Races worth the trip!
rduhlir
Posts: 3,550 Member
You know, I haven't seen a thread on races that are worth road trips for. So do you know of a race that is totally worth a trip to do? Or if someone happens to be in town to do? Where? How far? Pictures (if available). Post your stuff! Help support race trips for all!
Navy 10 Nautical Miler
This race is fairly new to the racing world. It is the Navy's equivelant to the Marine Corp Marathon or the Air Force Marathon. It is the only race right now that is measured in nautical miles, which for those who don't know is 2,000 yards. The distance comes out to about 11.6 miles and is ran in Millington, TN. It is put on yearly by the NSA Mid South, and has been going on for 5 years now. This year they had their largest turn out of 800 people. It is still a fairly new race, so they are working out kinks in the system. This year the only complaint I would give would be parking preparation.
There is a photo of the course. Here is a photo of the bling:
Okay that is me wearing the bling. Here is a closer pic of the bling:
The race is held during the first week of June.
http://www.thenavy10nm.com/
Navy 10 Nautical Miler
This race is fairly new to the racing world. It is the Navy's equivelant to the Marine Corp Marathon or the Air Force Marathon. It is the only race right now that is measured in nautical miles, which for those who don't know is 2,000 yards. The distance comes out to about 11.6 miles and is ran in Millington, TN. It is put on yearly by the NSA Mid South, and has been going on for 5 years now. This year they had their largest turn out of 800 people. It is still a fairly new race, so they are working out kinks in the system. This year the only complaint I would give would be parking preparation.
There is a photo of the course. Here is a photo of the bling:
Okay that is me wearing the bling. Here is a closer pic of the bling:
The race is held during the first week of June.
http://www.thenavy10nm.com/
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The Bird-In-Hand Half-Marathon in Intercourse, PA (seriously, you can't make that up).
The race is put on by the Amish community as a fundraiser for the fire department. Amish food and smores at the pre-race party in the middle of a corn field. A lot of the Amish run the course with you in their suspenders or dresses... just be careful of the 'road apples'! On top of all that, you get to make jokes all weekend about being "in Intercourse." TOTALLY worth the trip and a super-unique running experience!0 -
I second - Bird In Hand Half Marathon @ Intercourse PA.
Gettysburgh Blue Gray Half Marathon
Directly from event info
"Blue vs. Gray Competition
An integral part of this event is the competition between runners from the North (Blue) and the South (Gray). Every runner is free to select the side they wish to represent based on their current state of residence, where they grew up, where their ancestors lived during the Civil War, or any other reason they choose. The map below shows how the current U.S. was separated during the Civil War at the time of the Battle of Gettysburg in 1863."
http://www.bluegrayhalf.com/bluegray.html0 -
Run Woodstock! Three Days of Peace, Love, and Running! (along with yoga, a hula hoop contest, live music...). Options from a 5k to 100 miles. And a Hippie Hike to Hell, Michigan. It's good stuff.
http://www.runwoodstock.com/0 -
Okay that is me wearing the bling. Here is a closer pic of the bling:
The race is held during the first week of June.
http://www.thenavy10nm.com/
I totally want this medal to add to my collection.0 -
Okay that is me wearing the bling. Here is a closer pic of the bling:
The race is held during the first week of June.
http://www.thenavy10nm.com/
I totally want this medal to add to my collection.
That thing is A LOT heavier than it looks, btw.
OH! And the awards are specially made captain's coins. They would trump an ordinary command coin...if anyone is wondering where it would fall in.0 -
Sinister 7 Ultra - Crowsnest Pass, AB
http://www.sinister7.com/main.php
this is a 100 mile ultra that's split into 7 stages. it can be run solo or as a team of up to 7 people. i volunteered last year so i could sign a team up early this year as the race usually sells out in a matter of hours.0 -
The Bird-In-Hand Half-Marathon in Intercourse, PA (seriously, you can't make that up).
