Road Warriors

The good news  for destinations and race organizers is that per-race participation is back to its pre-pandemic baseline, according to RunSignupís 2023 Race Trends Annual Industry Report.
 

The takeaway is that people are running now more than ever, and other road and endurance sports such as cycling and triathlon remain popular. This translates into more opportunities for destinations to host an ever-widening array of events.
 

Bakersfield, California

Located in the Central Valley region (one of the largest agricultural producing areas in the world,) Bakersfield boasts a multitude of scenic trails, lanes and paths, and is home to a variety of running, triathlon and bike events.
 

The annual Bakersfield Marathon was run for the seventh time in 2024, and is a USATF-certified qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. This year’s iteration, held in early April, drew about 2,500 competitors from more than 200 cities in 12 U.S. states, plus Canada, the Bahamas, the United Kingdom and Guatemala. The event starts and ends at the Kern County Museum in downtown Bakersfield, and includes marathon, half-marathon, 10K and 6K distances. Roughly 3,000 athletes are expected to run in the March 30, 2025 edition.
 

Another popular running event is the Rio Bravo Rumble, which celebrated its 18th anniversary this year. The event includes 5K and 10K distances, all run on a dirt course. On the triathlon scene, Bakersfield is home to the Lake Evans Triathlon, and this year’s race is scheduled for October 13. In 2010 and 2012, the city also hosted the Amgen Tour of California, a premier professional road cycling stage race in the U.S.
 

“Bakersfield is great for road events,” says Matt Billingsley, manager, Visit Bakersfield. “We have 300-plus days of sunshine each year, and hometown hospitality you just don’t see anymore in cities this size. Bakersfield is the ninth-largest city in the state and 48th-largest in the country, and it’s located within a four-hour drive of over 90 percent of the state’s population.”
 

Champaign County, Illinois

One of the most beloved characteristics of race courses here is the flat terrain. “Our community offers largely flat running courses, resulting in many competitive athletes achieving their personal records here,” explains Mark Brown, Experience Champaign-Urbana’s director of Event Services & Film.
 

The locale’s largest running event is the annual Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend that includes a marathon, half-marathon, 10K, 5K and mile distances, plus a youth fun run. The race is a Boston Marathon qualifying event, and it takes place through Champaign-Urbana and neighboring Savoy, starting and finishing on the University of Illinois campus.
 

“On average annually, approximately 15,000 runners participate in the Christie Clinic Illinois Race Weekend. It easily draws thousands of spectators, including friends and families of the runners, along with locals who enjoy watching the event. The estimated economic impact is $5 million,” says Brown.
 

The destination also hosts various fun runs, including the Parkrun weekly 5K, and runs at Allerton Park & Retreat Center, as well as Lake of the Woods forest preserve. “Our events are typically amateur, but we see a large number of runners who are looking to achieve their personal records, especially on our marathon course,” notes Brown. “The University of Illinois track and cross-country teams also host competitive college running events on their campus.”
 

Champaign County is actively recruiting additional running and road sports events for all ability levels and age groups. “We would love to increase events of a multi-sport nature. For example, events that feature biking and running components, or even events that take place on a course with varying surfaces such as a mud run,” says Brown.”
 

Crawford County, Pennsylvania

Mountain bike racing is a big draw here, and there are numerous trails that can accommodate a breadth of events. A particularly popular area is Jakes Rocks Trails, a 35-mile natural surface trail system composed of built stack-loop mountain biking trails that have been professionally designed and constructed.
 

One of the premier mountain bike events is the Roughneck Gravel Roubaix, held in Titusville, home of the first modern production oil well in the world, drilled in 1859. This year’s iteration occurred in May and offered six primarily gravel routes ranging from 12.1 to 250.3 miles. The inaugural event was held in 2022, and it has since grown to become one of the premier gravel races in the country.
 

Crawford County also offers plenty of options for running race directors. The area hosts numerous local and regional running events, and is home to the Drake Well Marathon in Titusville. This year’s race, a USTAF-certified Boston Qualifier, is slated for August 18.
 

Gulf Shores | Orange Beach, Alabama

Alabama’s beaches offer a variety of natural and certified race courses for various distances and event types. Gulf State Park features a 28-mile paved trail system within its 6,500 acres, and is home to the GSOB Sports & Events-owned and operated Coastal Half Marathon, 5K and 1 Mile Fun Run, held annually the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
 

In 2024, the destination hosted 18 running and road sports events. Among the largest were the 2023 Brett/Robinson Alabama Coastal Triathlon (827 room nights and economic impact of $447,487), and the 2023 Coastal Half Marathon, 5K & 1 Mile Fun Run (410 room nights and economic impact of $221,849).
 

“Race event participants tend to be a mix of locals and visitors, depending on the event type. Races that take place during peak summer season or holidays, as well as larger races like half-marathons, draw more non-local participation,” says Michelle Russ, vice president of sales, sports and events at Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events. “Running and road race events are excellent fillers for need periods outside of our peak seasons, which benefit our local economy, helping keep businesses thriving year-round.”
 

