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.

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!

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.

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!

@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.

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.

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.