The race is put on by the Amish community as a fundraiser for the fire department. Amish food and smores at the pre-race party in the middle of a corn field. A lot of the Amish run the course with you in their suspenders or dresses... just be careful of the 'road apples'! On top of all that, you get to make jokes all weekend about being "in Intercourse." TOTALLY worth the trip and a super-unique running experience!I second - Bird In Hand Half Marathon @ Intercourse PA.
I third it. Best homemade after race cookies ever. Take as many as you want and they are HUGE!
Also, the hot air balloon festival is really cool to see.0 -
WARNING: This is a geek alert...so if hate anything geeky or awesome...do not read further....
So, the Disney Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend for sure. http://www.rundisney.com/star-wars-half-marathon/
I mean...Star Wars!!!! Come on...not even sure this needs more explanation. And if Star Wars somehow isn't enough, it's in California in JANUARY!!! Perfect running weather. And if that still isn't enough, Disney Land.
Personally I will be doing the Rebel Challenge (10k Sat then Half Sun).
From what I have heard from others, all of the Disney races are insanely fun. My wife and I plan on Dopey Challenge for 2016 or 2017. 4 Days of Racing....a 5k, 10k, Half, then Full marathon. You get a total of SIX MEDALS!!! Booyah!0 -
You wore a Coast Guard shirt to a Navy race??? Being a Navy vet myself, I take offense!!! J/k ;-)
Cool event and good idea for a thread.
PS - A Star Wars half is a rad idea!!!0 -
The Bird-In-Hand Half-Marathon in Intercourse, PA (seriously, you can't make that up).
The race is put on by the Amish community as a fundraiser for the fire department. Amish food and smores at the pre-race party in the middle of a corn field. A lot of the Amish run the course with you in their suspenders or dresses... just be careful of the 'road apples'! On top of all that, you get to make jokes all weekend about being "in Intercourse." TOTALLY worth the trip and a super-unique running experience!I second - Bird In Hand Half Marathon @ Intercourse PA.
I third it. Best homemade after race cookies ever. Take as many as you want and they are HUGE!
Also, the hot air balloon festival is really cool to see.
I'll fourth it. The B-I-H Half in 2012 was my first HM (little did I know just how challenging the course was for a first timer)... and I ran it again last year. I'm a bit bummed I won't be running it this year (though I plan to do the 5K the night before and the bike ride the day of the HM)... but it doesn't fit well with my marathon training plan.
I'll have to dig up a picture of the medal from last year... they hand-made all of the medals from real, used horseshoes!
Easily my favorite race medal to date.0 -
Grandma's Marathon or half in Duluth Minnesota. June 21st this year. You run along side Lake Superior for either 26.2 or 13.1 miles
Straight (until the last mile or so when you get into Duluth) But it is fairly flat and you get the lake breeze. I ran in last year and am doing it again this year. The weather is typically cool, but I have heard there have been a few hot races.
http://grandmasmarathon.com/site/0 -
There's a race up here in my neck of the woods (far north Chicago suburbs) that's a 10 nautical mile race. It's called Fort 2 Base. Basically it goes from Fort Sheridan to Great Lakes Navy Base. It's August 24th and this is the 4th year they are doing it (my first year). A lot of people from my running club have done this one every year and they say it's a great race. More info can be found at www.fort2base.com or on their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/fort2base. The facebook page has a picture of both sides of the medal.0
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I ran the Lexington half: http://www.runthebluegrass.org/
Definitely a race for horse lovers. Gosh, it was beautiful. A half where you really have to earn the medal though...the course is very hilly. The people were just fabulous, and the scenery and the barns we ran past were amazing. If you're looking for a crowd to support you though, definitely not the race for you. It's totally rural, but the views are worth it.
Last year, Run the Bluegrass partnered with the Derby mini marathon in Louisville: http://derbyfestivalmarathon.com/. If you ran both, you got an extra medal. I LOVED Louisville. Favorite race so far. City race, with lots of people along the course. You enter Churchill Downs, run a lap around the in field, and then exit. They had horses up on the track exercising when we were there. It was SO COOL.0 -
I'll just go ahead and post a major obvious. The Paris Marathon. You just can't beat running the streets of Paris or the city in general. There's just something magical and charming about the place. Plus, what better place to post marathon indulge.0
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I'll just go ahead and post a major obvious. The Paris Marathon. You just can't beat running the streets of Paris or the city in general. There's just something magical and charming about the place. Plus, what better place to post marathon indulge.
