Other Marathon Ideas (non RD)

[LikelyLynae]

Of the non-Disney fulls that I have done here's how I'd rank them:

1) Marine Corps in DC: Mid-late October so weather can be hit or miss. It was perfect the year I did it (2012 I believe). I personally love DC so this was always on my bucket list and it didn't disappoint. The crowd support is awesome, very well organized, running on the National Mall is fantastic, and the best part are the Marines manning the water stops, cheering on the side of the road, and passing out medals at the finish. They thank you for running which was crazy to me. I kept saying "No, thank you for your service." Fairly flat with a few hills here and there if I remember correctly.
CONS: It is a big race and there are a few very narrow stretches early on so there was a bit of bottle-necking in the early going but after the first few miles this wasn't an issue. The 14th St. bridge is long, boring, and was windy the day we ran. The stretch through Crystal City after the bridge is also very boring and there were a couple points where you ran right beside people who were further along the course which to me is always tough mentally to see people who are that further along.

2) Chicago: Mid-late October so same with the weather. Again we had just about perfect weather in 2014. HUGE race so it was a little hectic at the start but didn't notice much bottle-necking like in DC. Crowd support is AMAZING. Seriously throughout the entire race there were people on the sidewalks cheering. Everyone kept saying we'd know when we got to the Southside because there wouldn't be any support but I never noticed the crowds get smaller. Almost entirely flat (at this to the North Carolina runner). Very cool course that allows you to see a lot of Chicago. The "Magnificent Mile" was a very cool stretch. Extremely well organized, fun expo.
CONS: Lots of runners so it that's not your thing then this is definitely a con. They only hill I really remember was a very big hill literally at the very end. The course takes you like 2 blocks from Wrigley Field (Chicago Cubs stadium) but you never actually get to see it from the course.

3) 26.2 w/ Donna (Jackonsville Beach, FL): Late January I think so the weather is usually nice. I did the half in 2011 and it was like low 60s at the start. When I did the full in 2012 it was 22 degrees at the start...we weren't prepared for that type of cold. VERY flat course other than having to go up and over an overpass at like mile 1 and again at mile 24ish. Running a couple of miles on the actual beach which was cool. They had mats down on the softer sand and then the stretch you really run on is very packed down. Mid-size race.
CONS: Ok crowd support. Lots of running through the Jacksonville Beach neighborhoods, some of the residents get really into it and are out cheering you on; other neighborhoods not so much. Small but nice expo.

4) Richmond, VA: Mid November. Just did this one this past fall and it was COLD. I think 26 degrees at the start and never really warmed up. This was personally one of my worst races ever partial because of the cold, but mainly because I had been sick the whole week leading up to the race. Mid-size. For the size the crowd support was pretty good but there were definitely stretches were there wasn't anyone out (particularly one stretch were you run on a trail by a river and it's literally impossible for spectators to get there unless they live right there). Finish area was awesome, lots of food, music, etc. Semi-flat course but some definitely hills.
CONS: Finish area isn't very close to the start. Ends on a HUGE down-hill, which may sound fun but after 26 miles you're afraid you're going to lose control and tumble the whole way down. Huge bridge you have to go over up and over around mile 15-17; this part really did me in, it was very windy and uphill almost the whole way. Very small & crowded expo.

5) Thunder Road (think it has a new name now) Charlotte, NC: Was in early December when I ran it in 2008 but now I think it's mid November. Mid-November in NC can be very cold or very hot. When I did it is was a pretty small race but I think it's grown quite a bit. Get to see quite a bit of Charlotte including running by Bank of America Stadium (where the Carolina Panthers play). Well-organized. This was my first marathon so it may have just been my perspective at the time but I thought they had an excellent expo.
CONS: Hills. So many hills. You are pretty much either going up or going down the entire race. Crowd support was very low especially through the neighborhoods. This may have changed but in 2008 there were a lot more half-marathon runners than fulls so at mile 12 when they split off, my buddy and I were literally running by ourselves for most of the rest of the race.

Honorable Mention: Wrightsville Beach, NC: Mid-March. I did the half last year and currently signed up for the half again this year but currently debating switching to the full. Weather was absolutely perfect last year. VERY FLAT course, almost no uphills. Starts close to the beach and finishes on the campus of UNC-Wilmington. They give you pajama pants instead of a race shirt which I thought was fun since I have so many shirts. You can purchase a race shirt though if you want. Mid-sized race.
CONS: Personally didn't notice much wind coming off the beach but have heard other mention this was an issue for them. VERY SMALL expo. Literally went it and pick up by bib & shirt (that I bought separately) and left. Small but not terrible crowd support. Honestly you do this race if you are looking for a flat course to PR on. It was well organized and everything but it's not like a fun, entertaining race.

Honestly, I've really enjoyed each of these races so I would recommend any of them.


