Don’t expect to set a personal record at these weird and wonderful races across the globe, where the objectives are a bit more obscure…
Beat It
Horses, trains and fictional forces of will – these quirky competitions pit runners against a few unlikely foes.
Man v Horse
Llanwrtyd Wells, Wales
Next Edition: 13 June 2026
Like many an outlandish thing, this eccentric event was born over a beer (or three) in a bar. After overhearing two patrons in the back bar of his hotel in 1980 debate the relative merits of horses versus men in a foot race, Gordon Green – the landlord at the Neuadd Arms Hotel in Llanwrtyd Wells – decided to settle the matter once and for all.
The first Man v Horse took place that same year and has since seen hundreds of men (and women) go head-to-head with riders on horseback to find out who, between humans and horses, can tackle 34 kilometres of rough terrain the fastest. It took 25 years for the first human, Huw Lobb, to overtake all participating equines – for which he was awarded GBP 25,000, a prize pot that had been accumulating over the past quarter century. This year, the first runner to hoof it past the horses stands to win GBP 500, while the first horse and rider to cross the finish line will take home GBP 250.
Race the Train
Tywyn, Wales
Next Edition: TBD (Traditionally in August)
1980s Wales was apparently a heyday for improbable rivalries; four years later and 100 kilometres away, the coastal town of Tywyn – perhaps taking inspiration from their compatriots down in Llanwrtyd Wells – launched the aptly named Race the Train, in which competitors on foot try their mightiest to outrun a steam locomotive. The 23km multi-terrain course loosely runs alongside the historic Talyllyn Railway, taking in mossy woodlands and rugged mountain vistas as the Victorian-era train trundles by – or not.
Keen to join the action but not sure you can chug along with the best of them? Secure a rail ticket and wave at the runners from the comfort of a carriage instead.
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Beat the Blerch
Carnation, Washington, US
Next Edition: 12 September 2026
We’ve all been there: at some point on your run, a voice in your head begins telling you to give up, that you can’t do it, that you’re too weak or slow or lazy. Often, it tries to talk you out of your workout before you even start. That voice is The Blerch, according to comic cartoonist Matthew Inman, and it can be defeated. In fact, that’s the whole point of this fun-loving race held in the wooded hinterlands outside of Seattle.
Decked out in fancy dress, participants in the 5K, 10K, half and full marathon distances can look forward to free professional race photos, aid stations stocked with cake, and an opportunity to build a Burritoughnut (a burrito made of doughnuts). They might also find themselves actually being chased by The Blerch – ie. a large man in a Blerch costume. The point here isn’t to win; it’s to get moving and have a good time. Which is all it really takes to beat The Blerch.
Eat It
Come hungry and hope for the best: competitors in these races aren’t just facing off against one another, they’re facing down their very own digestive tracts.
Dick’s-A-Thon
Seattle, Washington
Next Edition: 17 October 2026
In Seattle proper, contestants hankering for more ways to move can take on this endurance challenge centring around the beloved local fast-food chain Dick’s Drive-In. The mission, should you choose to accept it, is to run the equivalent of a marathon, stopping at all five Dick’s locations to consume the entire classic menu – fries, a milkshake and three different burgers – before the end of the race. No exceptions.
Seattle-born twin brothers Ian and Connor Cox are the creators and original Dick’s-A-Thoners, having invented and completed the challenge in 2018. When, four years later, Ian left on a mountaineering trip and never came home, the event became a celebration of his life and a tribute to his playful, adventurous spirit, with proceeds benefitting Washington search-and-rescue organisations.
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Krispy Kreme Challenge
Raleigh, North Carolina, US
Next Edition: 2027 (Traditionally in February)
Can you run eight kilometres? In one hour? While eating 12 Krispy Kreme doughnuts? Those are the questions potential competitors must ask themselves before signing up for this race, which requires intestinal fortitude of the very literal sort. Runners must sprint four kilometres from the North Carolina State University bell tower to the Krispy Kreme location in historic downtown Raleigh, where they polish off a dozen original glazed doughnuts before (attempting) to run back – in under an hour. It may sound like fun, and it may contribute to a deserving cause (raising more than USD100,000 annually for the UNC Children’s Hospital), but we can bet you’ll never look at a doughnut the same way again…
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Sip It
From the bounty of the barrel to the fruit of the vine, these tipsy competitions will test your tolerance for more than just sore muscles.
Marathon International du Beaujolais
Villefranche-sur-Saône, France
Next Edition: TBD (Traditionally in late November)
Don your most comical fancy dress and get ready to tour the French countryside, from quaint villages to medieval castles and gently rolling vineyards, all while you sample up to 15 local Beaujolais wines.