True! But for someone whose favorite dessert in the whole world is a Napoleon, Paris would be a very dangerous place! Lol0 -
Imogene Pass Run in Colorado. Run from Ouray to Telluride over a 13,000' pass. Best event I have ever done, hands down (and I have done many beautiful runs). Better than Pike's Peak, even.0
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I'll just go ahead and post a major obvious. The Paris Marathon. You just can't beat running the streets of Paris or the city in general. There's just something magical and charming about the place. Plus, what better place to post marathon indulge.
This race is totally on my To Run List. And of course, the one in Athens.0 -
My favorites:
Steamtown marathon (mostly downhill, scenic, great time of year to run in PA, great support): http://www.steamtownmarathon.com/
Marine Corps marathon (emotional marathon for me being from family of military men, run past several monuments in DC area, great course, lots of support from crowd, a Marine puts the finisher's medal on your neck): http://www.marinemarathon.com/
Run for the Red marathon (scenic, smaller marathon, mostly downhill): http://www.poconomarathon.org/marathon.html
Races that I would LIKE to run because I have heard good things about them:
Army 10-Miler (October)
Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon (June)
Bird-in-Hand Half Marathon (September)
Niantic Bay Half Marathon (September)
Ocean City Marathon (April)
And of course, I'd love to qualify for Boston Marathon... like every other runner on this planet. 0 -
WARNING: This is a geek alert...so if hate anything geeky or awesome...do not read further....
So, the Disney Star Wars Half Marathon Weekend for sure. http://www.rundisney.com/star-wars-half-marathon/
I mean...Star Wars!!!! Come on...not even sure this needs more explanation. And if Star Wars somehow isn't enough, it's in California in JANUARY!!! Perfect running weather. And if that still isn't enough, Disney Land.
Personally I will be doing the Rebel Challenge (10k Sat then Half Sun).
From what I have heard from others, all of the Disney races are insanely fun. My wife and I plan on Dopey Challenge for 2016 or 2017. 4 Days of Racing....a 5k, 10k, Half, then Full marathon. You get a total of SIX MEDALS!!! Booyah!
Hi!! My hubby and I plan on Dopey Challenge for 2016 or 2017 alsooo!!! I'm so excited I can't believe how much I think of something so far in the future! We didn't sign up for Star Wars - I'm still mad that's supposed to be Tinks w/e so I'll do RnR Phoenix/Scottsdale instead. We are signed up for the Avengers 1/2 marathon in Nov and I've done 2 Tinks and 1 Princess and I LOVE RUNDISNEY! Tip always sign up for the 5k for pic ops so you don't have to keep stopping during the 1/2.0 -
I did the navy ten nautical miler as well. It was a great race and my first time running it. The medal is awesome!0
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Marine Corps marathon (emotional marathon for me being from family of military men, run past several monuments in DC area, great course, lots of support from crowd, a Marine puts the finisher's medal on your neck): http://www.marinemarathon.com/
This is definitely on my bucket list! Our neighbor runs it every year. I think it's too late to try to get into the full this year, but I'm going to try for next year, and at least do the half in the spring.0 -
These all sound fabulous!
I'm playing with the idea of running a full marathon one day so I appreciate this post. The only race I've traveled to so far is the Disney Princess Half Marathon. I got to see Florida and Walt Disney World which was a blast. The RunDisney races are great! I'm not sure what races I'll do for 2015. I've done two half marathons this year already and have a third planned for the fall... the Avengers Super Heroes Half Marathon by RunDisney of course.