ETA: All of the races are pretty close to a major airport except for Wrightsville. Wilmington does have an airport but it's very small.

Dang it. I told myself I would pull back from races to focus on time and then you had to mention all these races near me.... Wrightesville Beach sounds like such fun though...

 

[ChipNDale86]

Dang it. I told myself I would pull back from races to focus on time and then you had to mention all these races near me.... Wrightesville Beach sounds like such fun though...

Wrightsville is a great local race. I highly recommend it especially if you are looking for something in the spring that is flat! And downtown Wilmington is a fun place to explore before or after the race. I'll be there again this year!

 

[Nole95]

So many good recommendations so far. Lots to think about. Took a look at the Colorado Marathon page, and boy does that look like a beautiful course. Also any race that is in a town with that many beer breweries gets extra points.

Flying Pig looks like it would be a fun race.

We've looked at Marine Corp before, but it usually does not fall at a good time for us.

 

[jubjubrsx]

We've looked at LA as that seems like it might be a run race to run. Surf City is also one I've read about, and I think occurs on Super Bowl weekend.

LA was one of my favorite races of all time I really enjoyed it, out of my 10 marathons now, its the only one I said I would like to go back and do.

I think San Fran would be fun. It's in July. The climb from Fishermen's Wharf to the Golden Gate Bridge would be tough, but it's in the first half.

god I hate this race, hate SF, just ugh I hate this place so much. I've done the SF marathon and never again, never, between the horrible roads, the hills, the sewage smell, not as many people cheer you on, the homeless people all over the place, its super expensive in SF and getting anywhere can be difficult if you dont have a car, and even then traffic is aweful. this is by far my least enjoyable race. As a side note, I used to live in the SF Bay Area (about 1hr away) and ran the rock n roll, giants races, hot chocolate.

I've done Marine Corps which wasnt bad. Such a big race, it was crazy. feel this is a one and done.

I highly recommend the Space Coast marathon its beautiful. As another side note, I just moved to florida 6 months ago, if you are in the area St. Pete Runfest (half) is pretty as well.

I would LOVE to do the chicago marathon. I did a half there and loved it, maybe its the deepdish/hotdogs/italian beef could of influenced this a bit to.

 

[Wendy98]

Well I am just a teensy bit partial, but Flying Pig all the way.

 

[John VN]

Space Coast is launching a new series with HUGE medals.

We had a fun time doing Kentucky Derby some years ago. My first M&M McFlurry stop detour.

McFlurry John

 

[GreatLakes]

Just googled the Flying Pig aaaaand now it's on my bucket list. Gimme all the races that I can run more than one race a weekend and get lots of medals!

I like the multi race challenges as well. Some I've done in addition to the Flying Pig 3-way challenge:

Cleveland Marathon Challenge Series: They have a 5K/10K, 8K/Half, and 8K/Full. I've done the 8K/Half the past two years and will be doing the 5K/10K this year.
Illinois Marathon I-Challenge: They have 4 but I did the 5K/Half
Frederick Running Festival Nut Job Challenge: 5K/Half challenge. I believe there is also a multi-race challenge you can do with this race and Baltimore but I never did that one.
Gasparilla Distance Challenge: They have a few official multi-race options but I wanted to do the 5K and Half so I just registered for both.
Akron Race Series: This one is multiple races spread throughout the year. I did the 8K/Half?Half the first year when it was called the Rubber City Race Series.

And I few I have not done myself but are on the list to finish eventually:
Towpath Trilogy: This is another series that involves multiple races throughout the year. I've run components of the series but never the series as a whole.
Flying Pirate Double Dare: It looks like the site isn't set yet for 2018 but if you click the register link you can see they still have the 5K and half challenge.

If anyone has any others I'm always looking to add a few to the calendar.

 

[Nole95]

If Space Coast wasn’t on Thanksgiving weekend, it would definitely be on my list. That timing just does not work out well for us.

 

[jennamfeo]

If Space Coast wasn’t on Thanksgiving weekend, it would definitely be on my list. That timing just does not work out well for us.

Why does it have to be on a Sunday?! That's a perfect weekend to not have to take work off for a race, but would be better if it was on Saturday.

 

[IamTrike]

Here's the fulls I've done and how I would rank them.

1. NY marathon. It is rediculously hard to get into, but it is unlike any other marathon I've run. The crowd support is unparalleled and the course is great, but it's kind of a pain logistically.

2. Disneyworld. I don't think this needs more explanation

3. Chicago. This is another big race. We stayed across the street from the start in the Hilton. The course was relatively flat and very fast there was good crowd support and the logistics were setup well. It also was a great city for a destination race

4. Marine Corps. Pros: The Blue mile is unlike anything in any other race. I would do this race again for that. The course is pretty scenic and it's a decent town for a destination race. Cons. Logistically this race didn't seem as well as put together as the 3 above. There was a distinct lack of port of potties, people self place themselves in the corrals, the course is really tight and curvy making it very hard to run good tangents.

