REVEL Mt Charleston was the weekend’s marquee event — 1,178 finishers making it the largest race by far. The course descends the entire way from Kyle Canyon on Mt Charleston to Las Vegas, with runners starting surrounded by snowcapped peaks at 7,600 feet elevation. The marathon loses almost 5,100 feet of elevation from start to finish, making it one of the fastest courses in the country. Thomas Orcutt’s 2:24:00 was the fastest winning time of any race this weekend. The 4:17 average finish time reflects how the downhill course benefits runners across all ability levels.

McKirdy Micro Race Series (MicrOTQ) and The Micro: Breaking 3 were two companion events at the same Rockland Lake State Park venue on back-to-back days. The course is a 2.94-mile loop certified by World Athletics “A” certifier Jim Gerweck. The MicrOTQ was designed for athletes targeting the USATF Olympic Trials qualifying standard, while Breaking 3 opened the same experience to runners targeting sub-3:25. The 2:54 and 2:58 average times across both fields are extraordinarily fast — a direct result of the highly self-selected fields. Kevin O’Sullivan’s razor-thin 4-second margin over Jeremy Arthur in the MicrOTQ was one of the weekend’s most compelling finishes.

Yakima River Canyon Marathon is a beloved Pacific Northwest classic. The point-to-point course follows the Yakima River downstream on a paved highway, with two major hills and many curves, finishing near the canyon’s mouth in rural Selah. With 190 finishers, the field grew significantly from recent years (65 in 2024). Notably, only two women’s podium spots were reported, suggesting a thin women’s field. The race is famously run by veteran race directors in their 80s.

Irving Marathon celebrated its 14th edition with 537 finishers. The “Fast & Flat” USATF-certified course winds through downtown Las Colinas, across the Las Colinas Canals, along Lake Carolyn, and finishes at Toyota Music Factory. The men’s top three were separated by only four minutes, with Alec Esposito narrowly edging Nickolas Scudder by six seconds. The race benefits the Irving Schools Foundation.

Fort Smith Marathon tackled one of the more demanding courses of the weekend. Starting in historic downtown Fort Smith, the course takes runners through charming neighborhoods, scenic paved trails, and rolling terrain with significant climbs and descents. Drew Wiles won in 3:01 — a solid time given the hills. The 81-finisher field is modest but the race offers a relay option that broadens participation.

Rend Lake Marathon (IL), Heckscher State Park (NY), Quarter Horse Marathon Relay (KY), and Mission Run in the Ozarks (AR) round out the weekend as intimate community events ranging from 8 to 90 finishers. These are the grassroots soul of the sport — no sponsorship pomp, just runners showing up and covering 26.2 miles. The Mission Run in the Ozarks had a particularly wide spread, with over 2 hours and 40 minutes separating first and last place, reflecting a truly open-doors philosophy.