Welcome to your RaceRaves guide to May races! Here we spotlight best bets & hidden gems to help you hit the high notes of a busy spring racing season.
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)
May Marathons
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon 🏆 (above)
May 3–4; Cincinnati, OH
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10K, 5K, 1 miler
The pride of Cincy embraces its popular porcine theme
Pittsburgh Marathon
May 3–4; Pittsburgh, PA
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 5K
Tackle the hills & test your mettle in the Steel City
Lincoln Marathon
May 4; Lincoln, NE
Marathon, half marathon
Fun & friendly tour of Nebraska’s capital city
Providence Rhode Races
May 4; Providence, RI
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
The Creative Capital’s hometown race changes hands
REVEL White Mountains
May 4; Conway, NH
Marathon, half marathon
REVEL’s East Coast entry returns for an encore performance
New River Marathon
May 16–17; Todd, NC
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Idyllic gem 💎 in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains
Ogden Marathon 🏆
May 17; Ogden, UT
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 8 miler, 5K
Mountain-town “must do” voted Utah’s best marathon
Denver Colfax Marathon
May 17–18; Denver, CO
Marathon, marathon relay, half marathon, 10 miler, 5K
Flex your mile-high muscle at Denver’s ultimate urban tour
Buffalo Marathon
May 24–25; Buffalo, NY
Marathon, half marathon, 5K
Memorial Day tradition showcases the City of Good Neighbors
Coeur d’Alene Marathon
May 25; Coeur d’Alene, ID
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
Lakefront beauty in a family-friendly resort town
Fargo Marathon
May 30–31; Fargo, ND
Marathon, half marathon, 10K, 5K
“America’s best small-town race” is a 50 states favorite
👉 Or search for more May marathons
May Half Marathons
IU Health 500 Festival Mini-Marathon (Indy Mini)
May 3; Indianapolis, IN
Half marathon, 5K
Kiss the bricks 😙 and run a lap on the Speedway
Wallis Sands Half
May 4; Rye, NH
Half marathon
Flat seaside loop along the Atlantic coastline
Running with the Cows 🏆
May 5; Bucyrus, KS
Half marathon, 5K
Rolling, rustic favorite boasts great cow-moo-nity support
San Juan Island Half 🏆
May 10; Friday Harbor, WA
Half marathon
Picturesque point-to-point “where the sea meets the sky”
Santa Barbara Wine Country Half 🏆
May 10; Solvang, CA
Half marathon, half marathon relay
Gorgeous Mother’s Day getaway in a charming Danish village
La Jolla Half
May 17; San Diego, CA
Half marathon, 5K
Hilly oceanfront challenge is breathtaking in every way
Marine Corps Historic Half
May 17–18; Fredericksburg, VA
Half marathon, 5K
The “greatest half in history” features full USMC support
Run Madtown
May 24–25; Madison, WI
Half marathon, 10K, 5K
Savor the sights & sounds of Wisconsin’s vibrant capital
Hibiscus Half
May 25; Honolulu, HI
Half marathon, 15K, 5 miler
Destination sensation features sunrise over the ocean 🌺
Jackson Hole Half
May 25; Jackson, WY
Half marathon, 5K
Small but mighty run under the watchful eye of the Tetons
DAM to DSM
May 31; Polk City, IA
Half marathon
Rural-to-urban tradition is Iowa’s unofficial summer kickoff
👉 Or search for more May half marathons
May Ultra Marathons
Strolling Jim
May 3; Wartrace, TN
40 miler
Lazarus Lake classic travels rolling rural roads
Flower Moon Ultra
May 10; Pawhuska, OK
50 miler, marathon, half marathon, 4 miler
Novice-friendly trail run with Dreamcatcher-inspired medals
Infinitus Rugged Trail Races
May 15–25; Ripton, VT
888K, 10x marathon, 5x marathon, 250 miler, 100 miler, 88K, marathon, 9 miler
Endurance tour de force in Green Mountain Nat’l Forest
Galena Sky Trail Race
May 17; Galena, IL
8 hr, 4 hr
Mountain resort loop overlooks the mighty Mississippi
Trail Festival at Pineland Farms
May 24–25; New Gloucester, ME
30 hr, 30 hr relay, 100K, 50K, 25K, 15K, 10K, 5K
“Continuously gorgeous and delightful” run in rolling hills
👉 Or search for more May ultra marathons
May Other Distances
Hollywood to the Sea Relay
May 3; Malibu, CA
75 mile relay
Run below the Hollywood sign & finish at the Pacific Ocean
Bloomsday
May 4; Spokane, WA
12K
Beloved spring spectacular celebrates the spirit of Spokane
Amway River Bank Run
May 10; Grand Rapids, MI
25K, 10K, 5K
The country’s largest 25K brings the energy
Biltmore Kiwanis 15K & 5K Classic
May 18; Asheville, NC
15K, 5K
Explore the grounds of an 8,000-acre Gilded Age estate
(25th anniversary)
BOLDERBoulder
May 26; Boulder, CO
10K
Start Memorial Day with “America’s All-Time Best 10K”
👉 Or search for more May other distances
May International Races
BMO Vancouver Marathon 🇨🇦
May 4; Vancouver, Canada
Marathon, half marathon, 8K
Canada’s largest marathon follows the world-famous Seawall
Prague International Marathon 🇨🇿
May 4; Prague, Czechia
Marathon, marathon relay, 1 miler
Cosmopolitan capital charms w/castles, cobblestones & culture
Transvulcania 🇪🇸
May 10; La Palma, Spain
73K, 43K, 25K, vertical km
Iconic trail race in the Canary Islands attracts top talent
Göteborgsvarvet Half 🇸🇪
May 17; Gothenburg, Sweden
Half marathon
The world’s largest half marks its 45th year w/an 80s theme
Santiago Marathon 🇨🇱
May 18; Santiago, Chile
Marathon, half marathon, 10K
Chile’s biggest sporting event welcomes 25,000 runners
👉 Or search for more May 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.
Other RaceRaves articles you’ll enjoy (trust us!)
2024: The Year in Racing
Anniversary Races to Celebrate (2024-25)
Racing Etiquette: Tips for a Successful Race Day
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