Races Near Me: Upcoming Running Races

Turkey Day Races are BACK in Glenwood Springs! Bring your friends & family, and join the fun at Veltus Park to revive this great local Thanksgiving tradition. Featuring views of the Roaring Fork River & Mount Sopris along the way for both the 5k race and the 2k fun run, there is a distance everyone will enjoy. Costumes are encouraged (but not mandatory)...it's more fun to run with a bunch of TURKEYS!! Be creative. Be grateful. Be kind. See you at the race! NEW COURSE for 2026! Both 5k Race (3.11 mi) & 2k Fun Run (1.24 mi) courses will follow the Roaring Fork River from Veltus Park, enjoying beautiful views of Mount Sopris. Courses enjoy some of the "cruisiest" miles in the valley on stroller-friendly pavement! 5K RACE: Runners will travel out from Veltus park, making their way to the Rio Grande and Midland bike/pedestrian paths, crossing the Roaring Fork river twice before returning home. Course includes a short out-and-back section on the Rio Grande Trail to the 23rd street "lollipop" before completing the route back to Veltus Park.2K FUN RUN: Fun Run participants will leave the park and travel along the Rio Grande Trail as an out-and-back distance to Glenwood Springs Elementary School, giving beautiful views and a chance to high-five lots of turkeys along the way! REGISTRATION FEES & RACE T-SHIRT ORDERS: 5K: Registration opens October 18, 2026 @ 8am Online registration: $25/entry (ages 6+). Race Day registration (in-person only): $30/entry (ages 6+)Racers 5 & under are free! These "Little Turkeys" will be untimed. 2K: Registration opens October 18, 2026 @ 8am Online registration: $15/entry (ages 6+).Race Day registration (in-person only): $20/entry (ages 6+)Racers 5 & under are free! These "Little Turkeys" will be untimed T-SHIRT ORDERS: T-SHIRTS ARE AN OPTIONAL $15 UPGRADE WITH YOUR REGISTRATION! YOU MUST REGISTER/ORDER BY NOVEMBER 15 TO GUARANTEE YOUR T-SHIRT SIZE. BIB PICKUP/RACE-DAY REGISTRATION: Bib pickup & in-person registration will open at 7:30am on the morning of the race at Veltus Park. PLEASE NOTE: NO DOGS ALLOWED IN VELTUS PARK DURING THE EVENT. RACE CATEGORIES: This year's 5k race winners will receive homemade PIES as well as other great prizes! Podium finishes will be awarded for 5k masters (40+), adult (20-39), youth (15-19), junior (11-14), & kids' (10 & under) divisions. All participants have option to upgrade with a race t-shirt, AND all are invited to celebrate the finish line with pie, hot cocoa, & cider after the run. Podium awards will take place just prior to the Fun Run. PARKING: Parking is limited at Veltus Park. We ask all participants to carpool & park in designated public 7th street parking, or in the lot provided at Defiance Fitness just east of 8th St bridge. Additional overflow parking is available at Glenwood Springs Elementary School. WHAT DOES THIS RACE SUPPORT? Proceeds will benefit the Roaring Fork Phoenix Youth programs, with additional support to Glenwood Springs Elementary School Parent Teacher Association! Not running? Donations will be accepted through the website to help fund great opportunities for both organizations! Phoenix Youth is a faith based ministry sponsored by the Roaring Fork Methodist Churches. Phoenix Youth offers opportunities for positive growth opportunities & adventures for middle school & high school students across the valley. For the past 5 years, Phoenix Youth has grown to include students from Parachute to Basalt, offering support for young people of all backgrounds. The 2026 programs include Native American service missions for home repair, Front Range service in community gardens, sponsorship of the Lift UP Fall Food Drive, Senior High supper & book club, Middle School social outings, weekly coffee shop meetups, as well as weekend fall adventures, a winter hut trip retreat, & more! Proceeds will fund 2026 and 2027 youth projects. New for 2026! One dollar for every paid entry, and 10% of all additional donations will be given to the Glenwood Springs Elementary School Parent Teacher Association. The GSES PTA connects students, parents, and teachers in fun & meaningful ways, adding meaning and fun to the education experience! We are proud and grateful partners to our school colleagues & families. For course maps & more information about the race, as well as to learn about Phoenix Youth & Roaring Fork Churches, visit www.roaringforkchurch.org

We are a go for race #2!!! See you on the 15th! Sunlight Mountain  and Cripple Creek Backcountry are teaming up again to bring the Moonlight Race Series back for the 2025/26 season! We couldn't be more excited to to bring the uphill community together for 4 nights of type A fun!  Racers will have the option each night to race on a long or short course with multiple fast accents and downhills. The two courses will be the same for all four races(snow willing) so participants can see their progression in fitness, skinning, skiing and transitions throughout the season. Come out to push your own best time or just move casually with friends. We all know that we try a little harder when that bib is strapped on so come out and get your suffer fun on! There will be schwag, beers and hot chocolate waiting for you at the finish line! All racers are required to have a headlamp and a helmet. Remember to stay on our designated uphill routes while training.  Racer check in will be between 5:15pm

