The 115 Biggest Endurance Events in the US (2026 Guide)

Planning your 2026 race calendar? We compiled the biggest, most iconic endurance events happening across the United States this year — from World Marathon Majors to legendary ultramarathons, bucket-list open water swims, and the fastest-growing obstacle course races. Whether you're chasing a Boston qualifier, your first IRONMAN, or a Ragnar relay with friends, this guide has you covered.

Every event listed below links directly to its page on RACE, where you can find dates, locations, and registration details. Let's dive in.

Marathons

The marathon remains the gold standard of endurance racing. These are the biggest and most prestigious 26.2-mile races in the US for 2026.

Boston Marathon — April 20, Boston, MA. The world's oldest annual marathon. Qualifier-only entry makes it the most prestigious marathon on the planet.
TCS New York City Marathon — November 1, New York, NY. The world's largest marathon with 55,000+ runners crossing all five boroughs.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon — October 11, Chicago, IL. One of six World Marathon Majors with one of the fastest courses in the world.
Marine Corps Marathon — October 25, Arlington, VA. "The People's Marathon" — one of the largest with no prize money. Iconic DC monuments course.
Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend — January 10, Orlando, FL. Run through all four Disney theme parks. The Dopey Challenge draws massive interest.
JAL Honolulu Marathon — December 13, Honolulu, HI. No time limit, no qualifying time. Run with Diamond Head as your backdrop.
Philadelphia Marathon — November 22, Philadelphia, PA. Fast BQ course past Independence Hall and along the Schuylkill River.
Chevron Houston Marathon — January 17, Houston, TX. One of the premier winter marathons — fast, flat, and elite-friendly.
Twin Cities Marathon — October 4, Minneapolis, MN. "The Most Beautiful Urban Marathon in America."
ASICS Los Angeles Marathon — March 7, Los Angeles, CA. "Stadium to the Sea" — Dodger Stadium to the Santa Monica Pier.
The San Francisco Marathon — July 26, San Francisco, CA. Cross the Golden Gate Bridge and run through iconic neighborhoods.
Life Time Miami Marathon — January 31, Miami, FL. South Florida's premier running event along the stunning coastline.
UW Medicine Seattle Marathon — November 29, Seattle, WA. Pacific Northwest's signature fall marathon along Puget Sound.
Austin Marathon — February 14, Austin, TX. Austin's premier race through the Live Music Capital of the World.
Big Sur Marathon — April 15, Big Sur, CA. Bucket-list scenic course on Highway 1 along the Pacific coast.
Detroit Free Press Marathon — October 18, Detroit, MI. The only marathon that crosses an international border into Canada.
St. George Marathon — October 15, St. George, UT. Downhill point-to-point through red rock country. Sells out fast.
Portland Marathon — October 15, Portland, OR. The Pacific Northwest classic, growing 33% year over year.
Sacramento CIM — December 15, Sacramento, CA. One of the fastest Boston qualifier courses in the US.
Flying Pig Marathon — May 15, Cincinnati, OH. A beloved race with a fun brand and all distances available.
Indianapolis Monumental Marathon — November 15, Indianapolis, IN. BQ-friendly flat course through the Circle City.
Mesa Marathon — February 15, Mesa, AZ. Fast winter marathon in the Arizona desert, growing rapidly.
Newport Marathon — October 15, Newport, RI. New England coastal charm on a scenic Rhode Island course.

Half Marathons & Road Races

From the world's largest half marathon to iconic holiday traditions, these road races draw massive fields and passionate communities.

