Favorite Marathons? Dream Marathons?

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Hello fellow Marathon Runners!

I'm currently shopping around for marathon races :) Do you have any you just LOVED running? Or have a dream marathon race?

I ran the Nike Women's Marathon in SF in October which was awesome, and my dream is to run one in Paris, France and one in Athens, Greece. Oh, and the Big Sur Marathon. I AM going to run that one next year!

What about you?
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  • bshedwick
    bshedwick Posts: 659 Member
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    I've never run a marathon, but my dream one would be Boston or Honolulu
  • malenahan
    malenahan Posts: 73 Member
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    Boston which I will hopefully be running in April 2013 and the New York Marathon. The Nike Women's marathon and Big Sur are definitely at the top as well!
  • tnrunningnurse
    tnrunningnurse Posts: 549 Member
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    I have done the Country Music Marathon twice....lots of crowd support and good music. One that I have on my radar for fall is the Detroit marathon. You run into Canada via the Ambassador bridge and back into the states via the underwater tunnel.
  • JennyG73
    JennyG73 Posts: 31 Member
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    interesting topic... I just turned 39 and decided that I should find some challenges to complete before I turn 40. A full marathon has always been in the back of my mind and I decided that I will be doing the Marine Corps Marathon this October. Luckily I have a friend who will be training with me b/c the mental part of 26.2 miles is what scares me.

    Being on the east coast, I think the Wine Glass marathon looks fun and of course the Shamrock full and/or half marathon in Virginia Beach. In full disclosure, I have been working with the committee for a number of years on this race. However, it is always a great time and part of why I want to run one. Seeing everyone finish- all the way to the very last walker- is very inspiring!

    I will need to run one before I can say I'd want to do another! lol
  • jturnerx
    jturnerx Posts: 325 Member
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    I have a laundry list of dream ultras but not marathons. However, Big Sur is definitely on that list. I would have considered doing that this year but I have this little 100k the week after and figured doing a marathon at that time would not be in my best interest. lol
  • coronalime
    coronalime Posts: 583 Member
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    I've done almost all the biggies..Big Surr is this April !!! WOHOOOOOO

    I want to do some random one..Like Montanna or some place like that. I also want to do Grandmas and Flying Pig
  • Rsespaniak
    Rsespaniak Posts: 17 Member
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    I ran the Mount Desert Island Marathon last October and highly recommend it. It has been voted one of the most scenic marathons in the US and definitely lives up to that hype. It is also extremely well organized. The course goes from Bar Harbor (Maine) to Southwest Harbor. I don't think there's a flat spot on the course but none of the many hills are killers.

    Avenue of the Giants and Big Sur are on my bucket list but next up is Cape Cod in October.
  • bjbixler
    bjbixler Posts: 258 Member
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    I ran the Mount Desert Island Marathon last October and highly recommend it. It has been voted one of the most scenic marathons in the US and definitely lives up to that hype. It is also extremely well organized. The course goes from Bar Harbor (Maine) to Southwest Harbor. I don't think there's a flat spot on the course but none of the many hills are killers.

    Avenue of the Giants and Big Sur are on my bucket list but next up is Cape Cod in October.

    I have looked into this MDI marathon before and am glad to hear your thoughts. Maybe one day I'll fit it in :)

    I'm running my first marathon in a few weeks (Country Music Marathon April 28), but on the bucket list (if I ever get the nerve to train for another) are Big Sur, Catalina Island, MDI, Boston...
  • lilsmiley11122
    lilsmiley11122 Posts: 11 Member
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    Big Sur was my first-ever full marathon in 2009 - extremely challenging (Hurricane Point, anyone?), but I'd do it again in a heartbeat, the scenery is that amazing. I've been living in the UK for the last 3 years, so I did Edinburgh (Scotland) in 2010, Loch Ness in 2011, and I'm running Paris this April! Loch Ness has probably been my favorite, but maybe I'm partial because it got me my PR... ;-)

    As far as dream marathons, I'd have to say London... tried to get in the last 2 years but didn't get picked in the ballot. =(
  • bert16
    bert16 Posts: 725 Member
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    Boston would have to be first, just 'cause... and Athens for the same general reason (rockin' it (really) old school). Would love to do Big Sur for the scenery; and am sure that there are other great ones out there I've never even heard of / considered!
  • malenahan
    malenahan Posts: 73 Member
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    I'm registered for Flying Pig in May!
  • WatchMomRun
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    I'm registered for Flying Pig in May!

    Me too!!! And I'm sooooo excited. I've run with some friends who have run it before and say it is amazing!!
  • Daisy_Cutter
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    I've run:

    Midnight Sun Marathon - Alaska (Awesome!) Would recommend this to everyone! June

    Seattle - have run this many times - weather is very unpredictable. It's the weekend of Thanksgiving and I've run it in snow, rain and 70 degree weather. Crazy! However, it's a fantastic marathon! - November

    Capital City - Olympia WA - it's good, but wouldn't do it if I wasn't a local - May

    North Olympic Discovery Marathon (NODM) - this is a point-to point on the Olympic Peninsula in WA state - FANTASTIC scenery! June

    Yakima River - another point to point in WA state - though a canyon - it's perfect for a spring marathon - April

    Skagit Flats - my favorite. it's a really small race but runs through fields and farms - just north of Seattle - September

    Seafair Marathon - Bellevue WA - not a big fan! - August

    Leavenworth WA - this one is in October and is run during their Oktober Fest - Beer at the finish line

    Portland - OR - another FANTASTIC race! October - would recommend this one too!

