Races Near Me: Upcoming Running Races

Monument Valley Veterans MARATHON & HALF MARATHON Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park Saturday November 21, 2026 Welcome to MV Marathon weekend! REGISTRATION – Online registration for the Marathon, Half Marathon and Wildcat 4-Miler is now open through race time. Your registration includes professional timing, light pre-race food, finisher’s medal, on-course support and live music, performance t-shirt and additional swag, post-race food and live entertainment. All runners also have a shot at overall and age-group awards. All proceeds of the event benefit community health and wellness programs on the Navajo Nation. LOCATION – Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located 23 miles northeast of Kayenta, Arizona and 20 miles south of Mexican Hat, Utah. The park straddles the Arizona/Utah border, and the races all start and finish in Arizona. PACKET PICK-UP – Packet pick-up will take place from 4-7 p.m. just inside the patio of the Visitor Center near the flagpoles. Packets will also be available beginning one hour before each race on Saturday morning. Please show up no less than 30 minutes before the start of your race. The marathon begins at 9:00 a.m. and the half marathon begin at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday. The Wildcat 4-miler is set for a 12:00 p.m. noon start. Race times and plans may be adjusted by race organizers and park officials, as needed. RACES – The Marathon is capped at 200 runners. The course begins and ends in Arizona neat the AZ/Utah state line. The route includes several miles in the backcountry of the Valley through some dramatic, rarely seen landscapes. This is a challenging marathon mostly on dirt and jeep roads and is a very scenic route. There is a significant amount of sand on this route. Highlights include the Arches Loop, Totem Pole, The Cube and Rain God Mesa. There is a significant descent within the first mile, translating to a major climb in the final mile. The Half Marathon is primarily a dirt road course, on the Valley Loop road. It is a graded dirt road with a significant descent within the first mile, translating to a major climb in the final mile. The event is capped at 500 runners. A competitive, rigorous 4-mileTrail Race – The Wildcat 4-Miler – will be held on the Wildcat Trail around and between East and West Mitten on a challenging route. While it is a competitive event for some, Wildcat participants are welcome to jog or walk their event. There will be signage and pin flags along the course for the marathon and half. The Wildcat 4-Miler route follows the trail’s brown fiberglass posts. There will be spotters and signage at key locations for both the marathon and half marathon. AID STATIONS – There are aid stations throughout the course, providing hydration, medical support and a variety of nutrition: Honey Stinger gels and chews, Gatorade, salty and sweet snacks and fresh fruit will be available at aid stations. There will be portajohns on the course, along with excellent course support by Utah Navajo Health System, Monument Valley Fire Department, the Navajo Rangers and Navajo EMS. This is a cupless event, so please plan to have your own personal hydration system. Aid Station volunteers will fill your bottle or bag at the aid stations. LODGING – We recommend our two host hotels – The View Hotel and Goulding’s Lodge. The View is located inside the Monument Valley Tribal Park. You can reach them at 435-727-5555. (They expect to sell out quickly). You can see more about The View at the website: http://monumentvalleyview.com/ . Lodging, camping and dining is available at Goulding’s Campground, about five minutes from the start line. You can reach Goulding’s at 435.727.3231 (ext 0); visit their website at www.gouldings.com. Kayenta, Arizona (25 minutes) and Mexican Hat, Utah (20 minutes) also have additional lodging options if The View and Goulding’s do not have space available. AWARDS – There are pottery or plaque awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd, overall male and female for all three races. Age-group awards for 1st 2nd and 3rd place will include pints, beanies and dreamcatchers. Age-groups categories for age-group awards will include the following categories: 14 & under, 15-18, 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54; 55-59, 60-64; 65-69 and 70-74, 75+. Of course, all runners will receive their finisher’s medals once they hit the line! POST-RACE – Post-race festivities will include live music, along with some words from tribal leaders and local royalty. The award presentation will honor our overall finishers in all three races. There will also be