United Airlines NYC Half — March 15, New York, NY. The largest half marathon in the US, through Times Square and Central Park.
RBC Brooklyn Half Marathon — May 16, Brooklyn, NY. NYRR's flagship half — one of the most popular 13.1s in the country.
Disney Princess Half Marathon — February 15, Orlando, FL. The biggest female-focused runDisney event. Sells out instantly.
Rock 'n' Roll Las Vegas — February 15, Las Vegas, NV. Night run on The Strip with 30,000+ participants.
Rock 'n' Roll San Diego — May 15, San Diego, CA. The original Rock 'n' Roll event since 1998.
Rock 'n' Roll Nashville — April 15, Nashville, TN. "Running's biggest party" through Music City.
Rock 'n' Roll Arizona — January 15, Tempe, AZ. Fast, flat winter course in the desert.
Rock 'n' Roll Washington DC — March 15, Washington, DC. Run past the Capitol, Lincoln Memorial, and Washington Monument.
Shamrock Half Marathon — March 15, Virginia Beach, VA. Fast and scenic beachside course.
Cowtown Half Marathon — February 15, Fort Worth, TX. Texas heritage race through the historic Stockyards.
Disneyland Half Marathon Weekend — January 15, Anaheim, CA. West Coast runDisney. Sells out fast.
Dopey Challenge (WDW) — January 15, Orlando, FL. 5K + 10K + Half + Full in four days. The ultimate Disney challenge.
Wine Country Half Marathon — June 15, Napa/Sonoma, CA. Scenic vineyard courses through California wine country.
BOLDERBoulder 10K — May 15, Boulder, CO. 3rd largest race in the US. Memorial Day tradition.
Broad Street Run — May 3, Philadelphia, PA. The largest 10-mile race in the United States.
Lilac Bloomsday Run — May 15, Spokane, WA. One of the largest timed road races in the world.
Cooper River Bridge Run — April 15, Charleston, SC. 30,000+ runners crossing the iconic Ravenel Bridge.
Manchester Road Race — November 15, Manchester, CT. Thanksgiving Day tradition since 1927.

Triathlons

From your first sprint tri to the IRONMAN World Championship, the US triathlon scene spans every level. Here are the marquee events.

IRONMAN Texas — April 18, The Woodlands, TX. North American Championship on a flat, fast course. Sells out every year.
IRONMAN Lake Placid — July 15, Lake Placid, NY. Iconic Adirondack course — voted best bike course in the world.
IRONMAN Florida — November 7, Panama City Beach, FL. Fast and flat — the most popular first IRONMAN for many athletes.
IRONMAN Arizona — November 15, Tempe, AZ. The season closer with a great spectator course.
IRONMAN California — October 18, Sacramento, CA. Scenic Northern California course.
IRONMAN Chattanooga — September 15, Chattanooga, TN. Downstream river swim and a beautiful Appalachian bike course.
IRONMAN Maryland — September 15, Cambridge, MD. Flat Eastern Shore course perfect for fast times.
IRONMAN Jacksonville — May 16, Jacksonville, FL. Inaugural Atlantic coast IRONMAN event.
IRONMAN 70.3 Oceanside — April 15, Oceanside, CA. The season opener for half-distance racing. Sells out fast.
IRONMAN 70.3 Gulf Coast — May 9, Panama City Beach, FL. Beach town 70.3 with a growing field.
IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon — July 15, Salem, OR. Pacific Northwest favorite, consistently sold out.
IRONMAN 70.3 Santa Cruz — September 15, Santa Cruz, CA. California coast half-IRONMAN.
SuperTri Chicago Triathlon — August 15, Chicago, IL. The largest single triathlon event in the US — 8,000+ athletes.
Escape From Alcatraz Triathlon — June 15, San Francisco, CA. Swim from Alcatraz Island. A bucket-list race.
New York City Triathlon — July 15, New York, NY. Swim the Hudson, bike the West Side, run through Central Park.
XTERRA World Championship — October 15, Ruidoso, NM. The premier off-road triathlon championship.

Obstacle Course Races

OCR has exploded into a global phenomenon. Spartan Race, Tough Mudder, HYROX, and Savage Race lead the charge in 2026.

HYROX Miami Beach — April 3, Miami Beach, FL. The global fitness race bringing 8 stations of functional fitness + 8km of running.
HYROX New York — May 28, New York, NY. The largest HYROX in North American history at Pier 76.
HYROX Boston — October 8, Boston, MA. HYROX at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center.
HYROX Dallas — November 18, Dallas, TX. HYROX comes to Big D at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.
HYROX Washington DC (Americas Championship) — September 3, Washington, DC. The HYROX Americas Championship.
Tough Mudder Los Angeles — March 21, Lake Elsinore, CA. 15K and 5K obstacle courses with 25+ team-focused obstacles.
Tough Mudder Philadelphia — May 23, Philadelphia, PA. East coast mud and obstacles.
Tough Mudder Chicago — August 29, Chicago, IL. Late summer Tough Mudder at Rockford International Airport.
Tough Mudder Atlanta — April 25, Atlanta, GA. Teamwork-focused obstacles in the heart of the South.
Spartan Race Charlotte — April 4, Concord, NC. Sprint and Super obstacle course racing in North Carolina.
Spartan Race San Diego — April 18, Pala, CA. Two days of OCR in the Southern California mountains.
Spartan Race Seattle — September 19, Snohomish, WA. Sprint and Super racing in the Pacific Northwest.
Spartan Race Michigan — July 18, Belmont, MI. Two days of Sprint and Super in Grand Rapids.
Savage Race Georgia — September 19, Dallas, GA. 5-7 miles of challenging obstacles and unique course features.
BoneFrog Challenge — Navy SEAL-designed obstacle course race with multiple US locations.

