New year, new you. Or maybe you really like the 2024 version of yourself and you just want to keep the good times going. Whether you’re trying to kickstart some new habits or a seasoned pro looking to christen 2025 with a shiny new finisher medal, January always invites us to make a statement about the year ahead. And there’s no better motivation to keep pounding the pavement than signing up for a race.
If it’s your first time, pick a good 5K; if you have a few miles (or races) under your belt already, sign up for a half marathon or marathon. Either way, download a training plan and get running!
From short and sweet 5Ks to massive 50 mile treks, there are races on New Year’s Day if you want to jump right in and races over that glorious three-day Martin Luther King Jr. Day weekend if you’re looking for a mini runcation. I’m a longtime running journalist and the author of Marathoner: What To Expect When Training for and Running a Marathon, so I know what makes a good race. These are the best races of January 2025, many of which I’ve run myself.
Calendar: Best Races of January 2025
- Hangover Half Marathon on January 1, 2025
- Chilly Willy 5K on January 1, 2025
- Polar Opposite Peachtree Road Race on January 4, 2025
- Pensacola Beach Run 10K on January 11, 2025
- San Diego 50 on January 11, 2025
- NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K on January 11, 2025
- Walt Disney World Marathon on January 12, 2025
- Akahai 10K on January 18, 2025
- Moonlight Beach Run Half Marathon on January 18, 2025
- Time Travel 5K on January 18, 2025
- Key West Half Marathon on January 19, 2025
- Aramco Houston Half Marathon on January 19, 2025
- Austin International Half Marathon on January 19, 2025
- Louisiana Marathon on January 19, 2025
- Classic City Marathon on January 25, 2025
- Arches Ultra 50K on January 25, 2025
Hangover Half Marathon
- Where: Overland Park, KS
- When: January 1, 2025
While we all like to think we’ll start the new year bright eyed and bushy tailed, the reality is that your New Year’s Eve plans might land you otherwise. If you are trying to find a reason not to be too hungover on January 1, sign up for this chilly Kansas half. While I have run a half marathon hungover, I wouldn’t recommend the experience.
This scenic jog along the Indian Creek Parkway Trail will give you the opportunity to sweat out that champagne from the night before, and finishers will earn a Hangover Half pint glass (and perhaps a beer or two to fill it). So take it easy on New Year’s Eve, run the Hangover Half, celebrate your accomplishment and wake up actually hungover on January 2.
Chilly Willy 5K
- Where: Seekonk, MA
- When: January 1, 2025
Perhaps January isn’t the ideal time to be running in Massachusetts, but if there’s one thing New Englanders know how to handle, it’s a little cold. Run every year on New Year’s Day, the Chilly Willy will certainly freeze off any bad vibes from 2024 that are hanging around. Taking place along the Massachusetts/Rhode Island border near Providence, this 5K provides runners with some aquatic views of both states. There is also a 10K and half marathons available, but let’s be rea: It’s going to be cold, so maybe a 5K is long enough for this New England race.
Polar Opposite Peachtree Road Race
- Where: Atlanta, GA
- When: January 4, 2025
For the first time ever, Atlanta Track Club’s famous Peachtree Road Race is getting a little chilly in 2025. That’s because the ATC is launching a new version of their notorious 4th of July race, which will be held in January and on the same course…but run backwards. Rather than finishing in Piedmont Park, you’ll be starting there, with the finish at Lenox Square instead. As always, the Polar Opposite will be a 10K, but you won’t have to worry about those scorching Georgian summers. Sign up this year to be a part of the inaugural group of finishers.
Pensacola Beach Run 10K
- Where: Pensacola, FL
- When: January 11, 2025
Race organizers in Florida are understandably wary of runners getting dehydrated in the summer heat and humidity and so they’ve stockpiled races in January. That means the Pensacola Beach Run is the first of several options you’ll find here. As the name suggests, you’ll be running along Pensacola’s famed beaches, which means some gorgeous race views and hopefully a nice breeze. The course is flat and paved so if you’re looking for a PR, this is a solid pick. There’s also a half marathon available, if you want something a bit longer.
San Diego 50
- Where: Escondido, CA
- When: January 11, 2025
If you really want to blow the doors of 2025, you could run 50 miles through the hills of San Pasqual Valley. This trail race has several length options on its winding out-and-back course, the longest of which sends runners off 25 miles into the wilderness before they return to the start. There are several steep inclines in the back half of the course, however, including one precariously close to the finish. However, then it’s all downhill from there, and you can bring a pacer for the last seven miles if you need a friend to give you a boost.
NYRR Joe Kleinerman 10K
- Where: New York City, NY
- When: January 11, 2025
If you’re a New Yorker trying to qualify for the NYC Marathon through NYRR’s 9+1 program or you just want to race a loop of the famed Central Park, this January 10K is an easy race to sign up for. Basically a full lap of the park’s 6-mile paved road, the Joe Kleinerman 10K can certainly be a little chilly. But nothing says New York like a quick morning jog past the Bethesda Fountain with skyscrapers in the distance. Plus, you can warm up after with a cup of coffee and a bagel at one of NYC’s many diners.
