Is October a good month for a Half Marathon?
October sits in the middle of the year for the Half Marathon, carrying 291 against 439 in November and 93 in August. Enough to choose from, and easier to get into than the races at the peak of the season.
Race calendar · October 2026
Half Marathons in October 2026
291 half marathons across the US in October 2026, sorted by date. Which weekends are busiest, what the fields actually run, entry fees, and where each one starts.
The Northeast and upper Midwest can offer the crisp, reliable conditions runners train all summer to find. The South, Gulf Coast, and parts of the Southwest can still carry real heat and humidity at the start line, especially early in the month. A race in one region can feel like a completely different season from a race hundreds of miles away.
For most runners targeting a fall goal race, October lands at the end of a full summer training block, which means fitness is typically as high as it gets all year. That makes it a natural choice for a personal best attempt, but also for a tune-up before a late-fall marathon, or simply for a community event with a costume and a party at the finish.
What the field actually runs
October Half Marathons, By the Numbers
2:12:38Median finish time
1:27:22Median winning time
63Median field size
127October 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 Oct 16, 2026.
When in October
The October Race Weekends
Half marathons are not spread evenly across October. 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 October half marathons that stand out on the numbers: the biggest field, and the longest unbroken run of editions.
October Half Marathons by State
Texas 33Florida 27California 24North Carolina 16Washington 13New Jersey 11Ohio 11Tennessee 10Illinois 9Michigan 9Pennsylvania 9Kentucky 8Missouri 8Georgia 7Alabama 6Maryland 6New York 6Wisconsin 6Arizona 5Louisiana 5Oklahoma 5South Carolina 5Utah 5Virginia 5Colorado 4Idaho 4Indiana 4Connecticut 3Iowa 3Minnesota 3Nebraska 3Nevada 3Arkansas 2Oregon 2Vermont 2Delaware 1District of Columbia 1Kansas 1Massachusetts 1Montana 1New Hampshire 1North Dakota 1Rhode Island 1West Virginia 1
Half Marathons by City in October
The Next Half Marathons in October
291 total Sat, Oct 17, 2026Ohio Trail Series-Fall 2026 Waynesville, OHFrom $70Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Cannonball Running Festival - Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & 5K Greensboro, NCFrom $100Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Runtastic HAUNTED Salt Lake City Salt Lake City, UTFrom $130Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Fargo Mini Marathon Fargo, NDFrom $94Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Home For Freedom Marathon Wichita Falls, TXFrom $90Details Sat, Oct 17, 202621st Annual Buffalo Creek Half Marathon Cabot, PAFrom $85Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Chicago Fall Classic Half Marathon, 10K & 5K Chicago, ILFrom $120Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Danville Half Marathon Danville, VAFrom $55Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Urban Bourbon Half Marathon and 5K Louisville, KYFrom $110Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026YMCA Sandbar Half Marathon / 5K Englewood, FLFrom $85Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Hero Half Marathon Fayetteville, ARFrom $65Details Sat, Oct 17, 2026Mother Earth Brewing Ironclad Half-Marathon & 5k Kinston, NCFrom $85Details
Common Questions About Running an October Half Marathon
What should I wear for an October half marathon?
It depends entirely on where you are racing. In the northern states and higher elevations, mornings can be cold enough for gloves and a light layer at the start, which you may want to shed by mile three. In Texas, Florida, or along the Gulf Coast, a singlet and shorts may still be the right call. Check the local forecast within a week of race day rather than assuming fall means cool.
How far in advance should I start training for an October half marathon?
A standard half marathon build runs roughly ten to fourteen weeks, which puts a mid-October start date back to a late June or early July base. If you are coming off a summer of easy mileage, you are in a good position. If you are starting from scratch, the summer heat means your early training weeks will feel harder than the race eventually will, which is useful preparation for any lingering warmth on race day.
Do October half marathons tend to have companion distances?
Many October events pair the half marathon with a full marathon, a 10K, or a 5K on the same weekend, which makes the calendar useful for groups where not everyone is running 13.1 miles. It also gives you flexibility if you arrive undertrained or overtrained: some events allow distance changes up to a point before race day, so reading the specific event's transfer policy when you register is a practical step.
When in October are most half marathons held?
The busiest weekend is October 17 and October 18, with 106 of them, 74 of those on Saturday, October 17. 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 127 of these October half marathons with published results from past editions, the median finisher ran 2:12:38, and the median winning time was 1:27:22. So anything under 2:12:38 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 October Half Marathon field?
The median one finished 63 runners, across the 127 of these October 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 3:30:05.
Which states have the most October half marathons?
Texas has 33, Florida has 27, California has 24, North Carolina has 16, Washington has 13. If you are willing to travel, those are the states where an October weekend gives you the most to choose from.
Are there trail half marathons in October?
Yes, 24 races around the United States get you off the pavement: 12 are trail races, and 12 mix road and trail.