In 2024, there were more than 85,000 running races in the US, according to RunSignUp data. From 5K fun runs to marathons and every distance in between, runners have countless options to choose from.
You can race the biggies, like New York, Chicago, and Boston, or head down to Disney World for your Mickey Mouse fix. You could pick one of the more well-known roadies like Big Sur, Peachtree, Rose Bowl, or Marine Corps.
But if you’re looking for truly unique running races, you might have to go off the beaten path. Some races are special, not because of their size or prestige, but because they embrace the quirky, weird, and totally wackadoodle that runners love.
We’re talking about races with cake at aid stations and diamond rings as awards. Races where you run from aliens, participate in a multigenerational feud, sample bourbon, or run up 86 flights of stairs. Races that take place at night under the midnight sun, underground in an active salt mine, or from a lighthouse on the coast.