Most Popular Months for Racing

There’s no best month for writing a book, but November is pretty popular. After the well-known National Novel Writing Month “write 50,000 words of your book” challenge, many authors quickly edit and start submitting their manuscript to editors. That’s a mistake. It takes much longer than a few months to revise and edit a book.

But today, we’re talking about running. Just as there’s no best month for writing, there’s also no best month for running. However, there are a few popular months for running a half marathon race distance.

Least Popular Months for Running

Runners run (and race) in all kinds of weather, seasons, and terrain. But according to Sports Illustrated, the worst two months for racing are December and January. Here’s why:

If you’re running in December or January, kudos to you – because you’re doing better than the vast majority of other runners out there.

1. Flu Season - After Thanksgiving, the holiday where most people tend to overeat - a lot - people start getting sick. Some say it’s because of colder weather and being indoors around more and more people. Others say it’s because when we overeat, it wreaks havoc on our immune system. Either way, nobody should be running when they’re sick, even if they want to. So just wait until you’re better before lacing up your sneakers.
2. The Holidays - With tons of family, friends, and community get-togethers cropping up in December, it makes it harder than ever to find time to do the things we love to do - like running and writing. So it’s no surprise that December cuts down on our time outdoors (or on the treadmill) going for a run.
3. Cold Weather - January is one of the coldest months and many runners prefer not to run in cold temps, which can irritate the lungs, cause inflammation, and create more mucus in the airways. One thing you can do to overcome this is to dress in layers and wear a scarf to create a barrier for warm moist air.

No matter what season you run in, the Writers Who Run App can track your running progress and let you see and celebrate daily wins. It provides a supportive community of fellow Writer-Runners while offering the best antidote to writer’s block: running! Join the waitlist for the app. 

The Single Worst Month for Racing

​Tom Holland, a sports performance coach, says, “The colder the weather, the less heat stress on the body, which makes it significantly easier to run." Which is probably why July clocks in as the worst month for racing with only 74 races across the US over a two-year time period. 

The heat adds a layer of unwelcome challenges for runners. In July, you’ll need extra water. Most runners who run in the summer months either take it indoors to the treadmill or opt to go early in the morning or in the late evening when it’s coolest outside.

Another reason why races aren’t usually held in July might be because it’s one of the highest travel months for family vacations. And race organizers don’t want to compete with the biggest holiday of the summer to get race signups.

But just because there are fewer races to choose from in July, doesn’t mean you can’t go for a run in the summer. The vast majority of July races are during the week of the 4th of July as part of local community Independence Day celebrations. My fastest 5k time was the Firecracker 5k in Weaverville, NC. So definitely seek out a local 4th of July race some time and see if you can beat your own PR.

Top 5 Months for Running in a Race

A few years back, I researched two years worth of data and looked at the dates for races happening in the USA; the clear winner was October. Fall is the best season for running a race. 

1. October came in 1st place with 352 races scheduled 
2. 2nd place was November with 310 races
3. Tied in 3rd place was September (273) and April (269)
4. 4th place was March with 198 races ​

No matter what season you like to run, if you want to run in a race, there’s a month with a race somewhere out there just for you. My favorite place to look for races is Running in the USA.

Keep writing, keep running.

XO, 
Christie :)