➡️ Every issue brings you what matters most to runners: a practical training tip to sharpen your game, a roundup of last weekend’s race results from across North America, upcoming marathons on the US calendar, a featured race worth putting on your radar, and a longer read to inspire your next run.
⭐️ Training Tip
Running Through the Wall: Mental Strategies for Miles 18–26
There’s a moment in nearly every marathon — somewhere between mile 18 and 22 — when your legs stop listening and your mind starts negotiating. The crowd thins. Your pace slips. A voice in your head whispers: Why are you doing this? You could just stop. This is the wall. And it’s not a myth.
▶️ Upcoming US marathons for the next two weeks
This section is sponsored by:
⭐️ 10/11/2026 - Cape Cod Marathon - Falmouth, MA
⭐️ 10/17/2026 - Mankato Marathon - Mankato, MN
🏞 FLAT & FAST COURSES - Best for PRs and Boston Qualifiers
May 24 - Ottawa Marathon — Ottawa, ON
May 24 - Coeur d’Alene Marathon — Coeur d’Alene, ID
May 24 - Minocqua Northwoods Escape Marathon — Minocqua, WI
May 30 - Spring – Mud Mountain Dam Marathon & Half — Enumclaw, WA
May 31 - Newport Marathon — Newport, OR
May 31 - Saskatchewan Marathon — Saskatoon, SK
⭐️ SCENIC & DESTINATION RACES - Worth the travel
May 24 - Buffalo Marathon Weekend — Buffalo, NY
May 31 - Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon — San Diego, CA
📢 BIG CITY & HIGH-ENERGY RACES - Crowds, atmosphere, and scale
May 24 - CDA Marathon — Coeur d’Alene, ID
May 24 - Wyoming Marathon — Laramie, WY
May 29 - Old Colony Marathon — Westfield, MA
🏃🏻♀️ SMALLER & COMMUNITY RACES - Low-key, personal, often PR-friendly fields
May 30 - Nutmeg State Marathon — Hartford, CT
May 30 - Conquer the Canal Marathon — Delaware City, DE
May 31 - Red Island State Marathon — Warwick, RI
May 31 - Course des pompiers de Laval Marathon — Laval, QC
Back Your Badge Marathon
The Back Your Badge Marathon is a premier running event proudly sponsored by the Town of Plainfield to honor and support all Public Safety Agencies — Police, Fire, and Communications. Celebrate community, wellness, and service at the 4th Annual Back Your Badge Marathon, featuring three exciting race distances — the 5K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon — giving runners and walkers of all levels a chance to participate.
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👉 Catch up on the past week's results
A wide swath of North America — from the Wasatch Front in Utah to the shores of Lake Superior in Wisconsin, from the mountains of Maine to the streets of Longueuil, Quebec — came alive with marathon racing over the weekend of May 16–18, 2026. Twenty-two events drew a combined total of roughly 9,600 finishers, spanning road and trail, flat and mountainous, mass-market city events and intimate backcountry adventures. The weekend’s flagship performances came out of Denver and Cleveland, where the Colfax and Cleveland marathons each drew fields well north of 2,000 runners. Here is a complete race-by-race breakdown.
The Haunted Forest Marathon
Dare to run through mystery and legend at The Haunted Forest Marathon, held in the heart of Ohio. This uniquely themed event transforms the natural landscape into an eerie yet exhilarating course, where shadowy woodlands, quiet trails, and creatively decorated landmarks bring the spirit of Halloween to life. The predominantly flat, record‑friendly route features gentle natural undulations, offering strategic pacing opportunities for runners of all levels.
🧭 I ditched my GPS tracker — and became a better runner
One runner’s month-long experiment with going fully analog changed how she trains, moves, and thinks about running altogether.
By Katja Vujić
For years, Katja Vujić ran with a coaching app in her ear, her phone tucked into a fanny pack, and her eyes glued to her pace and step count. Then she read Stolen Focus by Johann Hari — and decided to leave everything at home.
Over the past month, she ran two to three times a week with no phone, no guided app, and no music. What she discovered surprised her: better form awareness, longer runs, and a renewed love for the sport itself.
“It felt like if my phone didn’t record it, it didn’t count. But I run primarily because of how it makes me feel — and analog running was really positive for me.”
Her five key takeaways:
Sharper mind-body connection. Without app cues, she tuned into pain signals, breathing, and pace intuitively — and actually enjoyed the run itself more.
Endurance went up. Her runs extended from 30 to 45 minutes naturally — without any deliberate training plan pushing her.
More physical comfort. No phone bouncing in a fanny pack or slipping from a waistband — she felt, in her words, “physically and spiritually lighter.”
Discovered her own neighborhood. Breaking out of her usual park loop, she explored new streets, found coffee shops, and greeted neighbors.
Clarity on her running goals. She’s not training for a sub-3 marathon. Running for joy — not stats — is reason enough to keep going.
The analog trend that's swept through other parts of daily life — mornings without scrolling, park visits without a phone — has found its way to running too. Vujić plans to keep most of her runs screen-free from here on out, occasionally using her phone but no longer relying on it.
➡️ Featured race you shouldn’t miss
Runners looking for a fast course, scenic Montana views, and the chance to stand on the podium will find it all at the 41st Annual Big Sky State Games Road Race, taking place Saturday, July 18, 2026, in Billings, Montana.
The Road Race is one of the premier endurance events of the Big Sky State Games, Montana’s Olympic style amateur sports festival that brings thousands of athletes together each summer in 40 different sports. The Games welcome participants of all ages and abilities from across Montana and neighboring states to compete, celebrate sport, and experience the energy of a multi-sport festival.
Thanks for reading 🤍
MarathonGuide Team