Looking ahead, says Russ, “[We] hope to attract a variety of ages, stages and abilities to visit and participate in events along Alabama’s Beaches. All are welcome to experience and explore our family-friendly destination.”
 

Huntsville, Alabama

Cross-country running events are a big deal here, and the primary venue is the John Hunt Park Cross Country Complex, heralded as the fastest cross-country course in the U.S. The course was built on what was previously the Huntsville Municipal Golf Course, and it provides a permanent start and finish line plus the ability to build the event’s setup in whatever way needed to meet the specifications of the race. The site can accommodate a number of distances for each race, and has plenty of space for an athlete village, championship stage and vendors.
 

John Hunt Park hosted all three divisions of the NJCAA men’s and women’s cross-country championships in 2023, along with three NCAA Regionals, as well as a number of high school and collegiate conference championships. It is also home to the annual Running Lane Cross Country National Championship, bringing together 2,000 of the top youth athletes in the country in early December.
 

“Running Lane has been a tremendous partner on their national event, making a $3.7 million economic impact, bringing more than 5,400 room nights to the city and more than 4,000 people to Huntsville,” says Joel Lamp, sports development manager, Huntsville/Madison County CVB. He also mentions that Huntsville is hosting 10 cross-country weekends this year, and has the scheduling flexibility to add more in the future.
 

Beyond cross-country, Lamp says, “We are in the process of finishing upgrades to our track & field stadium with a new throws area that will enable us to host major events there. We also have a strong marathon that is one of the annual highlights in December.”
 

Laredo, Texas

This southern Texas city is keen on both cycling and running, and offers many parks where events can be held. U.S Highway 83 and U.S Highway 359 are both used in road cycling events, and several cycling clubs practice on I-35. Most 5K runs are held in North Central Park, and Slaughter Park, hidden away in the South Texas brush, also hosts races. Additionally, Father McNaboe Park, located on the banks of the Rio Grande River, has held a number of 5K runs/walks.
 

In November 2023, the City of Laredo hosted its first full marathon which served as a Boston Marathon qualifier. This year’s race will take place on November 10. Other premier events include the Runway Run 5K race at Laredo International Airport, with this year’s fourth annual edition slated for October 5. Laredo also celebrated Bike Month in May, which featured the Vuelta D’ Laredo, a ride offering multiple distance options. Rides from Laredo and Zapata are yearly events, and this year cyclists also competed in a Laredo to Hebbronville race.
 

Rounding out the mix are the Laredo Border Olympics, which have been hosting sports tournaments since 1932. High school cross-country was added four years ago, and last year, 18 out-of-town teams competed. Also in 2023, Rio Grande International Study Center sponsored Running for Clean Air, a mountain bike race that included a 5K run and walk. This year, RGIS will sponsor a 5K River Run and Walk at Slaughter Park on September 14. In October, Cycle plus Steps for Scholarships will host a mountain bike race and 5K run/walk.
 

“We hold one marathon, five high school cross-country meets, three cycling events and 25 5Ks annually, and we’re always looking to add more,” says Fidel E. Hale IV, sales account coordinator, Visit Laredo Texas. “Border Olympics would like to add a college meet in the near future, and the Laredo Marathon will continue to grow. Cycling events are also gaining momentum in our community.”
 

Placer Valley, California

This locale embraces all manner of running, cycling and triathlon events, and offers a variety of picturesque sites on which to host them. “The Placer Valley footprint is located at the base of the Sierras which boasts some amazing roadways and trails offering scenic views and challenging elevations for both amateur and professional athletes,” says Donna Dotti, director of sales, Placer Valley Tourism. “Adding to this desirability are exceptional area amenities, ideal weather conditions, a welcoming community and ease of permitting.”
 

Venues include the 36-acre Oak Creek BMX in Roseville (the nation’s top track, per USA BMX) which has been operating for more than 35 years. Folsom Lake and Camp Far West can each accommodate cycling, mountain bike, triathlon and running competitions and additionally have obstacle courses. The 184-acre Sunset Whitney Recreation Area hosts cyclocross and running events, and the Miner’s & False Ravine Trails in Roseville provide two six-mile round-trip trails in beautiful open wetland space. Additionally, Sierra College and Jessup University have cross-country courses and host collegiate cross-country invitationals, Conference sectionals and championship races annually.
 

Dotti notes that USA BMX and Oak Creek BMX hosted the NorCal Nationals in May, and total three-day attendance was 6,668. Other previous competitions have included the Santa Hustle Half Marathon, 5K and Kids Dash in Roseville; NorCal Interscholastic Cycling League’s annual Granite Bay Grinder mountain bike race at Folsom Lake for students in grades 6-12; and a variety of Total Body Fitness events held throughout the year, such as the Folsom Lake International Triathlon, and the Good Dog-Dirty Dog 5K and 10K. The Northern California and Nevada Cyclocross Championship was held this past November.
 

“Running events are held almost every weekend, and we are always interested in adding more if and when there is availability,” says Dotti, who adds that two cycling pump tracks are being built in Rocklin and Lincoln.  SDM