Running News Daily

Elizabeth Laseter has once again conquered the beer mile, capturing her fourth consecutive Beer Mile World Classic title in a breathtaking women’s final in Cologne, Germany.

The American food writer clocked 5:56.1 at the 12th Beer Mile World Classic on September 18, holding off world-record holder Shelby Houlihan by just 0.8 seconds in the closest women’s finish in championship history.

The final brought together three of the biggest names in women’s beer-mile racing for the first time: Houlihan, the world-record holder; Laseter, the three-time defending champion; and Melanie Pozdol, renowned as the sport’s fastest chugger.

What followed was a race for the ages.

Laseter had built a small advantage alongside Pozdol by the third beer, widely regarded as one of the most difficult stages of the beer mile. But Houlihan refused to let the race slip away.

The world-record holder produced a ferocious closing lap, running the final circuit in around 59 seconds, and suddenly all three women were level heading into the final bend.

From there, it became a three-way sprint for the world title.

Laseter found the extra strength when it mattered most, crossing the line first in 5:56.1 to secure her fourth straight championship. Houlihan followed in 5:56.9, while Pozdol completed the podium in 5:57.9, setting a personal best and moving to third on the all-time list.

The margin between the three was just 1.8 seconds.

It was a landmark moment for the discipline. Before Cologne, only two women had ever broken the six-minute barrier in the beer mile. Now, three have done it — in the same race.

Laseter’s victory also saw her lower her own Beer Mile World Classic championship record, adding another achievement to an already remarkable run of dominance.

Houlihan, however, remains the outright women’s beer mile world-record holder with her spectacular 5:43.81 run in Berlin in 2023.

And Laseter’s celebration provided the perfect ending to an unforgettable night. At the finish line, she marked her fourth world title with a shoey, pouring beer into her running shoe and drinking from it as the celebrations began.

The men’s race produced another remarkable achievement, with Corey Bellemore extending his dominance by winning his sixth consecutive Beer Mile World Classic title.

But Cologne belonged to Laseter and a women’s final that pushed the boundaries of the discipline.

Three women under six minutes. Just 1.8 seconds separating them. A championship record. A fourth consecutive world title. And a finish that came down to the final few metres.

Elizabeth Laseter did not simply defend her crown — she turned the 2026 Beer Mile World Classic into another chapter of her own remarkable story, proving once again that when the race reaches its most unforgiving moment, she knows exactly how to find that final ounce of strength. Four beers, four laps, four straight world titles — and a shoe full of beer to celebrate it all. 

There are fast miles… and then there are legendary miles — the kind where oxygen competes with carbonation, and athletic brilliance collides with controlled chaos. In 2025, Canada’s beer-mile king, Corey Bellemore, once again rewrote the record books, storming to an astonishing 4:27.10 at the Beer Mile World Classic in Lisbon — the fastest performance of his career, achieved while consuming four full beers along the way.

Yes, four beers. No shortcuts. No mercy.

For the uninitiated, the beer mile is not merely a novelty — it is a bizarrely demanding hybrid of elite running physiology and stomach-stretching courage. The rules are simple but unforgiving: before each of the four laps, the athlete must down a 355 ml beer (minimum 5% alcohol). Spill it? Penalty. Throw up? Penalty. Hesitate? The stopwatch does not care. Bellemore averaged roughly seven seconds per beer, before unleashing laps hovering around 60 seconds each — a combination that sounds medically questionable but athletically extraordinary.

What makes the feat even more impressive is that Bellemore is not some party trick specialist. He is a legitimate endurance machine — a sub-four-minute miler with the aerobic engine of a Half Ironman competitor. In other words, he possesses the rare ability to sprint while his stomach debates filing a formal complaint.

His relationship with the beer mile borders on mythological. He first seized the world record back in 2016 and has spent nearly a decade lowering his own benchmark, like a scientist refining a volatile experiment. In 2018, he actually ran an even faster 4:24, only for it to be disqualified because the bottle contained excessive foam — proof that in this sport, even bubbles can break hearts.

