Black Diamond Express Half Marathon & 5K
- Date
- August 23, 2026
- Location
- 3865 Rush Mendon Rd, Mendon, NY
- Distance
- Half Marathon · 5K · Virtual 5K & more
From the Organizer
Black Diamond Express Half Marathon & 5K — To benefit the Mendon Foundation - Mendon, New York's local land trust and developer/maintainer of the Lehigh Valley Trail in partnership with the Monroe County Parks Department.
(Including virtual option, with option to complete race within one week after race day.)
Sunday, August 23, 2026 • Lehigh Valley Trail, Rt. 251, Mendon, NY
Half Marathon Starts: 8:00am
5K Starts: 8:20am
Course: Flat, scenic out & back course along the historic Lehigh Valley Trail
Additional sections of the Lehigh Valley Trail have been resurfaced!
Start & end location: Mendon Youth Baseball Fields (https://goo.gl/maps/8ZoNAryJ95q)
Half Marathon course is USATF Certified - NY17052JG
Includes
- Long sleeved (unisex) t-shirt OR mug guaranteed to the first 150 (combined) by Sunday, August 2nd. (Once sizes are gone after August 2nd we are out of shirts!)
- Refreshments and healthy snacks.
- Collectible ceramic medals for Half Marathon finishers, collectible ceramic lapel pins for 5K finishers.
- Once again, we are offering Virtual Half Marathon and 5K events! Run the distance within a week after the live race date, and we will mail your selected t-shirt or mug, and a medal (HM) or lapel pin (5K). You can download the race certificate post race and enter your time on the website.
Awards
- Half Marathon: Top 5 (non virtual) Male & Female Cash or Gift awards; plus collectible Race Water Bottles for top 3 in age groups 12 and under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
- All Half Marathon finishers will receive our beautiful, collectible ceramic finisher’s medal!
- 5K: Top 5 (non virtual) Male & Female Cash or Gift awards; plus collectible Race Water Bottles for top 3 in age groups 12 and under, 13-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+
- All 5K finishers will receive our beautiful, collectible ceramic lapel pin!
Official Site & Frequently Asked Questions
Please visit: https://mendonfoundation.org/black-diamond-express-races/ for more detailed information and answers to your Frequently Asked Questions.
Distances & Pricing
Race Location
About This Sport
From Endurance Grid's Founder
Endurance Grid is here to help you understand the sport, decide if it's the right fit, and learn how to prepare. For course distances, logistics, and race-day specifics, always defer to the race organizer's event page.
The half marathon is the distance where you find out what you're actually made of. Long enough to demand real preparation. Short enough that it doesn't consume your life to train for it. Most people who run their first half describe it as the race that changed their relationship with what they're capable of. Once you cross this finish line, the bar moves. That's not a warning — that's the point.
Race day energy varies by event size, but the finish line feeling is the same regardless. Big races keep the noise going the whole way. Smaller races give you stretches where it's just you and the miles — and that solitude becomes its own kind of fuel.
The half marathon rewards people who show up for the boring training miles.
How long to train: 10–14 weeks. If you're already running consistently, 10 weeks of structured buildup is enough. If you're building from a casual base, give yourself 14.
Running
From 5K to marathon, running races are the most accessible entry point into endurance sport. There's a distance for every fitness level and a community at every start line.
Coming Up
More running races in NY
West Side Run
5K
Blauvelt Lions Journey For Sight 5k Run/Walk
5K
Run for Donuts 5K/10K/13.1 NYC
Half Marathon · 10K · 5K
Trail Fest 2026 @ Tilden Hill Farm
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What is the Black Diamond Express Half Marathon & 5K?
- Black Diamond Express Half Marathon & 5K is a running event held in Mendon, NY. Learn more about the different endurance sports here.
- When and where is the Black Diamond Express Half Marathon & 5K?
- Sunday, August 23, 2026 in Mendon, NY at 3865 Rush Mendon Rd, Mendon, NY. Check the official event page for exact start times and wave schedules.
- How do I register for the Black Diamond Express Half Marathon & 5K?
- Registration is handled through their official registration page. Confirm pricing, distances available, and sign up there.
Black Diamond Express Half Marathon & 5K
Aug 23, 2026