Every runner has bucket list races…so, in no particular order, here are mine (so far)! I’ll continue to add races to this list as I find more I’m interested in and cross off the ones that I am fortunate enough to do!
1) New York City Marathon – Completed November 2, 2014!
I entered the lottery this year and unfortunately did not get in, keeping my fingers crossed for 2014!
**I am totally claustrophobic and hate crowded spaces so honestly this picture scares the crap out of me but I feel like I just have to do this marathon at least once!
2) Falmouth Road Race – completed August 11, 2013!
This is a 7 mile road race in Falmouth, Massachusetts which is the next town over from our cottage on Cape Cod. It was started by local runner and bartender Tommy Leonard and runs along the scenic Falmouth coast overlooking Martha’s Vineyard. There was a great article in Runners World last summer about Tommy, this also happened to be their annual “Half Marathon Special” and the very first issue of Runner’s World I bought when I started training!
This race starts and finishes in the shadows of the Coliseum and runs past all of the major sites in Rome, it sounds amazing! I for some reason picture myself running next to a gladiator…
From everything I’ve read this is supposed to be the most gorgeous marathon in the United States. Good scenery definitely helps the miles go by…
What can I say, I love Cape Cod! Plus, even though it’s a “destination” race I have a place to stay there! This race also has something comparable to the Disney Goofy Challenge – complete the half marathon Saturday and the full marathon Sunday and it’s called the Clam Chowdah Challenge and you’ll be going home with your very own Cape Cod Marathon “Chowdah” bowl!
6) Marine Corps Marathon – completed October 27, 2013!
I’ve heard great things about this race and I’m sure running through our nation’s capital would be amazing!
This is the first marathon I ever attended. I actually had no interest in the marathon itself, but the two years that I worked in Hartford we partnered with the marathon for promotional purposes and had a booth at their expo.
Sonar the Wolf Pack Mascot at the 2009 Hartford Marathon
At the time I didn’t pay much attention to the actual marathon because my thought was “who runs 26.2 miles just for fun?!?”. I’d love to go back and participate in this event since I attended several times and it never crossed my mind that I might be one of those people running 26.2 miles for fun!
Gather a group of 6-12 of your friends, pile into a van, make sure you pack plenty of deodorant, take turns running to cover 200 miles in 2 days and 1 night and you’ve got yourself a Ragnar Relay! Is it crazy that this sounds like fun?!? If anyone wants to join me let me know, I want to start putting together a team for next year!
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Danielle, I live in Western Mass about 30 min. from Hartford. I did my first half on Mothers Day 2014 in Whatley. Planning to do it in 2015. Also planning to do my fair share of the Mass Dash in July on Saturday, followed by the running leg of the Litchfield Hills Tri. the next day. We Vacation in Chatham in July. Love running in Chatham. Just found you blog and will definitely be following!
Hi Mary – thanks for stopping by! Where in Western Mass are you?? My family is in Longmeadow & East Longmeadow!
Between Western Mass & the Cape sounds like there’s a chance our paths could cross in the future!
Nice list – If you’re looking for more outside of the U.S, Munich is a great one, it ends in the old Olympic Stadium, you finish by running a lap of the track, great experience – and a beautiful city in general.