Suor Society / Race Picks
Find a race, then build the week around it
Two things here. Races you can still get into without a qualifier or a lottery, and a planner that spreads your week out so the hard days aren't landing on top of each other. Both run off the same race list as the guide, so I'm only keeping one list current instead of two.
- Oct 102026
2XU Long Beach Marathon
Long Beach, CA
One of SoCal's most consistent fall race weekends, city streets and coastline, and October in Long Beach is about as good as race conditions get here. The 2026 race is sold out at every distance now, including the 5K, so the only way in is the 2027 waitlist.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Sold out, 2027 waitlist open
- Oct 102026
Hartford Marathon & Half Marathon
Hartford, CT
Flat, fast, USATF certified. A popular Boston qualifier attempt course because the consistency is that good. Open registration, rarely sells out early.
Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Sold Out, Waitlist Open
- Oct 102026
Steamtown Marathon
Scranton, PA
Point-to-point, significant net downhill, USATF certified. Runners who are serious about a PR target Steamtown specifically for the course profile. Small field. Open entry.
Full Marathon
Registration open
- Oct 172026
Baltimore Running Festival
Baltimore, MD
26th annual event with a scenic harbor course. USATF certified, open entry, multi-distance. Bring a crew at different fitness levels.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Registration open
- Oct 182026
Mission Inn Foundation Run
Riverside, CA
The 49th year of a Riverside tradition, starting downtown and winding through the parks, landmarks and historic neighborhoods. Proceeds go to the Mission Inn Foundation and Museum.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Oct 182026
Rocket Mortgage Detroit Free Press
Detroit, MI
International Half crosses the Ambassador Bridge into Windsor and back through the tunnel. Marathon and Motor City Half are sold out. International Half still open through Sep 8.
5K · International Half · 1 Mile
Marathon and Halfs Sold Out, 5K Open
- Oct 242026
RunThrough Long Beach Half, 10K & 5K
Long Beach, CA
Small, chip-timed Saturday race from Shoreline Aquatic Park, flat out and back along the LA River bike path. Free race photos and its own medal. The Long Beach Marathon two weeks earlier is sold out, and this one still has room.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Oct 242026
Malibu Moves Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Malibu, CA
Starts and finishes at Zuma Beach and stays on the Pacific Coast Highway the whole way. The half, 10K and 5K run on both Saturday and Sunday, so you pick the day.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Oct 252026
Marine Corps Marathon
Arlington, VA / Washington D.C.
No prize money. No elite wave. Just runners. The course goes past the Lincoln Memorial and through D.C. landmarks. General registration sold out. Charity spots open through July 31.
10K · Full Marathon
Charity Spots Open
- Nov 12026
Two Cities Marathon
Fresno/Clovis, CA
Central Valley fall classic. Multi-distance, USATF certified, point-to-point. Smaller field, less hype, faster moves through registration.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Registration open
- Nov 72026
Beer City Half, Orange County
Santa Ana, CA
Saturday half at Centennial Park in Santa Ana with a beer festival after, from the same Beer City series as the Bay Area races on this list. There's a beer mile too.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Nov 72026
CNO Financial Indianapolis Monumental
Indianapolis, IN
Flat, fast, USATF certified. Open registration, no lottery, no qualifier. One of the most runner-friendly big-city race setups in the country.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
General Sold Out, Charity Entries Open
- Nov 82026
Silver Strand Half Marathon, 10 Miler, 12K & 5K
Coronado, CA
Veterans Day weekend race down the Silver Strand from Coronado to Silver Strand State Beach. Flat and fast next to the water the whole way, with a beach party at the finish. Four distances, so it works whether you have a 5K in you or a full 13.1.
5K · 12K · 10 Mile · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Nov 82026
Santa Barbara Half Marathon & 5K
Santa Barbara, CA
Presented by HOKA. 13.1 along the waterfront plus a 5K and a kids fun run, finishing in the Funk Zone.
5K · Half Marathon
Open Registration
- Nov 82026
Monterey Bay Half Marathon
Monterey, CA
Sold out in eight days, and the Race Benefactor entries went in fifteen minutes. One of the most beautiful half courses in California. The official waitlist is the only way in now.
Half Marathon
Sold Out · Waitlist Only
- Nov 142026
Kaiser Permanente Thrive San Diego Half Marathon & 5K
San Diego, CA
Saturday morning half on a flat, looping course along the bay, starting and finishing on Vacation Isle. There's a two person half marathon relay too, if you'd rather split the 13.1 with a friend.