Walt Disney World Marathon
- Where: Lake Buena Vista, FL
- When: January 12, 2025
While runDisney hosts races in the Walt Disney World parks all year round, the marquee event of the year is Marathon Weekend. The marathon is certainly a one-of-a-kind race that sends runners through Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, Hollywood Studios and EPCOT on their way to the finish. While the marathon is by itself an accomplishment. If you’re really looking to test yourself, you can sign up for the Dopey Challenge, which will see you run a 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon on consecutive days to earn a whopping six medals. Just don’t throw out your back wearing them all at once.
Akahai 10K
- Where: Ewa Beach, HI
- When: January 18, 2025
While you could argue that there’s no bad time for a Hawaiian vacation, January seems like the perfect time to ditch the cold and hang out with a mai tai on the beach. The Akahai 10K (along with its 5K and half marathon counterparts) is the perfect excuse to take a little vacation to the Pacific. The course is flat and fast and provides runners with a view of Oahu’s coastline and beaches. After you cross the finish line, you can lounge by the ocean for a few days to aid in the recovery process. You need to…for medical reasons.
Moonlight Beach Run 5K
- Where: Daytona Beach, FL
- When: January 18, 2025
The Moonlight Beach Run’s website proudly claims that Daytona Beach is the “World’s Most Famous Beach” and that very well just might be true. Runners of this 5K and corresponding 10K will get to run a race on the beach. Yes, not parallel to the sand, but actually on it. The out-and-back courses send runners along the shore at twilight as they run on packed sand. A word to the wise, running on sand is much different that running on hard surfaces, so you might want to do a little practicing so you don’t struggle and wake up the next morning with throbbing calves.
Time Travel 5K
- Where: Indianapolis, IN
- When: January 18, 2025
Who doesn’t love a theme and the opportunity to put together a cute costume? Bodies Race Company’s Time Travel races, which come in a variety of distances at locations across the midwest, give you just that. The wild wild west-themed event means that runners should don their cowboy boots and hats (or perhaps running-friendly versions of those) as they run in an old-fashioned race to start the year. While January in Indianapolis may be a bit chilly, the race sells appropriate apparel such as socks that look like boots and western themed knit hats. Organizers really need to be hosting more themed races.
Key West Half Marathon
- Where: Key West, FL
- When: January 19, 2025
And we’re back to Florida for the Key West Half Marathon. At only 4.2 square miles, Key West is a small island dangling into the Caribbean Sea, and those running the half marathon will get to see a lot of the tiny island. The out-and-back course is basically a semi-circle that traces the island’s southern border, providing runners with plenty of sea views as well as a tour of the historic downtown. With a 6:30 am start time, you’ll also get the chance to see a gorgeous ocean sunrise while you’re running along the beach.
Aramco Houston Half Marathon
- Where: Houston, TX
- When: January 19, 2025
Another January road race hotspot is Texas, where Austin and Houston actually have competing half marathons on the same day. The Houston race is a part of the Chevron Houston Marathon weekend, with both races starting and ending at the same point, but veering off in separate directions around the 7-mile mark. Houston has a notoriously fast and flat course, which makes it popular for those trying to set PRs. It’s also an excellent choice for first timers as well.
Austin International Half Marathon
- Where: Austin, TX
- When: January 19, 2025
Meanwhile, elsewhere in Texas, runners will also be crossing the finish line in Austin’s marquee half marathon. Dubbed the “downhill-to-downtown,” Austin’s half starts 13.1 miles outside of downtown Austin and funnels runners right into the city’s center. As the nickname promises, nearly the entire course is run at a slight downhill as well, so if you’re looking for something easy or to set a PR, this is another excellent option. Feel free to celebrate your finish with some breakfast tacos or queso as well.
Louisiana Marathon
- Where: Baton Rouge, LA
- When: January 19, 2025
While big city marathons can be a lot of fun, there’s something to be said for a small town race. The Louisian Marathon is run through Baton Rouge, and is the definition of homey, small-town charm. Starting and ending near the state’s capitol building, the course gives you a gorgeous tour of the city including a jaunt around Louisiana State University’s campus (and a view of their iconic tiger mascot), a stint along University Lake and a final mile through downtown. Plus there is gumbo and jambalaya at the finish line. The marathon majors certainly aren’t offering that.
Classic City Marathon
- Where: Athens, GA
- When: January 25, 2025
Sure you could fly to Athens, Greece to run the marathon there, but it’s a whole lot cheaper to fly to Athens, Georgia instead. Home to the University of Georgia, Athens has a winding marathon course that goes through campus as well as downtown, along the Oconee River and through various parks in the city. The rolling hills and many twists and turns provide runners with an interesting course that will hopefully keep them distracted from the pain of running 26.2 miles. The Classic City Marathon is also the only race I know of with a patron goddess, with Athena presiding over the events.
Arches Ultra 50K
- Where: Moab, UT
- When: January 25, 2025
If you’re looking for a trail run brimming with natural beauty, might I suggest the Arches Ultra 50K or one of its accompanying races ranging from a 9K to a 50-miler. Run in Moab Utah near Arches National Park, the race sends runners out into the deserted wilderness, surrounded by nothing but red rock formations. As with most of the best ultramarathons, you’ll need a crew for this one and want to carry your own liquids. Luckily due to the January date, you at least won’t roast in the summer heat.
