa, CA
190 mile relay, 160 mile relay, 125 mile relay
12-person party from wine country to the Pacific Ocean
Bloomsday
May 5; Spokane, WA
12K
Spring spectacular showcases the spirit of the Lilac City
Biltmore Kiwanis 15K & 5K Classic
May 19; Asheville, NC
15K, 5K
Run on the grounds of the nation’s largest private estate
Soldier Field 10 Mile
May 25; Chicago, IL
10 miler, 10K
Lakefront tour of local landmarks finishes on the 50
BOLDERBoulder
May 27; Boulder, CO
10K
“America’s All-Time Best 10K” is a Memorial Day favorite
👉 Or search for more May races of other distances
May International Races
Rotorua Marathon 🇳🇿
May 3–4; Rotorua, New Zealand
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5.5K, 5K, 1 miler
Australasia’s longest-running marathon celebrates 60 years
Copenhagen Marathon 🇩🇰
May 5; Copenhagen, Denmark
Marathon
Dynamic Danish capital anticipates its largest field ever
(Sell-out expected soon)
Prague International Marathon 🇨🇿 🏆
May 5; Prague, Czech Republic
Marathon, marathon relay
Czech capital charms with its culture, castles & cobblestones
Great Wall Marathon 🇨🇳
May 18; Huangyaguan, China
Marathon, half marathon, 8.5K
Bucket-list challenge is a journey of 5,164 steps
Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 🇨🇦
May 25–26; Ottawa (Ontario), Canada
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K, 2K
Canadian capital hosts its 50th anniversary jubilee
👉 Or search for May 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 also completed over 100 races — including 50+ marathons and ultras — in locations ranging from Antarctica to Zimbabwe.
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And for more helpful articles, check out our blog!
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