The Marine Corps marathon sounds cool. My nephew is stationed there so perhaps we could do this one together.0 -
Grandma's Marathon or half in Duluth Minnesota. June 21st this year. You run along side Lake Superior for either 26.2 or 13.1 miles Straight (until the last mile or so when you get into Duluth) But it is fairly flat and you get the lake breeze. I ran in last year and am doing it again this year. The weather is typically cool, but I have heard there have been a few hot races.
http://grandmasmarathon.com/site/
Running it this year! My first half.0 -
I'll just go ahead and post a major obvious. The Paris Marathon. You just can't beat running the streets of Paris or the city in general. There's just something magical and charming about the place. Plus, what better place to post marathon indulge.
Amen to this! I ran Paris Marathon back in the early 2000's. It was my second visit to Paris and running this race had me seeing parts of the city that I would not have thought of visiting on my own. I'm not sure how much the course has changed, but it was great just running outside of the city center. All the cobblestone streets, the Eiffel Tower in the background... call it romanticizing the French experience, but it's definitely the way to experience it.
I love to travel so adding a race/running as part of my trip fulfills both passions! The other one I've traveled abroad for is the Dead Sea Marathon in Jordan. It's an interesting way to see Jordan's desert cities. It starts off in Amman and it's all downhill except for the last few miles, which are flat. Even though there's no crowd participation and a barrage of military men with rifles cocked line most of the route, the end is well worth it. Once you finish the last hill, you'll see the Dead Sea in view. You are essentially running to the lowest point of the earth. The FInish Line is right at the foot of the sea, so you can go and cool off and experience the salient water.
My other favorite races in the U.S. were Wineglass Marathon and the New Orleans RNR Marathon. Not only are these super flat and fast courses that I've PR'd at, they were also fun and beautiful courses. Wineglass is in upstate New York, held in early fall, where you literally see the season change in the vegetation. You run through all the quaint small "villages" and you really feel the pride that the marathon brings to the small town of Corning. When you fly into Corning's small airport, there's a huge banner that says "Welcome Wineglass Runners"! Very cozy.
New Orleans is the opposite of Wineglass. Very lively, lots of crowds, music, and everything you expect from the Big Easy. You run through beautiful historic neighborhoods and you realize there is much more to the city than Bourbon Street. And did I mention, this is literally a flat as a pancake course. If you don't PR here, you must be injured! :-)0 -
New Orleans is the opposite of Wineglass. Very lively, lots of crowds, music, and everything you expect from the Big Easy. You run through beautiful historic neighborhoods and you realize there is much more to the city than Bourbon Street. And did I mention, this is literally a flat as a pancake course. If you don't PR here, you must be injured! :-)
Or, you didn't PR because you got wasted on Bourbon Street on Friday night and couldn't keep down liquids or solids on Saturday but ran on Sunday anyway!;) True story. I really love that race though!! Totally flat, beautiful scenery, and what's not to love about being in New Orleans for a long weekend! So many delicious restaurants, touristy things to do, etc. Next time, I'll hit Bourbon POST marathon. I blame my husband, he ordered another hurricane after I said no more!;)
I ran Chicago last fall and LOVE that race. Another pancake flat course (even more so than NOLA probably, as there was one bridge you ran over in NOLA!lol). AMAZING crowd support. Seriously, like 1mil spectators for 40,000 runners. I can't even describe it. I was to mile 13 mile before I even realized I was running. And I just love Chicago. The vibe in the city race weekend was incredible, everyone there was to run. The Nike store on Michigan was a dance party complete with dj's all weekend! I am trying to hit the 50 states, but I'm so tempted to run that one again anyway!
I'm running Twin Cities this fall and hoping to run Big Sur next spring if I can get in. Big Sur is in my top 3 of most want to do in the US (Big Sur, NYC, and Boston...but I have to get significantly faster first!). I just love long weekend destination marathons! Chicago was with my husband and group of running friends, NOLA was just with my husband (he ran both Chicago and NOLA too), Twin Cities is a girls trip with my running girlfriends, then Big Sur is going to be a couples trip (girls run, boys have fun!). Lots of states to go!:)0 -
New Orleans RnR has been my favorite so far. The first half is a bit crowded & the streets are cracked and nasty. But the second half along Lake Pontchartrain was amazing. Plus, if we're talking about vacation, it's New Orleans!! I suspect NYC this November will be my most favorite though0