    Honolulu -- BIG! -- but worth it. don't plan on a PR on this one - it's crowded! December

    Chicago - yeah, I was there in 2005 when it was so hot and people were dropping dead. Nice! October

    Twin Cities - MN - loved this one for a fall marathon! October, If I remember correctly

    Hoping to do Vegas this fall and I'd love to do St. George UT. I've heard it's really, really wonderful!

    Dream marathon - Boston... I'm just not fast enough yet. Maybe my age and pace will one day collide for a PR!
  • jbrinda1
    jbrinda1 Posts: 153 Member
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    NYC is amazing...over 100 bands along the course, amazing crowds and support, running through NYC is such a rush, and when you come off the Queesboro into the scream tunnel, it is positively electrifying. Runners from many different countries...it is just so cool. Definite bucket list marathon.

    Boston is obviously every marathoners dream, and it is equally amazing, though on a slightly smaller scale, 25,000 vs 45,000 in NY. Everyone there (except for the charity runners) has qualified and there are no slackers. It is awesome to be running among all of your peers who have worked so hard to get there, and even more special now that they've tightened up the qualifying standards. I will be running 3rd consecutive next month. I have been fortunate enough to run my two best road marathons on the hallowed streets of Boston, last year being my best, unfortunately this year could well be my worst as I am fighting persistent plantar fasciitis and post tib tendonitis. Also a bit nervous that this early Spring will bring a very warm day next month. Yikes its gonna be a long day.

    My first was Buffalo to Niagara Falls, I believe that is the only international crossing marathon in the country. Pretty cool to run over the Peace Bridge. They check all the passports before the race. But I was a newb and froze my *kitten* off in 40 degrees with shorts and tee running into an icy headwind for 15 miles up the Niagara on the Canadian side.

    Wineglass has a nice downhill course in the first half, but I got suckered in and frustrated by the meandering course in the last 3rd. It was still a PR for me at the time and a good place to qualify for Boston.

    I would love to PR at Chicago, I hear it is fast and flat. I also would love to run Dublin since I am part Irish and would love to make that an excuse to go back for another visit. Paris would be amazing as I've never been there either. Berlin would also be a dream marathon. I have also heard amazing stories about Mt Dessert Island and Big Sur, neither being speedy, but very scenic.

    Worst road marathon to date, 2008 Rochester, NY. 85 at the finish. Nuff said. Never again.

    My toughest race ever was Megatransect, a brutal off road marathon (just under official distance) down in hilly central PA. Took me 7.5 hours to finish last year, but undoubtedly the best post race party ever....unlimited great food and beer, slushies, iced coffees, pizza, pig roast, Troeg's Beer, hot dogs, etc. And after burning 5 or 6 thousand calories, its a great excuse to pig out. Totally different race experience, not about speed, but survival with several brutal climbs. There is one mile where you have to crawl across a boulder field on hands and knees which took me 40 minutes!
  • jbrinda1
    jbrinda1 Posts: 153 Member
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    I'm registered for Flying Pig in May!

    Heard that one is a riot. Friend of mine picked up a PR there.
  • Kwika
    Kwika Posts: 145 Member
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    My dream run would be to run the London marathon which just happens to be the route for the 2012 olympics. My other dream marathon is the Boston marathon. If you liked the Nike womens marathon in San Francisco, there is the San Francisco marathon at the end of July. I haven't ran it but hopefully some day I will. It is a beautiful course and has views from crossing the Bay on the Golden Gate bridge to some great architecture throughout the city.
  • DisneyAddictRW
    DisneyAddictRW Posts: 800 Member
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    I have only ran 2 marathons both at Disney World. I love races at Disney. They have lots of entertainment and you run through the parks. I'd love to run one of the Rock and Roll series.
  • Trail_Addict
    Trail_Addict Posts: 1,350 Member
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    Have yet to run one, but when I do it'll either have "Trail" in the title, or be so challenging that only a few hundred show up. :smile:
  • jbrinda1
    jbrinda1 Posts: 153 Member
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    Have yet to run one, but when I do it'll either have "Trail" in the title, or be so challenging that only a few hundred show up. :smile:

    Check out untrahike.com for a crazy hard marathon length trail race in Pennsylvania.
  • Eaglesfanintn
    Eaglesfanintn Posts: 813 Member
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    I'm waiting on my passport before I sign up for the Jungfrau marathon in Interlaken, Switzerland on September 9. It's called the most beautiful marathon in the world.
    I've run 3 marathons so far (Little Rock, AK; Nashville, TN and Memphis, TN) I love the Memphis one - it benefits St. Jude Childrens' Hospital and part of the course goes through the St. Jude campus. The kids and staff of the hospital line the route, cheering you on and waving signs - it's really an emotional and uplifiting experience.