5K · Half Marathon · Half Marathon Relay
Registration open
- Nov 142026
Savannah Southern Half Marathon & 5K
Savannah, GA
13.1 through Savannah's historic squares, oak-lined streets, and a finish through Savannah Bananas' Grayson Stadium. Promo code available for $10 off.
5K · Half Marathon
Open Registration
- Nov 142026
Allianz Richmond Marathon
Richmond, VA
Called America's Friendliest Marathon. USATF sanctioned, certified, and a top Boston qualifier course. Full marathon sold out at the fastest pace in event history. Half marathon and 8K still open, waitlist for the full.
8K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Registration open
- Nov 152026
Berkeley Half Marathon
Berkeley, CA
USATF certified East Bay course winding through Berkeley campus, downtown, and the marina. Mid-November race day with full fall conditions.
Half Marathon
Open Registration
- Nov 202026
Philadelphia Marathon Weekend
Philadelphia, PA
Full marathon sold out. Half marathon and 8K still open. Certified course through historic Philly. No qualifier for remaining distances.
8K · Half Marathon
Marathon and Half Sold Out, 8K Open
- Nov 212026
Williams Route 66 Marathon
Tulsa, OK
Full weekend on the Mother Road's 100th birthday: marathon, half, relay, and 5K through downtown Tulsa. Certified course, open entry, and a finish-line party that earns its reputation.
5K · Relay · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Open Registration
- Nov 222026
Space Coast Marathon & Half
Cocoa, FL
Florida's oldest marathon, 55 years running. Space-themed race day along the Indian River from historic Cocoa Village with a riverfront finish. Full marathon sold out early, the earliest in event history. Half marathon still open but selling fast.
Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Registration open
- Nov 262026
Dana Point Turkey Trot
Dana Point, CA
The 49th Dana Point Turkey Trot, a Thanksgiving morning 5K and 10K at Dana Point Harbor. The combo entry lets you run both.
5K · 10K
Open Registration
- Nov 262026
O'side Turkey Trot
Oceanside, CA
Thanksgiving morning 5K on the Oceanside coast, put on by San Diego Running Co. The Double Dip runs both 5K waves back to back for a bonus medal.
5K · Double Dip 5K
Open Registration
- Dec 62026
California International Marathon
Sacramento, CA
Net downhill, point-to-point, USATF and World Athletics certified. One of the fastest marathon courses in the US. All standard tiers sold out at record speed. Gold Entry Draw closed in May.
Full Marathon
Sold Out, Access Code Entry Only
- Dec 112026
BMW Dallas Marathon Festival
Dallas, TX
55th year. New dynamic pricing model so the earlier you register the less you pay. Multi-distance fall race weekend in downtown Dallas.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Open Registration
- Dec 122026
Goleta Beach Holiday Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Goleta, CA
Saturday half just outside Santa Barbara, starting and finishing at Goleta Beach Park and running the bike path along Atascadero Creek.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Dec 122026
Santa to the Sea Half Marathon
Oxnard, CA
Flat, fast holiday half in Oxnard with a quarter marathon and 5K. The race raises money for a charity that serves more than 1,000 local kids a year.
5K · Quarter Marathon · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Dec 132026
JAL Honolulu Marathon
Honolulu, HI
No qualifier, no cutoff time, ages 7 and up. The course runs from Ala Moana through Waikiki, around Diamond Head, and back. Bucket-list December marathon.
Merrie Mile · 10K · Full Marathon
Open Registration
- Dec 192026
San Diego Holiday Half Marathon & 5K
San Diego, CA
13.1 with a 711-foot net elevation drop along a rolling downhill bike path. A fast December half and a way to end the year with a PR attempt.
5K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Jan 152027
Chevron Houston Marathon Weekend
Houston, TX
Aramco Houston Half on Sunday Jan 17. Flat, fast, USATF certified. Registration runs Nov 1, 2026 through early January.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Sold Out
- Jan 172027
Carlsbad Marathon, Half & 5K
Carlsbad, CA
Out and back along Carlsbad Boulevard, the old Highway 101, with ocean views for most of the course. 2027 is its 36th year.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Open Registration
- Jan 172027
Rose Bowl Half Marathon & 5K
Pasadena, CA
Runs past the Colorado Street Bridge, through Old Town Pasadena and by Caltech, then finishes on the 50 yard line inside the Rose Bowl. The organizers call it a sellout race.