5. Outerbanks Marathon. This is a nice flat full. It's much smaller than races 1-4 and while some of the course is scenic there are parts of it that are on highway.

6. Medoc Trail Marathon. This race is a lot of fun. It's a trail race, they cook you lunch and a bunch of the runners camp out at the course all weekend. They give great finishers suprises.

I'm looking at the Burmuda Marathon for my next destination marathon.
I've heard outstanding things about Richmond in fact our pastor's wife BQ'd there this year.
The Shamrock Marathon in VA beach is one of Virginia's oldest marathons. It's a fun race and it has one of the most insane challenges, the king Neptune challenge. You finish the half in less than 1:46 then go back through the chutes and run the full marathon.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Some races that I have researched and heard were good to great races are, the Celebration Marathon. Not in Disney but close enough to go for a visit without the expense of a Disney race. The Miami Marathon is have heard is excellent. Seattle is supposed to be a great race too. Twin Cities has been mentioned. I would make a suggestion. I don't know if you are a podcast listener or not. But go listen to old episodes of the Marathon Show with Joe. Not the ones with Eddie McCoy. Joe runs the courses and does a good review of the races. You get firsthand knowledge of the races he does and he used to do some big ones. I find the episodes very uplifting on top of it so they are great on runs.

 

[LikelyLynae]

Has anyone run Conquor the Cove in Roanoke?? Wondering how difficult the course really is.

 

[kevdad]

I highly recommend the Vancouver and Victoria marathons. While Victoria is a bit tougher to reach, both offer flat courses, decent spectator showings (Vancouver better than Victoria), great scenery, lots of on-course support, and fun/interesting things to do before and after. Victoria is a loop course that starts in the heart of the city while Vancouver is point-to-point which requires a bit of a trek to the start with a finish downtown. I had never been to either city and fell in love with both. Running the marathon was a great way to see so much more of the city than you would otherwise including some diverse residential neighborhoods and coastal areas.

 

[kevdad]

I just noticed you said "U.S.", sorry about that!

 

[garneska]

I highly recommend the Vancouver and Victoria marathons. While Victoria is a bit tougher to reach, both offer flat courses, decent spectator showings (Vancouver better than Victoria), great scenery, lots of on-course support, and fun/interesting things to do before and after. Victoria is a loop course that starts in the heart of the city while Vancouver is point-to-point which requires a bit of a trek to the start with a finish downtown. I had never been to either city and fell in love with both. Running the marathon was a great way to see so much more of the city than you would otherwise including some diverse residential neighborhoods and coastal areas.

I loved Vancouver when I visited before a cruise. I had looked about doing the marathon to go back for a run cation was wondering how that Marathon was.

 

[Keels]

I only ran the inaugural (spelled it right first try!!!!!) year - but a fun fall half in Florida is the Cocoa Beach Half. The course is nice and includes running on the beach, and the race is themed to “I Dream of Jeannie”, complete with a bottle medal.

 

[FFigawi]

I only ran the inaugural (spelled it right first try!!!!!) year - but a fun fall half in Florida is the Cocoa Beach Half. The course is nice and includes running on the beach, and the race is themed to “I Dream of Jeannie”, complete with a bottle medal.

That ruins your chances of ever working at rD

 

[Keels]

That ruins your chances of ever working at rD

I don’t understand the words you are saying to me ...

 

[michigandergirl]

Another vote for Detroit! Neat course and well run. Lots of hotels within walking distance of start line and big airport.

Also any race that is in a town with that many beer breweries gets extra points.

Grand Rapids marathon (my hometown) - the number of breweries is mind blowing - aka Beer City USA!

 

[megarella]

My 2 votes (I've only done the half for these 2 races, but both have a full marathon option as well):

1) The Philadelphia Marathon (the one in November, not the Rock n Roll Philadelphia race): Lots of crowd support (particularly in the hilly Drexel hills area, since a lot of the students from Drexel/Penn are out there cheering on the runners), you run past all the major sites, including Old City, and end at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. It's a large race but not as crowded on the course as say Disney races, which I was surprised about since I ran the year the NYC Marathon was cancelled and they created 2 corrals last minute for displaced NYC Marathon runners. Weather can be either perfect and in the 50s, or much cooler. I'm not sure if the current Philadelphia mayor does this, but when Mayor Nutter was still the mayor, he would always be at the start line, offering high fives to any and every runner who started that day.

2) Rock N Roll Las Vegas (also in November). Fun race! It's one of only 2 nights of the year where they close down The Strip. Lots of crowd support, and you run past all of the major sites along the Strip and in the downtown Las Vegas area. It's also a night race, which is fun so you can really appreciate all of the neon lights. Before the race start, they have a free (well, for people running the race) concert; the year I did it, they had Snoop Dogg, but usually it's someone from the rock genre.