North Carolina · Marathon
Marathons in North Carolina
North Carolina currently has 24 upcoming marathons with a confirmed date listed in RaceRove. Asheville, Charlotte, Ellerbe and Boone have the largest concentration of events.
November (6), February (4) and March (3) are the busiest months on the calendar right now. Another 5 annual marathons are waiting for next year's date to be announced.
- Upcoming, date confirmed
- 24
- Active listings
- 29
- Cities with races
- 23
More ways to browse North Carolina
Upcoming marathons in North Carolina
All 24 with a confirmed date, soonest first.
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Asheville Marathon and HalfAsheville, NCHalf Marathon (Downtown AVL)Marathon (Downtown AVL)VIRTUAL Half MarathonVIRTUAL Marathon ~602 runners
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Mt Mitchell Challenge and Black Mountain MarathonBlack Mountain, NC36M ChallengeMarathon ~250 runners
Dates come from each race's own listing. Always confirm on the organiser's site before you book travel.
Largest marathon events in North Carolina
By estimated field size across all distances at the event.
When marathons happen in North Carolina
- January
- 2 upcoming races
- February
- 4 upcoming races
- March
- 3 upcoming races
- April
- 3 upcoming races
- May
- 1 upcoming race
- August
- 1 upcoming race
- October
- 3 upcoming races
- November
- 6 upcoming races
- December
- 1 upcoming race
North Carolina cities with the most marathons
- Asheville
- 2 upcoming races
- Charlotte
- 2 upcoming races
- Ellerbe
- 2 upcoming races
- Boone
- 1 upcoming race
- Greensboro
- 1 upcoming race
- Bald Head Island
- 1 upcoming race
- Black Mountain
- 1 upcoming race
- Cary
- 1 upcoming race
Annual events awaiting their next date
These marathons are held every year, but the next date isn't in the listing yet. The month shown is when each is usually held.
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Cannonball Running FestivalGreensboro, NC Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathonHalf Marathon10K5K +1 more ~3,000 runners
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Fall 2026 Adult Full & Half Marathon Training Evening - ApexApex, NC Usually held in August · next date not announcedMarathon10K5K
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Fall 2026 Adult Full & Half Marathon Training Morning - CaryApex, NC Usually held in August · next date not announcedMarathon10K5K
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Fall 2026 Adult Full & Half Marathon Training Morning - Holly SpringsHolly Springs, NC Usually held in August · next date not announcedMarathon10K5K
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Haunted 5K & 10K 13.1 & 26.2 at Boone, NC (43)Boone, NC Usually held in October · next date not announcedMarathonHalf Marathon5K10K
Marathons in nearby states
Guides from the RaceRove blog
- 8 min read How to Choose Your First Marathon A practical checklist for choosing a first marathon based on course, weather, cutoff, travel, field size and support.
- 7 min read How to Find a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon or Marathon Near You A practical way to find running races near you: pick a distance, decide how far you'll travel, read the listing properly and confirm the details before you register.
- 4 min read Diplo's Run Club 2026-27: Every City, Date and Course Diplo's Run Club is a 5K with a post-race concert. Every US date for 2026-27 (San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, San Diego and Phoenix), start times and courses.
- Blog All guides Planning advice for finding, choosing and travelling to races.
Marathons in North Carolina: common questions
- How many marathons are there in North Carolina?
- RaceRove currently lists 24 upcoming marathons in North Carolina with a confirmed date, plus 5 annual events whose next date hasn't been announced yet.
- How long is a marathon?
- A marathon is 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometres).
- Which North Carolina cities have the most marathons?
- By upcoming events listed in RaceRove: Asheville (2), Charlotte (2), Ellerbe (2), Boone (1) and Greensboro (1).
- When is marathon season in North Carolina?
- Of the upcoming marathons listed, the busiest months are November (6), February (4) and March (3).
- What is the biggest marathon in North Carolina?
- By estimated field size, the largest event with a marathon listed in North Carolina is the Coast Guard Marathon, with about 23,659 runners across all of its distances.
Search every marathon in North Carolina
Filter by month, course profile and field size, save races to a shortlist and compare them side by side in the interactive search.