Curious which events are actually happening this year? Hoping to run a marathon that isn’t virtual? And what about the Olympics? We’ve got the scoop here on which races and events to watch for in 2021.
Run, bike, swim, ski — if this year’s event list is any indicator, 2021 is the year to get back outside! Here are some of the most iconic and anticipated events of 2021. We’ve scoured the internet and chatted up our sources to get the scoop on everything from marathons to desert gravel races to elite comps on the world stage.
Here are the categories you can browse below:
To help you navigate the list, we’ve marked each event with notes on details like location, date changes, and whether an event’s registration is still open or sold out. We’ve included only events that have been officially scheduled.
Editor’s note: While these events are currently scheduled to happen, cancellation or postponement is possible due to COVID-19. Be sure to check with each race organizer or check state and local guidelines for the most up-to-date information. We will update this list as more events are announced, postponed, or canceled.
Run and Ultra Races
- Hardrock 100 Ultra, Silverton, Colo. (July 16)
- Badwater 135 Ultra, Furnace Creek, Calif. (July 19-21): “The World’s Toughest Foot Race”
- Montane Lakeland 100 and 50, Coniston, UK (July 23-25): an “ultra tour” of the UK’s Lake District; 100K and 50K distances.
- Pikes Peak Ultra, Colorado Springs, Colo. (July 31): registration open; 50 miler and other distance options.
- Skyline 50K Endurance Run, Lake Chabot, Calif. (Aug. 1): one of the oldest 50K races in the US; registration open.
- Leadville 100, Leadville, Colo. (Aug. 21-22): Registration open
- Cirque Series, Snowbird, Utah (Aug. 28)
- Flagstaff Sky Peaks, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Oct. 2): 50 miler, 50K, 27K, and 10K distances
- The RAD Dirt Fest, Trinidad, Colo. (Oct. 2-3): 50K and half-marathon option (see bike options below); registration opens April 13
- Blue Sky Trail Marathon, Fort Collins, Colo. (Oct. 16): registration open
- The Barkley Marathons, Wartburg, Tenn. (October 2021, dates not yet announced)
- Dead Horse Ultra, Moab, Utah (Nov. 20): registration open
Bike and Triathlons
- 2021 IRONMAN 70.3 Series (multiple dates May-September): registration open, multiple locations
- Garmin Unbound Gravel Race, Emporia, Kan. (June 5): Unbound (formerly Dirty Kanza) offers a total of six race distances
- Tour Divide 2021, Alberta, Canada to U.S.-Mexico Border (June 11): Confirmed, start location subject to change
- Ride the Rockies, Durango, Colo. (June 13-18): Registration open.
- Dead Man Gravel, Nederland, Colo. (July 31): Registration open; first week of registration open only to women and BIPOC athletes
- Escape from Alcatraz Tri, San Francisco, Calif. (Aug. 14-15): registration open.
- SBT GRVL, Steamboat Springs, Colo. (Aug. 15): Sold out
- Leadville Trail 100 MTB, Colo.: (Aug. 14): Registration open
- TransRockies Gravel Royale, Nipika, British Columbia, Canada (Aug. 23-26): Registration slots still available!
- Pedal the Plains, Colo. (Sept. 10-12): Registration opens in the fall
- Malibu Triathlon, Malibu, Calif. (Sept. 25-26): Olympic distance and classic distance triathlons; registration open.
- Yeti Cycles Beti Bike Bash, Lakewood, Colo. (Oct. 3): “the nation’s largest women’s-only mountain bike race,” with 8, 12, and 16-mile distances; registration is open.
- The RAD Dirt Fest, Trinidad, Colo. (Oct. 2-3): New gravel race with 38-, 90-, and 165-mile options; registration opens April 13 (inaugural event)
- BC Bike Race, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Oct. 2-8): confirmed
- Sea Otter Australia, Canberra, Australia (Oct. 1-4): 3-day bike festival and expo; registration now open.
Adventure Races
- Wisconsin Adventure Racing Series, Wisc. (ongoing)
- Rocky Mountain Adventure Series, Colo. (ongoing): Registration open
Spectator Events and Festivals
- 2021 Olympic Games (July 27-Aug. 8): no in-person international spectating this year; watch events live online.
- Red Bull First Ride, Bentonville, Ark. (August 7-8): the inaugural event of the First Ride women’s-only MTB clinics.
- SheJumps Rock Camp, Leavenworth, Wash. (Aug. 13-15): multi-day overnight rock climbing skills camp for women; registration open now. Organized by SheJumps, Arc’teryx, and Alpine Ascents International.
- USA Cycling Inclusion Conference, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sept. 10-11): virtual attendance option; learn more.
- O2 Outdoor Women’s Festival, Carbondale, Colo. (Sept. 16-19): festival with clinics on various topics: climbing, backpacking, trail running, yoga, biking, and more. Registration open (limited to 250 participants).
- Get In Gear Fest, Black Mountain, NC (Sept. 25): outdoor industry gear demos, events and more.
- Outerbike Bike Demos, Moab, Utah (Oct. 1-3) and Bentonville, Ark. (Oct. 22-24): Outerbike’s Killington, Crested Butte, Duluth, and South Lake Tahoe locations have been postponed until 2022.
- Red Bull Rampage, Virgin, Utah (canceled in 2020, returning Oct. 25)
- Sedona Mountain Bike Festival, Sedona, Arizona (Nov. 12-14): tickets available now
- Eco-Challenge Patagonia (fall 2021, not confirmed): If you thought 2020’s Eco-Challenge Fiji was epic, just wait and see what this year’s race has in store
This article was last updated in July 2021.