The mountain is calling. How will you answer? The 12 Hours of Sunlight returns in 2027 for its third year btter than ever and is ready to test what you’re made of. For 12 relentless hours, determination becomes momentum, teammates become family, and every lap asks the same question: Do you have another one in you? Take it on solo or share the challenge with a team of two or four. Whatever your approach, this is more than a race. It’s a journey into the night, a battle against the clock, and a chance to discover how far you can go when your legs say stop but your spirit says climb. The Challenge Race to complete as many laps as possible in 12 hours on Sunlight’s 1.3-mile Sun King uphill route, gaining 1,800 vertical feet with every ascent. Skin up. Ski down. Repeat. Compete as: An individual A two-person team A four-person team Race Check-In Every racer will receive a bib. Bib pickup details will be announced closer to race day. Members of the same team will share a bib number. Racer swag will be distributed at the conclusion of the race. Required Gear Every racer must carry and use: A headlamp(for the early and late laps) A helmet Downhill-rated skis or a splitboard Helmets are mandatory on every downhill segment. Snowshoes and uphill-only skis are not permitted. Hydration and Fuel A fully stocked hydration and fueling station will be located at the start/finish line, with a variety of race-day essentials to help keep you moving throughout the challenge. Drop-Bag Zones Racers may use either of two convenient drop-bag areas: An outdoor zone at the start/finish line An indoor zone in the lodge, approximately 250 feet away The Finish When the final lap is complete, gather in the lodge for food, drinks, giveaways, and a well-earned celebration. Top individuals and teams will receive prizes and lift tickets for the 2025/26 season. Important Registration Information There will be no race-day registration. Secure your place in advance. Racers under 18 must have a parent, coach, or guardian present for the entire race. The clock will keep moving. The mountain will keep asking. And somewhere between the first climb and the final descent, you may meet a stronger version of yourself. Answer the challenge. Register today and see how many times you can rise in 12 Hours of Sunlight. Race Map

The Heathen 2027 A Colorado skimo tradition steps onto the national stage. Colorado’s longest continuously running ski mountaineering race returns to Sunlight Mountain Resort in 2027. Presented by Strafe Outerwear, Cripple Creek Backcountry, and Sunlight Mountain Resort, The Heathen is built around the roots of the sport: demanding climbs, technical transitions, hard-earned descents, and a community that knows the best days rarely come easy. This year, The Heathen has been selected as a sanctioned National Cup race and will be part of the USA Skimo 2026/27 National Cup calendar. National-level competition is coming to Sunlight, but the heart of the event remains the same: move through the mountains, test your limits, and share the course with people who understand that suffering can be its own kind of celebration. Seasoned racer or first-time competitor, there is a place for you at The Heathen. Just be ready to earn it. Registration closes at 4 p.m. on Friday, February 5. Elite Race Approximately 11 miles with 5,500 feet of elevation gain Built for experienced racers and committed backcountry athletes, the Elite course delivers an unforgiving mix of skinning, skiing, bootpacking, and rapid transitions. It will test your endurance, efficiency, judgment, and resolve from the opening climb to the final descent. The mountain will ask plenty of questions. Your legs will have to answer them. Recreational Race Approximately 6 miles with 2,000 feet of elevation gain The Rec division is an ideal entry into skimo racing and a worthy challenge for any mountain athlete. The course may be shorter, but it still demands strong climbing, confident skiing, efficient transitions, and enough determination to keep moving when the easy choice would be to stop. This is no casual tour. It is The Heathen. Course Information The Heathen is known for maximizing backcountry-style skiing and skinning across Sunlight’s terrain. Course maps offer a general picture of what to expect, but all routes are subject to change based on snow, weather, operational needs, and safety considerations. Final mileage and vertical gain may vary. Bib Pickup Will be announced closer to the race Race Rules and Safety The race director may delay the start, modify the course, or cancel the race because of snow, weather, or safety conditions. Racers must follow all directions from race staff, course marshals, and Sunlight Mountain Resort employees. The race takes place within an operating ski area. Racers must yield to resort guests at all times. Failure to do so will result in immediate disqualification. On uphill sections, racers must remain in the established skin track or within five feet of the course markings. On downhill sections, racers must remain within 30 feet of the course markings. All transitions must take place within 20 feet of the designated transition point. Racers must submit to equipment checks when requested, including before the race or at the finish. Every racer, regardless of category, must use a ski-retention device such as brakes or leashes. Lightweight Nordic equipment is not permitted in either division. Helmets must be worn for the entire race. Bike, ski, climbing, and ski-mountaineering-specific helmets are permitted. Any racer who withdraws must report to a course marshal or the finish area. Failure to check in may trigger a search. Racers must be prepared for rapidly changing mountain weather, including snow, high winds, and extreme cold. Come race for National Cup points. Come chase a personal best. Come find the edge of what you thought you could do. The Heathen is waiting. Register now and meet it on the mountain in 2027.

The Defiance Challenge isn’t just an endurance event, it’s a heart-pounding, adrenaline fueled showdown that tests grit, skill, and sheer determination! Open to expert skiers and riders ages 6 and up, this epic two-person team race pushes competitors to their limits as they battle to rack up the most runs in a grueling 10-hour marathon on the slopes. The bar is set high: the legendary record of 49 runs—an astonishing 66,792 vertical feet—was established in 2020 by the unstoppable duo, Aidan Corcoran and Nate Grosscup. Can you and your partner rise to the occasion and shatter this milestone? The action kicks off at 7 a.m. sharp outside the main Sunlight lodge with a Le Mans-style start that’s as chaotic as it is thrilling. At the sound of the starting gun, racers explode into motion, sprinting to their waiting skis or snowboards, snapping into their bindings, and charging toward the Segundo chairlift. From there, it’s a non-stop, high-speed adventure as teams conquer 40 challenging routes, including every double black diamond Sunlight has to offer. Whether you're here to make history or just prove you’ve got what it takes, the Defiance Challenge promises a day of unforgettable thrills and fierce competition. Are you ready to defy the limits? Let the countdown begin!