Running isn’t limited to just park runs and marathons, as the USA offers some of the wildest and most unconventional races that enforce boundaries in unexpected places.
From underground tunnels to towering skyscrapers, here is a list of crazy races that go beyond simple endurance tests and put your common sense to the test as well.
1. The Barkley Marathons: The Race That Eats Its Young
- Why it’s crazy: Obliterates participants with its harsh selection, registration scenarios, and pathless cutting-off times.
- Where: Frozen Head State Park, Tennessee, USA
- Year founded: 1986
If you want more excitement from your marathon, try this one out. 100 miles (160 km) of steep, rough terrain that has no markings whatsoever, with the toughest elevation gain of 60,000 feet (18,300 m). You will need a map, a beacon, and a scrying device to find hidden books from which you must tear out pages as proof of completing the route.
But it’s not solely about distance. The race has gained notoriety from its dethroned selection of participants, its ruthless registration stratagem, and its classic renowned dubious organizer, Gary “Lazarus Lake” Cantrell.
There is a popular saying that most participants tend to quote: “Participants should be prepared to not complete any more than one lap.”
Cold, heat, rain, hallucinations, sleep deprivation, and Mother Nature are participants’ greatest foes.
As for the past champions, to reach that astonishing finish line in under 20 hours makes one a living legend. Total finishes: only 26 people since 1995.
2. Empire State Building Run-Up: 1,576 Steps
- Why it’s crazy: It’s not only about running, it’s about enduring, strategizing, and maneuvering one’s way around a crowded stairwell.
- Where: New York, USA
- Year founded: 1978
If you think climbing the subway stairs is challenging, you should try running to the very top of the Empire State Building. Height: 1,050 feet (320 m) or 86 floors.
This is not just a run. It is a game of strategy: deciding how much breath to use when your legs are on fire, the correct way to use the handrails, and even more importantly—how to not become a casualty of the throngs of spectators.
The best participants… win the race in less than 10 minutes. The rest… suffer. The atmosphere is thick, the oxygen is scant, and after the race, your legs are guaranteed to shake for a few.
3. EPIC5 Ultra Run: 50K runs, 5 Hawaiian Islands, 5 days
- Why it’s crazy: 50K (31 miles) in a row for 5 days, heat, altitude, and complete exhaustion.
- Where: Hawaii, USA
- Year founded: 2010
This ultramarathon is a crazy challenge for the most resilient. In 5 days, participants run 250 km (155 miles) across five different islands of Hawaii. And it’s not just about the distance. High humidity, relentless sun, mountain climbs and minimal rest between stages turn the race into a real survival test.
Each stage has a time limit of 9 hours, adding even more pressure to the already grueling challenge.
EPIC5 does not just test endurance—it makes you reconsider the limits of human capabilities.
4. Mine Run: 5K, 650 feet (200 m) Exhausted Underground
- Why it’s crazy: Running in complete darkness in an active salt mine with irregular terrain.
- Where: Strataca, USA
- Year founded: 2016
Running is always associated with good air—not in this case. Here, participants race in complete darkness, guided only by their headlamps. Dropping floors, echoing footsteps, narrowing tunnels—it feels like a scene from a disaster movie.
While the temperature within the mine remains constant, the psychological pressure is immense. You’re not just racing—you’re navigating a world that feels completely an alien planet.
5. Krispy Kreme Challenge: Run And Eat 12 Doughnuts
- Why it’s Crazy: It combines speed eating and endurance running with a high chance of regretting it afterward.
- Where: Raleigh, North Carolina, USA
- Year founded: 2004
Some people consume isotonic drinks while running and others gobble up 12 Krispy Kremes.
Each participant is required to run 2.5 miles (4 km) to the bakery, consume 2,400 calories worth of sweet goodies, and run back to the start. All this must be achieved in under an hour.
Every year the starting point transforms into a carnival. Participants run in costumes, but not everyone completes the race. Many do attempt to, but a large number seem to suffer from overconsumption while making their way back.
Since its inception, the event has raised $2.1 million for charity. Those who manage to complete the feat earn the glory and maybe a slight sugar coma.
6. Bay to Breakers: A Costume Party Disguised as a Race
- Why it’s crazy: Unlike any other race, costumes, runners in the nude, and a party spirit all in one.
- Where: San Francisco, USA
- Year founded: 1912
This race is an entire street celebration. Here, you can catch a glimpse of runners dressed as superheroes, dinosaurs, and bananas, and even completely nude participants (yes, it happens here too). At its peak in 1986, the event drew a record-breaking 110,000 participants.
The “salmon swim” is especially famous. People dressed as fish run against the current, symbolizing the fight against the flow. There is also plenty of live music, street parties, and an all-around crazy atmosphere.
7. Detroit Free Press Marathon: Underwater between two countries
- Why it’s crazy: The only international marathon featuring an underwater tunnel.
- Where: USA–Canada
- Year founded: 1978
This race is not just a marathon, but an international adventure. Participants start in the USA, run across a bridge to Canada, and then descend into a tunnel under the Detroit River.
The most unusual part is the moment when you run underwater. The tunnel has high humidity, the air is heavier, and after exiting it, you have to get used to the open space again.
Each of these races is not only a test of fitness, but also a test of the mind. It’s not just speed that’s important, but also endurance, strategy, and sometimes the ability to suppress the gag reflex (hello, donuts!).
Are you up for the challenge? Which of these races would you try?
Find more running races in our USA Race Calendar.
By Lena Sage
