Night Races

The night race calendar is clear: the practice is accessible to everyone in terms of distance! 🤗 You can find 5 km, 10 km, halves, marathons, as well as all types of night trails (discovery, short, long, and ultra-long distance...). If you have never started a night race 🌙, you might want to favor urban events, which are less technical (in principle) than trails in natural settings 🏜️.

Note that there are 2 types of night races. It seems logical, but firstly we will mention those that happen 100% at night: the start, the race, and the finish will take place under the stars (in the evening or at night) like the Folle Neteï 🌅. There are also "semi-night" races! Some start before sunset like the Trail de San't Appianu, others in the middle of the night with a thrilling finish at dawn 🌄, notably the case for the Full Moon Trail. Speaking of the different types of night races, you might also be tempted by nocturnal snow trails (what a sensation to run on a white blanket, for example in the Trail de l'Inuit), urban trails (if your thing is metropolises) or canitrails (if you never run without your dog 🐕).

In short, there is something for everyone 🌱. And to guide you the best in your search, don't hesitate to browse the night race calendar below to make your choice! 📆 By the way, selecting races is a tough task... But let's mention in France the SaintéLyon, which will rekindle the derby spark for some, the Grand Trail des Hauts de France with its top-notch atmosphere, or the Corrida Crédit Agricole Toulouse 31, which is run along the Périgueux canal 👑. The legendary UTMB (Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc) must, of course, feature in the Hall of Fame of races pinned to your achievement board 🖼️. Want to go international? The Rock’n'Roll Las Vegas Marathon will let you experience the American dream in the excess of the Nevada city 🇺🇸. In Europe, The Bilbao Night Marathon takes place in the urban landscape of the Basque Country's Spanish capital. Thousands of spectators will cheer you throughout the 42 kilometers of the course. Moreover, Bilbao is a very beautiful cultural destination... 💃

Besides your courage and dedication to running at night, you will definitely need your headlamp 🕯in the mazes of Lut by Night (Lyon) or in the (very) demanding terrains of the Diagonale des Fous in Reunion 🏃‍♀️. If you want some tips to prepare as best as possible for a night running event, equip yourself with a lamp that will allow you to narrow the light beam uphill and widen it downhill 🔦. Like any type of race, a night trail can, of course, be done with friends (Ekiden, duo, relay...), creating even stronger memories. Especially if one of you has a little headlamp issue 🤣.

One piece of advice! Don't forget to get your bearings by training at night 👣. It is essential to get familiar with darkness. Also, work on your footing while adapting to the cold ❄️ (which may be part of the event, especially if you're joining a winter night event or in high mountains). As for the rest, the usual advice: eat well (favoring carbohydrate intake before the event), drink well, sleep well... 😴 But rest assured, like all runners, if you sign up for a significant distance, there will inevitably come a moment when you'll ask yourself, "how to fuel and prepare for a night race". How about a little bet? 😉 Last little tip, then we're done, promise, in the summer, be aware of the temperature differences at different times of the race... 😬

Time to make your choice! ☝️ If we could summarize it briefly, know that urban trails allow you to run on sometimes unusual routes in the city, while night nature trails offer unforgettable settings, although often more demanding 💪.