Then came 2023, when Bellemore casually ran 4:30 wearing only one shoe, because apparently symmetry is optional when you are built differently from the rest of humanity.

There is also the delicious subplot involving Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen. Bellemore jokingly hinted that he might retire — but only after Ingebrigtsen beats him. Considering the Norwegian star once clocked 5:22 at his own bachelor party, the throne remains firmly Canadian for now. The challenge has been issued, the gauntlet thrown, and somewhere in the future a showdown may yet brew.

Beyond the humor and spectacle lies something genuinely remarkable: the beer mile demands precision under absurd conditions. Athletes must control breathing, manage carbonation pressure, maintain coordination, and still produce near-elite track speed. It is part physiology experiment, part circus act, and part celebration of human weirdness.

And Bellemore? He remains its undisputed maestro — the only man capable of turning hops and barley into horsepower.

Because running a mile in 4:27 is impressive.

Running it with four beers sloshing in your stomach?

That is pure athletic comedy… performed at world-class speed. Chug beer and run!

Thirsty for a brew? You can crack a cold one postrun at these races. 

Sure, the beverage most closely associated with running long distances is probably water, with sport drinks as a close second. But many other races are being organized around beer. That’s right, runners (like everyone else) love to crack open a cold one, and every year more races pop up in the United States that are geared specifically toward beer. 

After all, finishing a race deserves a celebration and there’s no better way to celebrate than cheersing a pint with your best mates (while wearing split shorts and a singlet obviously.) And if you’re ditching alcohol this season, you can still partake in these races in spirit with your favorite non-alcoholic beverage. 

For obvious reasons, most of these races save the drinking for after the finish line, but that’s not always the case. And while many marathons give finishers an honorary beer, some of these beer-themed races aren’t so quick to cut you off. Whether you’re a beer snob or just looking for an adventure, these races are a great addition to your racing repertoire, and so we’ve rounded up a list of some of the best around the country. 

Here are 13 incredible races that give you the opportunity to sip a brew after you run. 

Craft Brew Races

Location: Various in New England Date: Various

Loads of races hand out a beer at the end, but few are actually themed entirely around beer. The Craft Brew Races, a series of beer-themed runs around New England are just that. After the race, there’s a three-hour-long festival where runners can try dozens of local craft beers. Just make sure that if you sign up for the run you also recruit a designated driver to pick you up. 

The Louisiana Marathon and Half Marathon

Location: Baton Rogue, Louisiana Date: January 14, 2024

While not technically a brewery-themed race, the 2023 Louisiana Marathon had six beer tags attached to runners’ bibs. Yes, that’s correct. Finishers of this race were treated to a six-pack of beer, and with several local brews to choose from, the variety won’t disappoint. Enjoy some gumbo and a few brews afterward. As they say in Baton Rogue, “Laissez les bon temps rouler!” (Translation— Let the good times roll!)

Yuengling Shamrock Marathon

Location: Virginia Beach, Virginia Date: March 17, 2024

If you’re looking for a great weekend for a beer race, an obvious choice would be St. Patrick’s Day weekend. It is, after all, a holiday celebrated almost exclusively by drinking. Virginia Beach’s race weekend, which includes a full gamut of distances to choose from, is sponsored by Yuengling and passes out beer flights to finishers. Plus, since it’s St. Patty’s, you can roll the postrace celebration into general festivities. 

The Growler Team Relay

Location: Ashburn, Virginia & Virginia Beach, Virginia Date: April 15, 2023 and December 9, 2023

Running and drinking are usually more fun with friends, or at least that’s the viewpoint taken by the organizers of these Virginia races. With six legs, each team will race 33.5 miles with anywhere from two to six runners handing off the baton at the checkpoints. When teams finish, each participant receives a pint glass and plenty of beer. What makes the race even more interesting is that the routes you take in each leg are up to you. Sure you’ve got the same start and finish point, but you can get there any way you choose. 