medical assistance at the finish. We will also have hot food for all runners at the finish line. WEATHER – The average November high in MV is 54, with an average low of 26. The weather in the high desert is variable, of course, and winter weather, wind and rain are possible, as are warmer, milder conditions. VETERAN’S RECOGNITION – There will be a special recognition of all veterans (both local and visitors from far away) at 2:00 p.m. at the finish line, including the presentation of a swag bag of goods. We will also have a few words from tribal leaders, along with musical presentation by our drum group. The MV Veterans Marathon and the Navajo Parks Race Series are co-sponsored by the nonprofit organization NavajoYES and Navajo Parks & Recreation, with support from Goulding’s Lodge, The View Hotel, Utah Navajo Health System, the Navajo Rangers, Navajo EMS, Immanuel Mission and MV Fire. CONTACTS: Registration/Timing questions: info@rmtiming.co Tom: 929-429-0345; chuskaman@yahoo.com Rygie: 505-686-2300; bekay2002@gmail.com Jim (RACE DAY SATURDAY) 608-201-8175;

Monument Valley Ultra A 50K and Half Marathon Adventure Through the Heart of the Park! Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park – March 13, 2027 Welcome to MV Ultra Weekend! 50K Start: 8:00am Half Marathon Start: 9:00am 4-Miler Start: 12 noon. REGISTRATION – Online registration for the MV Ultra is now open through an hour before race time on Saturday, March 13. The cap for the race is 500 runners. Online registration is available at the NavajoYES website: www.navajoyes.org Please contact us if you have need for a hardship discount for registration. Your registration includes professional timing, race poster, on-course support (including food and drink, medical support and portajohns), event shirt, overall and age-group awards, finisher’s award and post-race food. All proceeds benefit community health and wellness programs on the Navajo Nation. LOCATION – Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park is located 23 miles northeast of Kayenta, Arizona and 20 miles south of Mexican Hat, Utah. The park straddles the Arizona/Utah border, and the races all start and finish in Arizona. PACKET PICK-UP – Packet pick-up will take place at the Monument Valley Visitor Center from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Friday, March 12 and again from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. before the 50K, and between 8:00-9:00 for the Half Marathon on Saturday. The Visitor Center is located next to The View Hotel and within sight of the Start/Finish area. COURSE – The race is staged on a very challenging routes, with the majority of miles on singletrack trail, dirt roads and the Valley Drive. The 50K race starts at 8:00 a.m. and there are two cut-offs for runners. The Half starts at 9:00 a.m. and there are no cut-offs. HALF MARATHON COURSE The race begins with a loop on the new Sentinel Mesa Trail, which then connects with the Wildcat Trail, bringing runners out at the top of the Valley Drive Road at mile 4.5. From this point, runners travel on the Valley Drive Road, connecting with “the Marlboro Route” and past North Window before leading them to 3 Sisters Aid Station at mile 9.95. From 3 Sisters, runners head back on the Valley Drive to the finish line at just under 13.5 miles. 50k COURSE – The race is staged on a very challenging routes, with the majority of miles on singletrack trail, dirt roads and the Valley Drive. The race starts at 8:00 a.m. and there are two cut-offs for runners. The race begins with a loop on the new Sentinel Mesa Trail, which then connects with the Wildcat Trail, bringing runners out at the top of the Valley Drive Road at mile 4.5. From this point, runners travel on the Valley Drive Road, connecting with “the Marlboro Route” and past North Window before leading them to Three Sisters Aid Station for the first of their three visit to Three Sisters at mile 9.95. From Three Sisters A.S., runners do a stunning and grueling 11-mile out and back to the top of Mitchell Mesa, returning runners back to Three Sisters at mile 20.95. Runners then complete a 7.80 mile segment through the Backcountry area, which will include highlights of Totem Pole, Rain God Mesa, Sand Springs and The Cube. Runners arrive back at Three Sisters A.S. at mile 28.75, before beginning the final 3.5 miles back to the finish line at mile 32.25 miles. Cut-Offs: Both cut-offs are located at Three Sisters Aid Station. The first cut-off is at mile 20.95 after the Mitchell Mesa segment. Runners who arrive after 2:00 p.m. (6 hours) will be directed to the finish line. They may receive transport to the finish line or they may finish these 3.5 miles