What are your Bucket List Races, or Standout Races you've done!

[GreatLakes]

Bucket List:
Rome marathon
Florence marathon
Paris half marathon (not Disney)
Boston but only if I qualify. I have no intention of buying my way in.
You can really put in any European city and I'd love to do a race there.

Stand out races I've done:
Flying Pig half in Cincinnati.
Rock Hall Half in Cleveland (not a part of the RnR series).
National Half in DC before Competitor took it over.
News and Sentinel Half Marathon in Parkersburg, WV. Challenging but scenic and you get a lot for a very low entrance fee.

 

[FFigawi]

You can really put in any European city and I'd love to do a race there.

Madrid, Stockholm, and Dublin are all great cities and great races. Highly recommend all of them.

 

[MinnieMarathoner]

For you or anyone else that's done detroit what else did you do while you were there. We do a no kids couples only, non Disney runcation once a year. This year we did the Chicago Marathon, last year we did NY. Is there stuff to do in Detroit for a weekend trip outside of the race?

If you are a sports fan you might be able to catch a game depending on who is in town that weekend. There are also some casinos around town if you are into that. You could also do a drive out past the suburbs and go to one of the many cider mills and enjoy what is left of the leaves changing colors.
I did that race a few years ago. The run in Canada was really pretty and the bridge was nice too.

 

[MinnieMarathoner]

My bucket list races:
RnR Vegas half
Soldier 10 miler
Berlin Marathon

Races completed
RnR Chicago and Seattle
Disney
Greenbay half
Nike Women's Half DC

 

[ANIM8R]

For you or anyone else that's done detroit what else did you do while you were there. We do a no kids couples only, non Disney runcation once a year. This year we did the Chicago Marathon, last year we did NY. Is there stuff to do in Detroit for a weekend trip outside of the race?

If you are interested in history, probably my favorite museum outside of the Smithsonian is the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. The Museum has tons of old cars, planes, locomotives, industrial equipment, appliances (yes, like old washing machines and refrigerators - not as lame as it sounds) and art.

Greenfield Village is a whole other beast. Henry Ford was a history buff with unlimited resources. He bought and moved historical buildings to Dearborn, MI. He moved Edison's Menlo Park complex, the Wright Bros shop, an early Heinz shop, Noah Webster's house (the dictionary guy) - tons more.

When I lived there, we would take visitors there and they loved it every time.
(OK, off my geek box)

Other ideas:
You can usually catch the beginning of hockey (Red Wings) season or a late pre-season Pistons game
- The Lions might be in town
- There are three casinos in Detroit and 1 in Windsor
- There are dozens of theaters if you want to catch a local or nationally touring play/musical
- The Hitsville (Motown) tour takes about an hour
- The Detroit Inst of Art (Art Museum) is one of the better ones I've been to in my various travels
- There's a so-so zoo
- Not too far from the zoo is a place called Royal Oak, a pretty quaint little artsy town with tons of unique food and shops - good for people watching and window shopping (and re-fueling!)
- Slightly further north from Royal Oak is Birmingham, a well to-do suburb with pricey shops and excellent (and pricey) restaurants (also, where Tim Allen was arrested for DUI!)

So, yes, a lot to do based on your tastes and budget!

 

[SueInBoston]

Was the pavement around Franklin Park terrible due to construction or does it seem to be normal (I know they're doing construction over near Franklin Park). Was it a hilly/difficult course in general? And would you ever do it again or don't feel the need to?

Part of it was due to construction, but a lot just from wear and patching over and over again. I didn't find it really hilly/difficult, some slight elevation but nothing like heartbreak or west newton hills. I may do it again in 2017 but next year I think I will run the Tufts Women 10k (same weekend). That route starts at the Common, down Beacon, across Mass Ave Bridge and up and down Mem Drive. I ran that last year and really enjoyed it.

 

[margitmouse]

If you are interested in history, probably my favorite museum outside of the Smithsonian is the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. The Museum has tons of old cars, planes, locomotives, industrial equipment, appliances (yes, like old washing machines and refrigerators - not as lame as it sounds) and art.