Cycling Events

Gravel racing, gran fondos, and mountain bike epics — US cycling has never been bigger. These are the must-ride events of 2026.

Unbound Gravel — May 30, Emporia, KS. The world's premier gravel race — 25 to 350 miles through the Flint Hills. Part of the Life Time Grand Prix.
SBT GRVL — June 28, Steamboat Springs, CO. The second-largest US gravel race. Stunning Colorado mountain routes.
Belgian Waffle Ride — June 12, Cedar City, UT. One of the toughest gravel events in the country.
Barry-Roubaix — April 15, Hastings, MI. "The Killer Gravel Road Race" — sells out in minutes every year.
Gran Fondo Hincapie — October 15, Greenville, SC. 15-year anniversary of this iconic road event in the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Leadville Trail 100 MTB — August 15, Leadville, CO. "The Race Across the Sky" on two wheels — 100 miles at 10,000+ feet.
Haute Route Asheville — May 15, Asheville, NC. Multi-day stage race through the Blue Ridge Mountains.
LOTOJA — September 15, Logan, UT. The longest single-day USCF-sanctioned road race at 206 miles.
Tour of the Battenkill — April 15, Cambridge, NY. America's largest pro-am road race.
Honolulu Century Ride — September 15, Honolulu, HI. Scenic 25-100 mile ride through paradise.

Ultramarathons

Beyond the marathon lies a world of 50Ks, 100-milers, and multi-day adventures. These are the most legendary ultras in the US.

Western States 100 — June 15, Olympic Valley, CA. The most prestigious 100-mile race in the world. Lottery entry only.
Leadville Trail 100 Run — August 15, Leadville, CO. "The Race Across the Sky" at 10,000+ feet elevation through the Colorado Rockies.
Hardrock 100 — July 15, Silverton, CO. Extreme mountain ultra with 33,000+ feet of elevation change through the San Juan Mountains.
UTMB Canyons Endurance Runs — April 15, Auburn, CA. Part of the UTMB World Series. 100K and 100-mile options through the American River Canyon.
Run Rabbit Run — September 15, Steamboat Springs, CO. 100-mile and 50-mile mountain ultra gaining prestige every year.
JFK 50 Mile — November 21, Boonsboro, MD. The oldest ultramarathon in the US, held annually since 1963.

Swimming Events

Open water swimming in the US ranges from iconic bay crossings to marathon-distance channel swims. These are the top aquatic events.

Swim Miami 2026 — April 12, Miami, FL. Open water swimming at the iconic Miami Marine Stadium on Virginia Key. 800M to 10K distances.
Escape From Alcatraz Swim (Sharkfest) — June 15, San Francisco, CA. The most iconic open water swim in the US — 1.5 miles from Alcatraz to shore.
Swim Around Key West — June 15, Key West, FL. 12.5-mile circumnavigation of Key West. Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2026.
Catalina Channel Swim — July 15, Catalina Island, CA. 20.2-mile channel crossing — part of the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming.
Manhattan Island Marathon Swim — June 15, New York, NY. 28.5-mile circumnavigation of Manhattan. A Triple Crown event.
Waikiki Roughwater Swim — September 15, Honolulu, HI. The oldest open water swim in the US, held since 1970.
Tampa Bay Marathon Swim — April 15, Tampa Bay, FL. One of the longest open water swims in the United States at 24 miles.

Relay Races

Relay races combine endurance with teamwork. These events are as much about the journey with your crew as they are about the miles.

Hood to Coast Relay — August 15, Mt. Hood to Seaside, OR. "The Mother of All Relays" — 199 miles from Mt. Hood to the Pacific. Sold out 26 years straight.
Ragnar Relay Series — Year-round, Various US. The largest relay series in the US with ~20 events spanning road and trail formats.
Ragnar Relay SoCal — April 15, Southern California, CA. One of the most popular Ragnar road relay events.
Ragnar Reach the Beach — September 15, New Hampshire, NH. The East Coast flagship Ragnar relay.

Start Planning Your 2026 Race Calendar

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