The 17 Best 15K Races in the US

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Why a 15K race? As a stand alone event, it’s the perfect “middle” between introductory running events like 5k’s and 10k’s, and full fledged longer distances like half marathons and marathons. It’s a great way to transition, test yourself for longer distances, or just enjoy a challenging race in itself. You can enjoy a 15k “runcation”, or make a fun day out of it, without it literally taking ALL day! If you’re looking for this particular sweet spot of running, here’s the top 17 best 15k races in the U.S., full of scenery, sights, history, challenge, and energy!

Disclosure: Below are some affiliate links-these are all products I highly recommend. I won’t make any recommendations on this page that I haven’t tested or personally used! Enjoy these 17 best 15k races in the U.S.!

Table of Contents

The 17 Best 15K Races in the U.S.

Here’s more info on each of these top 15k races in the U.S., including a description, date, and links for more info.

Charlottesville 10 Miler

Location: Charlottesville, Virginia
Month: March
Race Info

Celebrating its 50th year! Run through historic and scenic Charlottesville past iconic landmarks, sprawling homesteads and farms, lush rolling hills, and charming neighborhoods. A challenging course with a handful of uphill climbs and downhills.

Credit Union Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run

Location: Washington, D.C.
Month: April
Race Info

Located at the historic Washington Monument Grounds, this 10 mile race takes advantage not only of history on display around every corner, but one of the most charming seasons to run in the D.C. area – cherry blossom season!

The Tar Heel 10 Miler

Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Month: April
Race Info

A high energy atmosphere and a lively course that runs through the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Whether you’re a fan or not, the camaraderie can’t be beat!

Medtronic TC 10 Miler

Location: Twin Cities, MN
Month: October
Race Info

A part of the Medtronic Twin City Marathon Weekend, this course literally runs the Twin Cities from Minneapolis to St. Paul, while crossing the Mississippi River and finishing on the Capitol grounds.

PNC Atlanta 10 Miler

Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Month: October
Race Info

One of Atlanta’s most popular running events, which starts and ends at Atlantic Station, and passes Atlanta staples like Piedmont Park and the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Run Gasparilla 15K

Location: Tampa, Florida
Month: February
Race Info

Approaching its 49th year, the Gasparilla race weekend includes not only the 15k race, but a 5k, 8k, and half marathon as well. This entirely waterfront course runs along Bayshore Boulevard, and is heralded as a much loved flat and fast course!

Broad Street Run

Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Month: May
Race Info

Does running through the historic heart of Philadelphia sound fun to you? It does to lots of others as well! In fact, this incredibly popular event draws around 40,000 participants, and includes a lottery process. Getting to run this sought after event is a chance to take a step back in time.

Tenacious 10

Location: Seattle, Washington
Month: April
Race Info

This relatively flat course shows off many of the highlights of Seattle (and the Pacific Northwest), including views of the Space Needle, Lake Union, and Fremont Bridge.

Louisville 10 Mile

Location: Louisville, Kentucky
Month: April
Race Info

This 10 mile race is part of the Louisville Triple Crown of Running events, and is actually the 3rd event to take place after the Whiskey Row 5k and the Derby City 10K. The 10 mile finale running event starts next to Churchill Downs, and finishes on the 50 yard line of Cardinal Stadium. Run all 3 events or just the 10 Miler!

Soldier Field 10 Miler

Location: Chicago, Illinois
Month: May
Race Info

Another 50 yard line finish, this time on Soldier Field in Chicago. Plus, you get to run past other iconic sights like Lake Michigan, various museums, and the Chicago skyline!

Boilermaker 15K

Location: Utica, New York
Month: July
Race Info

Enjoy the scenery of upstate New York on this run through Utica, with plenty of green spaces, views of the Mohawk River, challenging course, and high energy atmosphere!

Urban 10 Miler

Location: Denver, Colorado
Month: May
Race Info

Run through the Mile High City, including Empower Field and City Park. This 10 mile race is actually the last 10 miles of the Marathon course!

Garden of the Gods 10 Mile

Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado
Month: June
Race Info

From running through the heart of Denver, to running through one of Colorado’s most natural wonders, Garden of the Gods. The views speak for themselves. This challenging course contains over 1,000 feet of elevation gain, but the scenery will help take your mind off of that!

Surf City 10

Location: Huntington Beach, California
Month: September
Race Info

If you’re craving a sunny beachside race, the Surf City 10 Miler has it all! Run along the iconic Pacific Coast Highway past coastlines, beaches, palm trees, and rolling hills. It all starts from Huntington Beach’s beloved pier.

Army 10 Miler

Location: Washington, D.C
Month: October
Race Info

With over 4 decades of tradition packed in, this 10 mile event is packed with history and patriotism. With a start adjacent to the Pentagon, the course continues to wind its way past the Potomac River, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, the National Mall, and more.

Disney Pixar 10 Miler

Location: Orlando, Florida
Month: April
Race Info

One of the RunDisney series events, this race lets you fully immerse yourself in the Disney atmosphere, and let your inner child race in the most magical place on earth!

New England 10 Miler Series

Location: Portland, Maine / Newport, Rhode Island / Stowe, Vermont
Month: April / June / November
Race Info

Not one 10 miler, but 3! Take advantage of this 3 race challenge as an excuse to visit 3 of the most beautiful destinations in the Northeast – coastal Portland, Maine, charming Newport, Rhode Island, and mountainous Stowe, Vermont.

There you have it, the 17 best 15ks races in the U.S.!

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The 17 Best 15K Races in the US