Run your first women-only race.
Talk about girl power: Women make up 60 percent of half marathon finishers, according to Running USA. With the increased popularity of running, more women-only half marathons and fun runs are popping up throughout the country. Check out this list of inspiring races that will make you want to throw on a tutu and hit the pavement.
Divas Half Marathon & 5K Series
It’s time to give your neutral athletic gear a makeover. The Divas race is all about embracing your girly side. Entry gets you a pink tutu, boa and sparkly tiara. Finishers celebrate with a toast of Champagne and crown-shaped medals. “It’s girl power to the nth power,” says Robert Pozo, CEO of Continental Event and Sports Management Group LLC, which sponsors the Divas races. The series hosts about 10 events a year in major cities throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, attracting roughly 35,000 runners in total.
The Magnificent Mile Chicago Women’s Half Marathon & 5K
This annual race gives runners an iconic view of Chicago, stretching along Michigan Avenue. From concerts to spa services to the race itself, the event is focused on giving women a comfortable racing experience, says Dave Zimmer, co-owner of Fleet Feet Sports Chicago, which sponsors the race. The Magnificent Mile started in 2014 as a way to empower women on the 42nd anniversary of Title IX, a federal law requiring gender equality in education, the workplace and athletics. “We were trying to speak to women to say, ‘You’re women. You’re athletes. You’re empowered. This is your race,'” Zimmer says.
The Mermaid Series
This California series offers three annual women’s running races, each including a 5K, 10K and half marathon. Races are held in San Francisco, San Diego, East Bay and Capitola, California, where there’s a women’s triathlon. Carlo Facchino, founder of the Mermaid Series, says he wanted to create a series with varying distances to make the race accessible to women of different athletic abilities. “So many of our women [participants] are racing for the first time and have those nervous fears,” he says. The East Bay event also includes an 18-mile run, which Facchino says is a way for women to test their endurance before trying a 26.2-mile marathon.
The Cocoa Women’s Half Marathon
From strawberries dipped in chocolate fountains to chicken tacos covered in chocolate mole sauce, the post-race party is a chocolate lover’s dream. “It’s an easy fit for women [who love] chocolate,” says Janelle Hennessey, who co-founded the series with her husband. “[Chocolate and running] help in different ways, so when you put them together, it’s the perfect mix.” The annual January race winds along the river walk and historic neighborhoods in San Antonio, attracting about 2,000 participants a year. Hennessey says the race and expo support local restaurants and combine many of the things women love, like jewelry, lotion and, of course, chocolate.
runDisney half marathons
You can run past Cinderella’s Castle and wave to your favorite Disney characters in runDisney’s two women-specific running events. Disney’s Princess Half Marathon Weekend, held at the Walt Disney World Resort in February, has grown into one of the largest women-specific running events in the U.S. This year it drew nearly 50,000 runners, according to Faron Kelley, director of marketing and sales strategy for Walt Disney World Resort, including runDisney. Another event, the Tinker Bell Half Marathon Weekend, is known for its sparkle-themed running attire such as tutus and butterfly wings. Over Mother’s Day, the half marathon at Disneyland Resort in California attracted about 32,000 runners.
Zooma Women’s Race Series
Zooma Women’s Race Series is for women looking to get away on a “race-cation,” as Brooke Reiley, Zooma director of operations, calls it. The series puts together seven races a year in locations such as Austin, Texas, Napa, California, and Nashville, Tennessee. Since 2007, the race has been a weekend event featuring live music, mocktail parities and fitness expos. Reiley, who organizes the events with her sister, says women’s races have a more relaxing atmosphere. “It’s not so competitive,” she says. “It’s great to take time for yourself and celebrate training with your girlfriends.”
Dirty Girl Mud Run
This nationwide run is an untimed 3-mile obstacle race for women of all athletic abilities. Last year, about 80,000 muddy runners finished 15 events held in cities such as Sacramento, California, New York City and Denver. “It’s meant to be something to make you laugh and smile as opposed to compete and challenge,” says Calder Cahill, director of marketing for Human Movement Management, which sponsors the race. Dirty Girl Mud Run partners with Bright Pink, a breast and ovarian cancer advocacy nonprofit, to raise money and support survivors, who can enter the race for free.
Run Like A Girl
Run Like A Girl takes place in October in the heart of Columbus, Ohio. As it moves into its third year, participation has grown to about 3,000 runners who compete in the 100 meter kids run, 5K, 10K or half marathon. Post-race, runners gather near the river walk at Columbus Commons, and finishers over 21 receive a free bottle of wine. The run supports charities and initiatives like the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women campaign, which aims to prevent heart disease. “Don’t worry about how fast you are,” says Jeff Sheard, president of Ultrafit-USA, which sponsors Run Like A Girl. “The idea is to finish and just get off your butt.”
See Jane Run Women’s Half Marathon & 5K
“Our race is about Champagne and chocolate,” says founder Lori Shannon. Finishers are rewarded with a chocolate goody bag, and those over 21 get a glass of Champagne. Since 2007, the women’s athletic apparel store has organized at least two half marathons a year in San Francisco and Seattle and plans to add races in Los Angeles and Boise, Idaho. The series also sponsors a women’s triathlon and a kids run. “It’s about celebrating women and women’s achievements,” Shannon says. Each event hosts an expo with clinics that teach women everything from how to run their first half marathon to how to incorporate yoga in their exercise routine.
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9 Empowering Women’s Races You Should Enter originally appeared on usnews.com
