Top-5 destination marathons/ bucket list

Marine Corps Marathon if you want to stay in the US.

Berlin seems like a cool race with fast times and good competition.

If you like the coast, you could think about the Carlsbad 1/2 or Full and the Malibu Half or Full.

The Malibu Half (the second half of the marathon) is the Southern California version of the Big Sur Marathon. After you run the course, you will recognize parts of the course in lots of movies and commercials.

Surfside Marathon in Huntington Beach is kind of neat too but isn't that great. It is good place to run a marathon if you want to train one for that time of the year.

Famous races?

World majors?

Scenery?

Toughness?

Flat and fast?

Old classics like maybe Yonkers or Grandmas?

Some of the above?

None of the above?

West Wyoming Marathon

I'd put Chicago as number 5. Fastest course I've run but I am not good on downhills. Otherwise, I'd say St George.

[quote]narrow your criteria wrote:

Old classics like maybe Yonkers or Grandmas?

/quote]

Yonkers is definitely appealing because of it's historical appeal, but it has changed it's course and doesn't seem to promote the history. The changed course alone makes it less appealing.

I'd rather NOT narrow the criteria - just what, in your own opinion, are the 5 "must do" events. How do YOU determine your own list. For me it is historical value and scenery as I'm no longer worried about fast times.

For those that asked about overseas, yes, financially I will stick to North America.

love the classics wrote:

1)Boston

2) New York

3) Big Sur

4) Honolulu

5) ??

Richmond was great, but I can't see coming all the way from the west coast just to do it.

First three I can see. Honolulu - why? Ok, it's in Hawaii, but apart from that ????

I've run Chicago - it should be on the list. Grandma's is another great marathon to do.

If you want to add a Canadian marathon - Victoria and Ottawa are must dos. Vancouver is ok

OGs

Twin Cities and Portland are both great marathons.

I would thow London Rotterdam and Berlin in the international pile

Not in the U.S. but two I think would be interesting to try are Antarctica and Mt. Everest Challenge Marathons. But I say this as someone who pretty much has decided to pass on marathons generally. Just if I did still run marathons and if I could afford the travel, at least one of those two would be on my list.

love the classics wrote:

1)Boston

2) New York

3) Big Sur

4) Honolulu

5) ??

Richmond was great, but I can't see coming all the way from the west coast just to do it.

The Big Sur area of California is beautiful, but I wouldn't recommend doing that marathon. You won't get a fast time, and often with scenic marathons, you don't remember much anyway as you're really concentrating on the race and how you feel, etc. Go to Big Sur and be a tourist and maybe do some training runs, but skip the race.

I would imagine the same to be true for Honolulu, but at least there I would GUESS that you'd stay extra and vacation.

San Francisco is amazing; you won't PR there, but still totally worth it. I also love Chicago but they've had a lot of hot weather for 4 of their last 5 marathons which makes me hesitate to go back there. Wineglass is very fast and you'll love it if you don't mind a small race!

Asia - any race in Japan. It is marathoning heaven

Aus/NZ - Gold Coast. Perfectly flat, then head to the beach!

Africa - Comrades.

Europe - London, for the show

North America - Boston, for the history

South America - ?

Dentist 420 wrote:

West Wyoming Marathon

I like this race too, but this one guy always wins somehow. He just comes out of no where and wins, almost like magic.

For me, the bucket list is more about the experience than places where I think I can run fast. After all, there are plenty of flat, uninspiring courses where you can run a PR.

Of the races that I have run, the most bucket list worthy are Catalina and Boston.

On my bucket list:

New York

Big Sur

Paris

Pikes Peak

Athens

Boston

New York

Marine Corps

London

Venice (Italy)

These are for the experience, not a fast time.

I would throw Dublin in the mix (assuming it's still the same race as 2004 when I ran it). It starts/finishes right in the city, is pretty scenic, weather is pretty much guaranteed to be cool and overcast, and it's a cool town to party in after it's over.

kdb wrote:

Athens

Finally someone names this. Running from Marathons to Athens 1896 Olympic Stadium - how can this NOT be an anybodies list?

Another good one in Europe must be this one:

Probably the most scenic Marathon - should be at least en par with Big Sur.