Running in Denver and Colorado
Running in Denver is its own sport. The air is thin, the weather turns on a dime, and there's a race almost every weekend from spring to the holidays. Feat on the Street is a clear, honest guide to running and racing here, for locals and for anyone planning a trip to the Mile-High City.
Three places to begin
What's on the Denver running calendar?
Pick a month to see the races and the conditions that shape it, from St. Patrick's in March to the December fun runs.
January · Winter
February · Winter
March · Spring
March is Denver’s loudest racing month, built around St. Patrick’s weekend.
April · Spring
May · Spring
June · Summer
July · Summer
August · Summer
September · Fall
October · Fall
October is quietly the best racing weather of the year here.
November · Fall
December · Winter
December trades fast times for festive ones.
Any month: Running at Altitude in Denver: What the Mile-High Air Actually Does · Where to Run in Denver: A Guide to the City’s Best Routes · How to Pace Your Runs by Effort at Altitude
Running here is different
Altitude changes your pace.
At a mile up there's less oxygen in every breath, so run by effort, not your sea-level numbers. Here's what the thin air actually does.
The weather won't read the forecast.
A start line can sit near freezing and finish in sun. Dress for the start you'll stand on, then shed.
No hype, no events.
Feat on the Street is a running resource, not a race company. We don't host events or take registrations. We compile what's worth knowing about running here and point you to the races and routes that genuinely exist.
The Denver racing year
- March St. Patrick’s Runs in Denver: Picking Your Distance
- March Denver St. Patrick’s Day Races: A Runner’s Guide
- October Denver Halloween Races: A Runner’s Guide
- December Denver Holiday & Christmas Races: A Runner’s Guide
- December Denver’s Festive December Fun Runs: Costumes, Short Distances and Family Miles
Latest guides
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Is the Colfax Marathon a Good First Marathon? For most runners, yes. Denver’s only marathon is a big, well-supported road race with a simple shape. The catch is the altitude, and the plan that deals with it depends on where you live. -
How Hard Is the Manitou Incline for a Runner? Harder than its one-mile length suggests. The Incline climbs about 2,000 feet on a steep, uneven staircase. How to judge whether you are ready, and how to plan the climb. -
Cold-Weather Running Gear for a Denver Winter A Denver January day swings about 26 degrees from low to high, and the cold is dry, not wet. So buy wind and skin protection first, bulk last, and a shell you can carry. -
Sun Protection for Running at Altitude A cap, sunglasses that stay on, and sport sunscreen do more for a Front Range runner than anything altitude-specific. Here’s what’s worth carrying, and what isn’t. -
How Much More UV a Denver Runner Actually Takes Denver’s altitude adds roughly 10 to 16 percent more UV than sea level, a smaller penalty than the warnings suggest. Fresh snow can nearly double a run’s dose. -
Denver’s Wildfire Smoke Season Breaks the Run-Early Rule The run-early rule that works for ozone fails in wildfire smoke, when overnight air can be the dirtiest of the day. How to read a smoke morning in Denver.