Cottonmouth Beerlay

Location: Greenville, South Carolina Date: June 3, 2023

While most races put the drinking at the end of the race, the Cottonmouth Beerlay is here to make things a little more, shall we say, interesting. The 8-mile course consists of four 2-mile loops. Before each loop, the runner must chug down a beer. If you sign up for the race in a relay, that seems doable, but individuals will be drinking at least four beers while tackling the wooded course. If you aren’t deathly ill when you finish, you can always celebrate with yet another beer. 

Beer Mile World Classic

Location: Chicago, Illinois Date: July 1, 2023

While the Cottonmouth Beerlay is mostly run and games, the Beer Mile World Classic is a sporting event. These people are serious about running the “beer mile” as fast as possible, and by “beer mile” we mean running four laps around a track while chugging down a beer before each loop. The Beer Mile World Classic has slots early in the day for amateur runners, but as the day goes on, you’ll get to watch some top-notch competition. People train for this believe it or not. 

Craft Classic Half Marathon and 5K

Location: Seattle, Washington Date: July 30, 2023

Seattle is a town known for its craft brewery scene, so it makes total sense that it would also host a beer-themed half marathon and 5K. The course is flat and scenic, and there is beer waiting for you at the end (which you’ll need after running in July). It’s said that runners receive a custom bottle opener at the finish. What a cute, useful little prize to win, especially if you already have 500 running T-shirts. 

Dogfish Dash

Location: Milton, Delaware Date: September 24, 2023

You need to be 21-plus just to access the website for this race. The Dogfish Dash, which is sponsored by the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, is a 5K-ish distance race around Milton, Delaware. Obviously, finishers are treated to some of the brewery’s finest beers, but you’ll also get some cool swag. This race prides itself on sustainability as well, meaning that not only do you get reusable shopping bags and water bottles for finishing, but also if you wear a costume made of recycled materials, you get entered for a special prize. Time to start working on your Pepsi can racing shorts. 

Time to start working on your Pepsi can racing shorts. 

Milwaukee Beer Run

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Date: October 8, 2023

If you happen to be on the other side of Lake Michigan during Oktoberfest, you can run the Milwaukee Beer Run, and let’s be honest Milwaukee knows its beers. The 5K race ends at The Bavarian Bierhaus, where you’ll get a free beer (or root beer for our sober crowd). The race entry also comes with a pass into Milwaukee’s Original Oktoberfest, so you can really keep that energy going all day. Also, there is a .05 mile race (which is 54 yards) for those who want the medal and beer without actually doing much running. 

Kona Oktoberfest Run

Location: Royal Oak, Michigan Date: October 8, 2023

Oktoberfest is the St. Patty’s Day of the fall, right? While you might think that this race is put on by Kona Brewing Company in Hawaii, it’s actually hosted by the Kona Running Company in Michigan. The race does, however, come with a plentiful supply of beer, as the post-race festivities include an Oktoberfest event complete with steins of ale and giant pretzels. Runners are also encouraged to run the 5K or 10K wearing Bavarian gear.

Great American Brewery Runs

Location: Various Date: Various

Great American Brewery Runs are almost more of a beer race aggregator than a specific event. They host races all over the East Coast that involve beer, but the specifics and distances vary. There’s a 50K relay, a 5,000 yard dash, and everything else in between. What they all have in common, though, is the inclusion of beer, and how can you say no to that? Might as well sign up for them all.

Shiner Beer Run

Location: Shiner, Texas Date: November 18, 2023

The Shiner Beer Run, which is hosted by the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas, is obviously giving out Shiner Bock beer to entrants, and the race ends at the brewery where you can grab food and beers postrace. But, the prerace packet pick up is also at the Spoetzel Brewery the day before, where you can carb load the day before. 

The Beer and Bagel Off-Road Race

Location: Various Date: Various

The Beer and Bagel Off-Road Race is sort of a bizarre mixture of things thrown together, but who are we to question it. Beer and bagels—both made of wheat so it works! Plus, there’s also said to be a Sasquatch running around on the course. We’re serious! The series has races all over the Midwest, South, and East, and looks like a great time.