Unlike its more famous cousin, the Marathon du Médoc near Bordeaux, this Bacchanalian event has no participant limit and welcomes entrants of all ages; there’s even a 2.5km family run for runners young and, well, not-so-young. It also lives up to the “international” in its name, luring attendees from across the globe with a host of satellite festivities, like a “magic” pasta party and a post-race night of dinner and dancing, turning this otherwise quiet corner of eastern France into an out-and-out destination.
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Pelee Island Winery Half Marathon
Pelee Island, Ontario, Canada
Next Edition: 30 May 2026
For sipping and sprinting with more exclusive vibes, sign up for this half-marathon held on a remote island in Lake Erie. But hurry – only 400 runners will get to discover the scenic course that traverses the sleepy isle, beginning and ending at the largest private estate winery in Canada. With its more than 150-year history in the country’s warmest grape-growing region, Pelee Island Winery produces a variety of world-class whites and reds that participants can enjoy at the special post-run luncheon, as they raise a glass to a race well run.
Beer Lovers’ Marathon
Liège, Belgium
Next Edition: 17 May 2026
Suds are more your style? Take to the streets of Liège for a playful race that promises live music, DJ acts, delicious local specialities and no fewer than 16 tasty Belgian beers en route. The 42.195km course incorporates the city’s iconic sights, from Boverie Park to the Guillemins train station and the Bueren stairs, with party-hardy refuelling stops dispensing libations at regular intervals. Runners thirsty for more can indulge in the pasta party the night before or a guided city tour and beer tasting. With this year marking the 10th anniversary of the Beer Lovers’ Marathon, organisers are encouraging runners to embrace the “world travel” theme and dress up in their most ostentatious and original costume attire.
See It
Weird and wonderful never looked so good! The unusual aspect of these races is their unique setting well worth training – and travelling – for.
Midnight Sun Marathon
Tromsø, Norway
Next Edition: 20 June 2026
Nestled among captivating fjords and majestic mountains, the show-stopping Scandinavian backdrop of this road-running event is already enough to draw participants from near and far, but there’s more: the one-of-a-kind competition sees runners race through a night in which the sun never sets. It is, after all, the summer solstice in Tromsø, a city situated 350 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. Simply pick your route – marathon, half-marathon, 10K, 5K or kids’ race – and set off at eventide with other merry runners representing more than 80 nations at your side, and seemingly the whole city assembled to celebrate your success at the finish line.
Not Since Moses
Cliffs of Fundy, Nova Scotia
Next Edition: 16 August 2026
It may not be the parting of the Red Sea, but when the 15-metre-deep waters of the Bay of Fundy make their monthly retreat, the result is a stunning natural phenomenon of epic proportions. Every summer, hundreds of nature lovers and sport enthusiasts seize the opportunity for a truly unique athletic experience, running along the ocean floor as they enjoy a rare glimpse of the bayside cliffs in all their imposing glory. Participants can tackle 5 or 10 kilometres as they make their way ploddingly through the thick tidal mud. It goes without saying: new kicks and fancy running gear are best left at home!
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Middle-earth Halfling Marathon
Matamata, New Zealand
Next Edition: 28 March 2026
From other-worldly to another world – active fantasy fans should mark their calendars for the chance to roam the magical streets of Hobbiton. This is no Temu-esque Tolkien knock-off; the 21.1km Halfling Marathon and accompanying 11.1km Eleventy-First route wind through the actual set of The Shire, as featured in the blockbuster Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit film. Jog through Gandalf’s Cutting and the Sackville Orchard up to Bag End, then trot down to Bagshot Row, popping into the Green Dragon Inn for a refreshment before making off for the finish line – and the festivities in the Halfling Event Village. Both distances offer the option to run or walk, making this a cinematic race for the whole family.
Millinocket Marathon and Half
Millinocket, Maine
Next Edition: 5 December 2026
A formerly booming mill town, Millinocket saw its fortunes dashed with the closing of the local paper mill in 2008, but this bunch of enterprising Mainers were able to fall back on riches of another sort: the vast wilderness beyond their borders.
Take in the wild rivers, tranquil lakes and sprawling forests, presided over by the spectacular Mount Katahdin, as part of a one-of-a-kind winter competition conceived in 2015 to help bolster the Millinocket economy. The USATF-certified race serves as a qualifier for the New York, Boston and Chicago marathons, but it’s entirely volunteer-run and free to enter. Participants are only asked to support local businesses and donate an amount of their choosing to the event; any funds remaining after expenses go to regional charities. The spirit of giving seems to have a profound effect on the experience of the marathon itself: above and beyond the impressive scenery and the chance to qualify for major races, runners cite the incredible community atmosphere as the biggest reason to return year after year.
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