What's your favorite race?

lporter229

The Boston Marathon aside (because that is a different type of experience entirely), my absolute favorite race is the Cincinnati Flying Pig marathon event. I say "event" because it is a weekend long festival of running including a mile race, 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, kid's race and 2 mile "Flying Fur" dog run. Maybe it's because it was my first full, or maybe it's because it's local that I love this event, but if you ask me I would say it's because of the amazing energy around the city, the enthusiastic crowd support and the unparalleled swag! This year is the 20th anniversary and it's going to be epic! Hoping that some of you will join us here in Cincy on May 6 and see for yourself what makes this race so great (and no, I am not a sponsor for the race, just a runner that happens to love it)!

What are your favorite races and why?

7lenny7

Great question.

My favorite road race is the Securian Winter Half Marathon (also a 5K and 10K). It's held in January in conjunction with the St. Paul Winter Carnival. It's actually this weekend but my IT band is being a little snot and not allowing me to participate. I like it because this race, and the festival, celebrate winter in Minnesota, which I love. Perks of the race is a free indoor parking ramp, a warm lobby to mill around before and after the race, a mini-expo before the race, and good SWAG. It's also reasonably priced. I'll have to skip it this year, but I'll be back next year.

My favorite trail race...that's a tough one. I'm going to have to say the Zumbro Endurance races (17M, 50M, and 100M). I did the 17M last year and will be doing the 50M this year. The course is a 17M loop (so 3 loops for 50M, 6 for 100M) and starts in a large campground remote enough that there is no cell service. The race director is legendary and his races are the best. Great course, great aid stations, awesome volunteers, and a super friendly festival vibe to it. Being in April you never know if you'll get snow, rain, or sun, but it will be an awesome event.

MobyCarp

Well, if you rule out Boston . . . it's hard to pick. I'm fond of a lot of the local races, and I'm not fond of travel.

If I go by which races I've actually made the effort to run, year in and year out regardless of injury status, I'd have to say Race with Grace. This is a 10K on Thanksgiving Day, run from a local (okay, within 20 miles) church. Besides being on Thanksgiving Day, it's always well organized, there is plenty of convenient parking, and there are clean heated indoor restrooms. The post race food is good without being excessive, which is nice for a runner who is also trying to control his weight.

In the "distance" category, I guess the Flower City Half edges out the Rochester Half/Full Marathon by having better weather, running through Mt. Hope Cemetery (where you need road marshals to stay on the race course), and getting Park Avenue closed to automotive traffic so it actually becomes a good road to run. It's a pity that Flower City is scheduled for 6 days after Boston; I learned in 2016 that it's a Very Bad Idea to try to run both in the same year.

But really . . . the fact that I've put up with the expense and inconvenience of travel twice and will do so again this year is a pretty strong indication that my real favorite is the Boston Marathon.

BruinsGal_91

Oooooh, that's like asking me to choose my favourite cat. Great question though.

I love the Tuft's Women's 10k which is run in Boston every Columbus Day. I always take the day off work so that I can run it. It has a great party atmosphere and because a section of it is out and back, you can get to see the elites heading for the finish line. And it was the Tuft's 10k back in 2010 where I broke that elusive 1hr for the first time (I did it in 59:59 and was on cloud nine for days).

swebb1103

My favorite so far is the Detroit Free Press half - my second half, held in October. We ran across the Ambassador Bridge into Canada, ran through Canada, then through the tunnel back into Detroit. It had amazing energy, a huge field of runners, and a nice health fair leading up to it. It was fun!

TX_Sheepdog

I like The Fresh 15, it’s a local race but is a certified qualifying 5 & 15K. It’s holds a kids 1K, 5K and 15K ... it runs early March and this year had 4,000 participants

hanlonsk

I’ve been thinking on this for a while, because I’ve had some neat races for as little time as I’ve been a runner. There is a “Sharin’ of the green” 5k in Fort Collins Colorado. It was one of the first 5ks I did. I did it 3 years in a row. This year is the first year I’ve missed it since I started running it. I ran this darn thing one year a week out from a pneumonia diagnosis. ( everyone had promised we would walk, they lied). Last year it was the first (and still only) time I’ve broken 30 minutes for a 5k. So, this race has seen me from barely being able to run, to breaking 30 minutes, I’ve always had a group do it with me, and for that area it’s a really small race, and it’s low key, but it’s always been fun for me.

pomegranatecloud

Marine Corps Marathon

mountainrun73

I haven't done that many races, but I love the Canyonlands Half Marathon in Moab, Utah. It was my first half. I've done it twice and really want to get back to do it again!

7lenny7

@mountainrun73 I've never heard of it but based on the location it sounds like a wonderful race!

BruinsGal_91

@mountainrun73 I went to Moab and Canyonlands last year (did a hiking holiday in the Utah 'big five'). I bet that is one spectacular race.

fitoverfortymom

@mountainrun73 I'm looking at the Dead Horse Ultra 30k in Moab. Same company that runs Canyonlands. I absolutely adore Moab. Our family vacation last year was kayaking the Green from Mineral Bottom to the Confluence so that area totally has my .

Tracydhc

Hands down my favorite is the Flying Pig. It really is more of an event than just a race as the 'party' goes on for days. Honestly, it was coming to cheer for me when I was running it that made all 4 of my kids start running, the energy is just that addictive.

It is so much fun that it is one of family traditions. All of our friends and family know that if they plan anything on Pig weekend our family won't be there.

KeepRunningFatboy

Big City - Flying Pig.

mbaker566

I loved nodm. all different lengths of races. medium sized. you run between sequim and port angeles. it is beautiful as the olympic peninsula is. it is well supported by the locals and had one of the best pasta dinners with a sundae bar. also, reasonably priced. i wish i could run it every year

my regular half is the door county half marathon
i love peninsula state park and door county in general.
it is the weekend before all the peninsula opens for the summer season. there is also a 5k.
it's just a beautiful and rolling hill half. it actually has more of an elevation change than the nodm, nearly 2x.

i like to run the hot cider hustle and the turkey trot nearby because they have good swag and good post run food. the only problem with them is there are a lot of nonregular runners that don't know how to line up or move to the side if you're slow or not to have your friends lined up across the path-walking.