New Mexico · Half Marathon · 10K · 5K
The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K)
The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K) is a half marathon, 10K and 5K event held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Its next confirmed date is Sunday, October 4, 2026. About 800 runners take part across all distances.
- Race day
- October 4, 2026
- Location
- Albuquerque, NM
- Field size
- ~800 runners
Race details
- Date
- Sunday, October 4, 2026
- Location
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Distances
- Half Marathon, 10K, 5K
- Field size
- About 800 runners
- Course
- Mostly flat through farm fields; views of Sandia Mountains and Rio Grande Valley (~5,000 ft)
- Registration
- runsignup.com
- Official website
- visitalbuquerque.org
About the The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K)
A festive half marathon, 10K and 5K staged at Los Poblanos Fields during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, with hundreds of balloons overhead. It celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2026.
Rankings and notes
- Rankings and awards
- Run during the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta; runners pass under hundreds of hot air balloons; 10th anniversary in 2026
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Guides from the RaceRove blog
- 8 min read How to Choose the Best Half Marathon for a PR, Racecation or 50-State Challenge The best half marathon depends on what you want from it. How to choose a course for a personal record, a race worth travelling for, or an efficient stop on a 50-state challenge.
- 7 min read How to Find a 5K, 10K, Half Marathon or Marathon Near You A practical way to find running races near you: pick a distance, decide how far you'll travel, read the listing properly and confirm the details before you register.
- 9 min read How to Run a Race in All 50 States How to plan a 50-state running challenge: set your own rules, group states into trips, build a calendar around the seasons, budget for it and keep track of every finish.
- Blog All guides Planning advice for finding, choosing and travelling to races.
The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K): common questions
- When is the The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K)?
- The next confirmed date is Sunday, October 4, 2026.
- Where is the The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K) held?
- In Albuquerque, New Mexico.
- What distances does the The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K) offer?
- Half Marathon, 10K and 5K.
- How many people run the The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K)?
- About 800 runners across all of its distances. That figure is an estimate of the field size, not an entry cap.
- How do I register for the The Great Balloon Chase (½ Marathon, 10K & 5K)?
- Registration is handled by the organiser at runsignup.com. Entry fees, caps and deadlines are set there.
Plan this race in RaceRove
Save it to your plan, compare it with other races, check typical race-day weather and track your 50-state progress in the interactive app.