former hack wrote:
Looking for suggestions. I'll limit it to the lower 48, but if you could pick only one marathon to run, which one would you choose? A few things I'd favor:
-Relatively flat, but it doesn't need to be Chicago flat
-At least a few people reasonably fast to run with (2:30-40)
-Not typically hot that time of year
Thoughts from the collective genius that's LRC?
The one it would not cause so much pain?ðŸ˜
Amsterdam, run the marathon, ride a bike, eat some boomers, rip a bong and bang some hookers.
Smoove wrote:
I will second Chicago, although the time I ran it, I ran American Develipment, so the logistics were a little better - but the start and finish at Grant Park should be pretty convenient no matter what.
The flatness of the course, the crowd quality, and the depth of the field make it tough to top.
That being said, I've also heard great things about Grandma's. Not flat, but not hilly either - just rolling and just enough to engage different muscles at different times, keeping serious fatigue from setting in.
I also support NYC, but the course simply isn't fast. When I thought I was only going to run one - that was the one I chose to run since I lived along the course in Brooklyn as a very young kid. Spectators were even better there than Chicago. Logistics suck though.
As an aside - I ran 2:35 in bad weather in NYC and 2:30 in Chicago, and in both cases, I ended up running alone a bit over last 10k. Mostly because I was fading, but even 40,000-50,000 people races string out some even modestly towards the front.
Grandmas is a great race. Limited to 9,000 people and they usually get that or close to that. The race is run on Scenic Highway 61 along Lake Superior for 19 Miles with occasional but adequate crowd support and then enters the "city" of Duluth where all of Duluth comes out. The race is gently rolling with a very, very small net decline over the 26.2 and two small hills at 22 and 24 miles. This year it was hot (high 70s and unbearable humidity) but most years it is the 50s during the race.
Logistics are excellent for a point-to-point. Most hotels are located near the finish. Some people complain about the cost of hotels but it is not too bad. There are buses from several hotels and an area near the finish that take you to the start. Lots of porta potties at the start.
Grandma's marathon
Houston marathon
Grandma's you roll the dice with the weather. But if it's a tail wind, or a "normal" Minnesota early summer day, it's perfect. that race always grabs multiple guys who run under 230. Only 1-2 negative- driving from minneapolis to the race is a few hours... unless you fly to duluth. Another- hotels can be expensive
Houston- Piece of cake course, solid crowd support because of the half (run w/ the first 9-10 miles) and usually great weather(barring that one anomaly year). Small race too. No hoopla, run well, easy to hit the tangents.
Great question!
Why only one? Is this your last marathon?
[Disclosure on my perspective:
1) I'm a 2:50-3:00 guy; not as fast as you
2) I'm in CA, so my experience is West-Coast-weighted
3) I've run about 45 marathons
4) I'm an old(er) dude , so I sometimes pick races that I can compete well in the 50-55 AG ]
Boston: (Run it 8X) Best experience [but, I see you've done it enough]
CIM: (8X) Flat-to-downhll. Mostly, good weather. Excellent organization. Very competitive for it's size. Big enough to have an expo and crowds (when you get to downtown Sac) but small enough to get a well-placed hotel.
Chicago (5X) Flat. Nice logistics (loop course, near hotels, subway). Competitive, so good chance you'll have someone to run with. Good travel destination.
St George: (2X) Huge downhills. Great weather. Very good organization.
Napa: (4X) Beautiful, fast, net-downhill course, similar to CIM. Smallish, but you might contend for a top 5 place. Lonely last few miles. Good place for a post-race vacation.
Houston (1X) Flat course and usually good weather. I think you still finish with 1/2 marathoners (at ~2:40, there are a lot of them in the way).
NYC: (1X) Great crowd support. Wonderful trip, but not a fast run (in addition to the course profile, I had too many dinners/shows/sight-seeing excursions)
SF: (3X) Not fast. Very early start. One of the few cool-weather races in the summer. Lonely last 6 miles.
I'm curious to hear which race you pick and how it goes!
RRR
NYC hands down if you want the "marathon experience" (and not a super fast time o and a pain with waiting/logistics because of the crowds though).
Largest in the world, and exciting the whole time. Challenging course with the bridges and for sure not hot.
I've run Grandmas (very good organization and Duluth is cool. Can be hot/humid but it's a fast course), CIM (quite good, weather is usually good and course is fast), Chicago (flat/fast), Houston (flat/fast) and Boston (plenty of BQs , the history, can be super fast or slow depending on the wind/weather). Those are all great suggestions as RRR mentioned above.
Boston easy.
Any Rock and Roll marathon
you want a challenge run Flying Pig in Cincinnatti.
Pikes Peak
Thanks for the suggestions guys, keep them coming.
Ave of the Giants is a gorgeous race, but the pace of the winners is all over the place. I got second the year I ran it with a 2:51. I think the winner was maybe 2:44? Quickest time in recent history after a quick check is 2:34. Man though, that's a pretty race.
I'd say Chicago, just because I can do it and sleep in my own bed, and get to the start line with a 20 minute train ride.
Indy Monumental in early November. Flat, well organized, great weather at least when I ran it last year. A very underrated marathon in my opinion.
Nike OTC
Rocket City. Although I haven't done it, I have many friends who have and it fits right in to the kind of race you're looking for.
For a big-time race, I'd go with NYC, despite the huge entry.
I'm having trouble choosing between the Mount Marathon and the Marathon Des Sables
London
Towpath in Ohio. Always perfect weather. Very, very flat. Some fast guys.
I did! I picked Chicago. Ran 2:35 and that is it! One and done!
Leadville. The marathon. It'll put hair on your chest.