under their own power. The second cut-off is at mile 28.75 after the Backcountry segment. This cut-off is also at Three Sisters A.S. This cut-off will be 5:00 p.m. (9 hours). Runners who arrive at after 5:00 p.m. will be transported to the finish line. There is a finish line cutoff at 6:30pm (10.5 hours). All runners must be done by sundown. The routes of all races are very scenic and challenging. Please study the course map route so that you know the route prior to the race. It is recommended that you develop a plan to meet your energy and hydration needs. There will be medical support throughout the course, including the awesome folks from Utah Navajo Health System, the Navajo Rangers and MV Fire. There will also be local live music along the course to keep you motivated. AID STATIONS – There are well-stocked aid stations throughout the course, providing hydration, medical support and a variety of nutrition. Stations will include an assortment of the following: Honey Stinger energy gels and waffles, Gatorade, salty snacks, pickles/juice, coffee/tea, fresh fruit and sweet snacks. In addition, aid stations may include a variety of Nutella wraps, sandwiches, hummus wraps, broth, turkey + cheese wraps, and PBJs, among other food items. Wildcat Trail A.S. is mile 4.5 for both races. Three Sisters A.S. will be visited by Half runners at mile 9.95, and by 50K runners at miles 9.95, 20.95 and 28.75. There will be a light aid station with fluids and gels at Mitchell Mesa A.S. (at the base at mile 13.5 and 17.5). We will have major medical support at Three Sisters Aid Station and the Start/Finish area, along with first responders on the course. DROP BAGS – Drop bags may be utilized at the Three Sisters Aid Station. Drop bags should be left at the start line near the drop bag location by the hogans prior to the start of their race. Please clearly write your name and bib # on the drop bag. Drop bags will be returned to the finish throughout the afternoon. If using a drop bag, runners should place their bag in the “return to finish line” pile after their final use of the bag. Drop bags that are not picked up after 30 days will be donated to local charities. TOILETS & TRASH – There will be portajohns spread throughout the course, including Three Sisters Aid Station. Please use common backcountry etiquette if using the restroom elsewhere: dig a cat-hole for the waste and pack out used toilet paper. There will be trash bags at each aid station for small items. This is a cup-less event so please plan to have a hand-held bottle or hydration pack for use throughout the day. Aid Stations will be supplied with ample supplies of a variety of fluids. AWARDS – There are unique finisher’s medals for all finishers, plus special awards for the top finishers. There are overall awards for winners and age-group awards for top performers in the race. PACERS – Pacers may join their runner after arriving back at Three Sisters A.S. after the Mitchell Mesa climb and descent, which will be approximately mile 20. WEATHER – The average March high temp in MV is 60, with an average low of 37. The weather in the high desert is variable and early spring weather, wind, rain and even snow are possible, as are much more mild conditions. LODGING – The closest hotel for race weekend is The Monument Valley View Hotel. You can reach them at 435-727-5555 for reservations in the hotel, cabins and campground. All are within a few minutes walk of the start/finish area. (They expect to sell out quickly). You can see more about The View at the website: http://monumentvalleyview.com/ If you are interested in more rustic camping or staying in a hogan, please contact Jamieson and Lorraine Black at Dineh Trailriders at (928) 209-2692. The Blacks campsite is at the Three Sisters Aid Station, which makes it an ideal base for family members. The Blacks also offer horseback rides and guided tours, for interested families. Additional lodging and camping is available at Gouldings Lodge and Gouldings Campground, about five minutes from the start line. You can reach them at 435.727.3235; visit their website at www.gouldings.com. Kayenta, Arizona (25 minutes) and Mexican Hat, Utah (20 minutes) also have additional lodging options. The MV Ultra and the Navajo Parks Race Series are co-sponsored by the nonprofit organization NavajoYES and Navajo Parks & Recreation, with support from Goulding’s Lodge, The View Hotel, Utah Navajo Health System, the Navajo Rangers, MV Fire, Utah State University and Navajo EMS. CONTACTS Registration questions: 928.429.0345 chuskaman@yahoo.com Timing questions: 970.394.6561 info@rmtiming.co Course, awards and general questions: 505.686.2300 | chuskaman@yahoo.com