5K · Half Marathon
Open Registration
- Feb 72027
Surf City Marathon & Half
Huntington Beach, CA
Flat and fast on the Pacific Coast Highway, past the Huntington Beach pier, with a surfboard finisher medal.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
2027 Registration Open
- Mar 2027
Los Angeles Marathon
Los Angeles, CA
Stadium to the Sea, Dodger Stadium to Santa Monica. One of the most iconic point-to-point marathon courses in the country. Open entry, no qualifier.
Full Marathon
2027 Registration
- Mar 272027
Crescent City Classic 10K
New Orleans, LA
One of the oldest 10Ks in the country and it runs Easter weekend, through downtown New Orleans, the French Quarter and Esplanade Ave. USATF certified. 2027 registration is open, and the entry price steps up in tiers as the date gets closer.
10K
Registration open
- Apr 42027
Cherry Blossom Ten Mile
Washington D.C.
Tidal Basin, cherry trees in peak bloom, ten flat miles. Annual lottery for general entry; charity bibs available. USATF certified.
5K · 10 Mile
Lottery Opens Dec 14
- Apr 172027
Mountains 2 Beach Marathon & Half
Ojai to Ventura, CA
Net downhill from Ojai to the Ventura coast. Known as one of the fastest BQ marathon courses in California. Annual; 2027 registration opens fall 2026.
Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Registration open
- Apr 252027
NYCRUNS Brooklyn Spring Half
Brooklyn, NY
Prospect Park loop course. NYCRUNS runs a clean operation: easy bib pickup, USATF certified, no lottery. The Brooklyn half marathon without the Brooklyn half wait list.
5K · Half Marathon
2027 Registration Open
- May 12027
Hoag OC Marathon Running Festival
Costa Mesa, CA
Annual SoCal weekend with marathon, half, 5K, and combo challenges. Course finishes at OC Fair & Event Center. Open entry, multi-distance.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
Registration open
- Jun 52027
Rock 'n' Roll San Diego
San Diego, CA
Balboa Park start, finish in Little Italy, live music every mile. Annual SoCal classic. 2027 registration opens late 2026.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
2027 Presale Open
- Jul 102027
Beer City Half, Alameda
Alameda, CA
Flat, fast, USATF certified Bay Area waterfront course. Good summer tune-up option. Craft beer at the finish. The 2026 race is done. Registration for the 2027 edition opens December 1, 2026.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Jul 172027
Napa to Sonoma Wine Country Half
Napa, CA
Point-to-point through active vineyards, Cuvaison Estate to Sonoma Plaza, with the Rosé 5K on the plaza the day before. The 2026 race is run. The 2027 waitlist is open now and gets you early access pricing plus registration 48 hours before everyone else.
Rosé 5K (Saturday) · Half Marathon (Sunday)
2027 Waitlist Open
- Jul 242027
The San Francisco Marathon
San Francisco, CA
Golden Gate Park, across the bridge, through the city. The 2026 race is run, 30,000 finishers across the weekend. Next one is the 50th anniversary edition and registration is already open.
5K · Half Marathon · Full Marathon
2027 Registration Open
- Aug 222027
Californian Dreamin' Half Marathon
Long Beach, CA
Flat out-and-back loops on the Long Beach beach path, starting and finishing on Ocean Blvd. Three distances, USATF certified, and the 5K and 10K both come in under $60.
5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
- Sep 112027
Beer City Half, Bishop Ranch
San Ramon, CA
East Bay edition. Multi-distance format with a 1-mile option. USATF certified. Good fall training block tune-up.
1 Mile · 5K · 10K · Half Marathon
Registration open
Races sell out fast, so open the race site and confirm before you pay for anything.
Your repeatable week
- MondayHeavy lower bodyKey sessionHeaviest your legs get all week, so nothing else hard goes near it.
- TuesdayUpper body strengthDoesn't touch your legs, so it can sit pretty much anywhere.
- WednesdayGoal pace runKey sessionThe one run where pace matters, so you want fresh legs going into it.
- ThursdayFull body strengthLighter than the heavy day. You should be able to run the next morning without thinking about it.
- FridayEasy runEasy enough to talk the whole way through. Most people run this one too hard.
- SaturdayLong runKey sessionLongest run of the week, with an easy day behind it so it actually absorbs.
- Sunday
Not a training day
General information, not medical or coaching advice. If you're coming back from an injury or starting from scratch, talk to a coach or a physio who can actually look at you.