Is May a good month for a Half Marathon?
May sits in the middle of the year for the Half Marathon, carrying 298 against 376 in April and 102 in August. Enough to choose from, and easier to get into than the races at the peak of the season.
Race calendar · May 2027
Half Marathons in May 2027
298 half marathons across the US in May 2027, sorted by date. Which weekends are busiest, what the fields actually run, entry fees, and where each one starts.
May half marathons play out across a country that has not yet settled into one climate. The Northeast and higher elevations are still cool enough for fast efforts on fresh legs, while the South and much of the interior are already warm and humid, making early start times and steady hydration the real race plan.
The month sits late enough in spring that most runners have come through a full winter build, yet early enough that heat has not locked out the whole map. That timing makes May a natural target for runners who want a goal race before summer arrives and for those who train through winter specifically for a spring payoff.
The geographic spread here is genuinely wide, from coastal California and the Gulf Coast to the Great Plains and the mid-Atlantic, so the decision about which race to enter often comes down to climate comfort as much as course or location. Know your heat tolerance before you commit.
What the field actually runs
May Half Marathons, By the Numbers
2:15:58Median finish time
1:32:15Median winning time
52Median field size
167May half marathons with published results
How we calculate these stats: RunSesh calculates these figures from the most recent published results of past editions, sourced from RunSignup. We show aggregates only: field size, winning and median times, and the cutoff. We never publish individual finisher tables. Last updated Nov 12, 2026.
When in May
The May Race Weekends
Half marathons are not spread evenly across May. Here is how the calendar actually falls, weekend by weekend, which is the part worth knowing before you book a trip or plan a taper around one.
By the numbers
The Biggest and Longest-Running
The May half marathons that stand out on the numbers: the biggest field, and the longest unbroken run of editions.
May Half Marathons by State
Texas 34Florida 31California 25Washington 17North Carolina 16Missouri 13Michigan 9Iowa 8Kentucky 8New York 8Ohio 8Colorado 7Georgia 7Illinois 7Oklahoma 7Pennsylvania 7Wisconsin 7Arkansas 6Tennessee 6Arizona 5Idaho 5New Jersey 5Maryland 4Minnesota 4Oregon 4South Carolina 4Alabama 3Louisiana 3Massachusetts 3Nebraska 3Utah 3Delaware 2Kansas 2Nevada 2New Hampshire 2Rhode Island 2Virginia 2Alaska 1Hawaii 1Indiana 1Maine 1Montana 1New Mexico 1South Dakota 1Vermont 1West Virginia 1
Half Marathons by City in May
The Next Half Marathons in May
298 total Sat, May 1, 2027Charleston Craft Beer Half Marathon - 5K Summerville, SCFrom $80Details Sat, May 1, 2027Shiprock Marathon Shiprock, NMFrom $70Details Sat, May 1, 2027Sledgehammer Beach Run N Topsail Beach, NCFrom $45Details Sat, May 1, 2027Greater Buffalo Track Club Grand Island Half Marathon Grand Island, NYFrom $75Details Sat, May 1, 2027Knock On Wood Trail Run/Hike - 13.1 & 10k Marietta, SCFrom $40Details Sat, May 1, 2027Frederick Running Festival Frederick, MDFrom $100Details Sat, May 1, 2027IronHorse - USATF Certified & Sanctioned Riceville, IAFrom $55Details Sat, May 1, 2027May the Fourth Race Half Marathon, 10K, 5K Farmington, UTFrom $65Details Sat, May 1, 2027TopCity Half Marathon Topeka, KSFrom $75Details Sat, May 1, 2027Muddy River Half Marathon Cape Girardeau, MOFrom $60Details Sat, May 1, 2027Des Moines Women's Half Marathon, 10K & 5K Des Moines, IAFrom $85Details Sat, May 1, 2027AIMHigh-Keep Pressing 5K/10K/13.1M Henderson, NCFrom $65Details
Common Questions About Running a May Half Marathon
How does May heat affect racing a half marathon?
At 13.1 miles, heat compounds faster than most runners expect. In the South and southern interior, even a morning start can feel warm by mile eight. Slow your goal pace for warm-weather editions, prioritize water stops, and treat any race where the temperature climbs during your finish hour as a training effort rather than a PR attempt.
What should I wear for a May half marathon?
In the North and at elevation, a light long sleeve at the start that you can tie off is usually enough. In the South, moisture-wicking short sleeves and a hat or visor are the call. Wherever you race, skip anything cotton and plan your race kit around your local forecast rather than the calendar.
Is May a good month to travel for a half marathon?
Yes, with one caveat: check the regional weather before you book. Coastal California and the Pacific Northwest are reliably temperate. The Gulf South can be genuinely hot. Mountain and park-based venues often offer cooler conditions and scenic courses that justify the trip, especially if you are treating the race as a destination event.
When should I start training for a May half marathon?
A standard half marathon training block runs roughly twelve to fourteen weeks, which puts your start date in February. If you are coming off a January marathon or a winter base-building phase, you are already positioned well. Runners starting from minimal mileage should begin earlier and build conservatively through the colder months.
When in May are most half marathons held?
The busiest weekend is May 8 and May 9, with 81 of them, 67 of those on Saturday, May 8. Another 2 fall on a weekday, which is worth knowing if you are traveling for one.
What is a good Half Marathon time?
Across the 167 of these May half marathons with published results from past editions, the median finisher ran 2:15:58, and the median winning time was 1:32:15. So anything under 2:15:58 puts you in the faster half of a typical field. That is the middle of these RunSignup fields, walkers and charity entrants included, not a national average.
How big is a typical May Half Marathon field?
The median one finished 52 runners, across the 167 of these May half marathons with published results from past editions. Most are far smaller than the big-city events people picture, which means less crowding at the start and a friendlier field, with a last recorded finisher at 3:25:00.
Which states have the most May half marathons?
Texas has 34, Florida has 31, California has 25, Washington has 17, North Carolina has 16. If you are willing to travel, those are the states where a May weekend gives you the most to choose from.
Are there trail half marathons in May?
Yes, 12 races around the United States get you off the pavement: 9 are trail races, and 3 mix road and trail.