Maryland fun runs
29 seasonal, themed and one-of-a-kind fun runs in Maryland.
Holiday and seasonal: 10 · Food and drink: 6 · Novelty course: 5 · Costume and theme: 4 · Animals: 1 · Iconic tradition: 1 · Quirky format: 1 · Mud and obstacle: 1
- Novelty course Boulder Dash at Pinesburg Quarry A once-a-year chance to run around — and, on the 5-mile course, down into — a working Martin Marietta stone quarry.
- Novelty course Coastal Walk & 5K Run A 5K that leaves the bike path after a mile and finishes on the open sand of Assateague Island.
- Costume and theme Hyattsville Zombie Run An 11-year-running zombie-themed race weekend for the whole neighborhood, from a 1K for 'young zombies' to a certified 5K 'for the serious undead.'
- Animals Ready, Set, SNIFF! 5K at BARCStoberfest A dog-friendly Patterson Park 5K with a Halloween pet parade, a 'Howl-o-ween' pet costume contest, and the Barkin' Beer Garden.
- Costume and theme Trick Or Trot Crab Trot 5K A Halloween 5K that circles the entire perimeter of tiny Cobb Island, with a prize for the best crab-themed costume.
- Costume and theme Headless Horseman Fun Run & 5K A Sleepy Hollow-themed Halloween 5K through Frederick's Baker Park with costume contests and plenty of candy.
- Food and drink Washington D.C. Hot Cider Hustle Halloween-morning waterfront run at National Harbor ending with hot cider and caramel apples.
- Costume and theme Jurassic Dash 5K & Fun Run A dinosaur-themed race where runners show up as velociraptors, triceratops and cavemen.
- Novelty course Storm Warriors Boardwalk 5K Run/Walk An off-season boardwalk 5K named for the U.S. Life-Saving Service surfmen, starting at Ocean City's 1891 life-saving station museum.
- Novelty course Bay Bridge Run The only day of the year the public can cross the 4.35-mile eastbound span of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on foot.
- Food and drink Big Cork Wine Run Turkey Trot 5k A Thanksgiving-themed cross-country 5K that loops through the vines of Big Cork Vineyards and ends with a pour of wine.
- Novelty course Ocean City Running Festival Every distance runs the Ocean City boardwalk, and the longer courses reach Assateague State Park, home of the wild ponies.
- Holiday and seasonal Annapolis Turkey Trot (Fleet Feet) An untimed Thanksgiving tour of historic downtown Annapolis from Eastport, with prizes for the best turkey costumes and dogs welcome.
- Holiday and seasonal Sheppard Pratt Turkey Trot in Frederick Western Maryland's largest single-site Thanksgiving trot, drawing nearly 4,000 finishers to Frederick's Baker Park.
- Iconic tradition Y Turkey Trot Charity 5K Maryland's biggest Thanksgiving tradition, with about 16,000 runners spread across six simultaneous Y-hosted courses in Central Maryland.
- Holiday and seasonal Candy Cane Dash 5K/1K Frederick's first-Saturday-in-December holiday dash, where elves and costumes are encouraged; run it with Hagerstown's Gingerbread Dash next day for linking medals.
- Holiday and seasonal Jingle Bell Run - Baltimore, MD Baltimore's Jingle Bell Run is two holiday laps inside the Maryland Zoo before the gates open to the public.
- Holiday and seasonal Jingle Bell Run Montgomery County, MD Arthritis Foundation holiday 5K where runners wear jingle bells and festive costumes.
- Holiday and seasonal Jingle Bell Run Solomons Island, MD Arthritis Foundation holiday 5K where runners wear jingle bells and festive costumes.
- Holiday and seasonal Gingerbread Dash 5K A downtown Hagerstown holiday 5K that starts and finishes on the outfield of Meritus Park, the city's new ballpark; its medal links with the Candy Cane Dash.
- Holiday and seasonal Altra Kelly Benefits St. Patrick's Day Shamrock 5K Baltimore's biggest St. Patrick's celebration starts with a downhill 5K that ends in a party at Power Plant Live!, right before the parade.
- Quirky format Cambridge Crab Run The 'King Crab' challenge: finish the half marathon in under two hours or you miss the start of the 5K you also signed up for.
- Food and drink Mike Sterling 10K / 5K / 10K Ruck (National Hard Crab Derby) A 47-year-old race that kicks off Crisfield's National Hard Crab Derby weekend in the self-styled crab capital of Maryland.
- Mud and obstacle Muddy Mamas Mud Run A local, women-and-girls-only 5K mud and obstacle run, now in its tenth year, with men relegated to the 'Dirty Dudes' volunteer crew.
- Holiday and seasonal OCMD St. Patrick's Day Boardwalk 5K A St. Patrick's 5K run entirely on the Ocean City boardwalk, starting behind Shenanigans Irish Pub.
- Food and drink Pints For Patapsco Runs from the Guinness Open Gate Brewery into Patapsco Valley State Park, under the 1835 Thomas Viaduct (5K) or across the Swinging Bridge (10K).
- Holiday and seasonal Santa Speedo Run Annapolis Hundreds of runners strip down to Speedos and Santa hats for a one-mile jog through downtown Annapolis and City Dock to collect toys.
- Food and drink The Peake Run (Maryland Seafood Festival) Finish on the sand at Sandy Point next to a 60-foot-tall rubber duck, then walk straight into the Maryland Seafood Festival.
- Food and drink Tiki Trot 5k, Beer Mile & Tiki-tizer Mile A true beer mile — four laps, four beers — run in the parking lot between two breweries, with a tiki-bar after-party.