Why the Major Marathon Courses Aren’t Always the Most Scenic
October 7, 2025
The Boston Marathon is, of course, iconic. But the Boston Marathon course isn’t along some of Boston’s best places to run, such as the Charles River Paths, Emerald Necklace, or waterfront. The same is true for the Chicago Marathon. The course passes through many of Chicago’s great neighborhoods and Grant Park, but not along the city’s iconic, 18-mile lakefront path. ...
The Best Sites for Finding Road Races and Other Running Events
September 26, 2025
Participating in road races and other running events has been steadily increasing since the pandemic. Based in RunSing up data and some other sources, about 8 million people in the United States ran at least one organized road race last year. Finding a road race to participate in, however, can be a bit of a mess. The ‘race finder’ industry...
The Best Thanksgiving ‘Turkey Trot’ Races
September 24, 2025
With the first days of fall, it’s not too early to start planning for a Thanksgiving Day road race. The most popular events sell out early. Thanksgiving Day has become the biggest day for road races in the United States, with some 1 million people running a ‘Turkey Trot’. These races raise millions of dollars for charity as well. What Are...
A Guide to Running in Chicago for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
September 18, 2025
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon, held the second Sunday in October, is one of the seven Abbott World Marathon Majors. It’s known as a flat and fast course, and thus has been the setting for several world and national records. In honor of this ‘marathon major’, we’ve put together this handy-dandy guide to running in Chicago. This should be...
Guide to Running in New York City in Honor of the TCS New York City Marathon
September 17, 2025
The TCS New York City Marathon is always held the first Sunday in November, coinciding with peak fall foliage. In honor of this ‘marathon major, we’ve put together this handy-dandy guide to running in New York city. This should be very helpful to those who are tapering for New York, and for friends & family of those who are running...
The 5k Race” Average Time and Tips for Training
February 18, 2025
The 5k race is one of the most popular types of road race events for runners. According to Running USA, 8.9 million people ran a 5k in 2002. In this article, Great Runs will share some fun facts about the 5k race, typical times, and some tips on how to train for a 5k. About the 5k Race A 5k...
10 Ways to Recover From a Marathon: Tips from GreatRuns
February 14, 2025
You’ve done it! Congratulations on completing a marathon. You’re in the 1% of the world’s population that completes a marathon each year, according to RunRepeat. Perhaps it was your first, a special one that you traveled for, or a marathon where you PRed. No matter which scenario, congratulations are in order! There are many guides and resources for training for...
How Long is a Half-Marathon? Strategies for Distance, Time, and Training
February 5, 2025
The half-marathon is becoming an increasingly popular distance for a running race. It’s a great goal to aspire to, but less taxing on the body and requiring way less training than a full-marathon. According to LiveStrong, about 2.1 million people per year (globally) run a half-marathon – about double the number as run a marathon. The number of half-marathon road...