Greenfield Village is a whole other beast. Henry Ford was a history buff with unlimited resources. He bought and moved historical buildings to Dearborn, MI. He moved Edison's Menlo Park complex, the Wright Bros shop, an early Heinz shop, Noah Webster's house (the dictionary guy) - tons more.

When I lived there, we would take visitors there and they loved it every time.
(OK, off my geek box)

Other ideas:
You can usually catch the beginning of hockey (Red Wings) season or a late pre-season Pistons game
- The Lions might be in town
- There are three casinos in Detroit and 1 in Windsor
- There are dozens of theaters if you want to catch a local or nationally touring play/musical
- The Hitsville (Motown) tour takes about an hour
- The Detroit Inst of Art (Art Museum) is one of the better ones I've been to in my various travels
- There's a so-so zoo
- Not too far from the zoo is a place called Royal Oak, a pretty quaint little artsy town with tons of unique food and shops - good for people watching and window shopping (and re-fueling!)
- Slightly further north from Royal Oak is Birmingham, a well to-do suburb with pricey shops and excellent (and pricey) restaurants (also, where Tim Allen was arrested for DUI!)

So, yes, a lot to do based on your tastes and budget!

Wow! Great travel info! It's interesting to learn this additional information about race destinations. Hope we get to hear some more!
I think we might have driven past Greenfield Village on our way home from Sturgis. We saw it from the highway(yes?) thought it looked really interesting, but had to get home so I could run Falmouth!!
I guess my running has been directing our lives longer than I realized!

 

[margitmouse]

Part of it was due to construction, but a lot just from wear and patching over and over again. I didn't find it really hilly/difficult, some slight elevation but nothing like heartbreak or west newton hills. I may do it again in 2017 but next year I think I will run the Tufts Women 10k (same weekend). That route starts at the Common, down Beacon, across Mass Ave Bridge and up and down Mem Drive. I ran that last year and really enjoyed it.

Thanks for this info!

 

[Waiting2goback]

I might as well chime in.

I am so new to running I don't have a huge list or races I have run but my favorites so far were:

2014 Tower of Terror 10 Miler
BAA 10K

Bucket List:

Disney Marathon- doing it in January
Any other Disney race
Boston- I live in MA so I have to do this
Chicago
Marine Corp
San Fran 1/2 or full
Big Sur full

 

[SueInBoston]

I might as well chime in.


Boston- I live in MA so I have to do this

Look into Boston's Run to Remember, it's a gorgeous course and police dept all over MA parked their cruisesr along mem drive to cherr and high five the runners. Cadets from MA police academy also run along the route and run back and forth to run with runners at different paces. It's a very enjoyable race.

 

[Waiting2goback]

Look into Boston's Run to Remember, it's a gorgeous course and police dept all over MA parked their cruisesr along mem drive to cherr and high five the runners. Cadets from MA police academy also run along the route and run back and forth to run with runners at different paces. It's a very enjoyable race.

I have actually heard of that race and it sounded cool but I read some reviews that it was extremely crowded and not so much fun. You didn't find that to be the case?

 

[SueInBoston]

I have actually heard of that race and it sounded cool but I read some reviews that it was extremely crowded and not so much fun. You didn't find that to be the case?

LOL...the crowd is nothing compare to Disney races...I found it very enjoyable and will probably run it again next year.

 

[Waiting2goback]

That's a good point. Perhaps the people who made the comments were not used to running races like Disney. When is it again, isn't it in the spring?

 

[IamTrike]

If you are a sports fan you might be able to catch a game depending on who is in town that weekend. There are also some casinos around town if you are into that. You could also do a drive out past the suburbs and go to one of the many cider mills and enjoy what is left of the leaves changing colors.
I did that race a few years ago. The run in Canada was really pretty and the bridge was nice too.

Thanks for the tips. The cider mills sound cool. The run into Canada is what has me most interested.

If you are interested in history, probably my favorite museum outside of the Smithsonian is the Henry Ford Museum & Greenfield Village. The Museum has tons of old cars, planes, locomotives, industrial equipment, appliances (yes, like old washing machines and refrigerators - not as lame as it sounds) and art.

Greenfield Village is a whole other beast. Henry Ford was a history buff with unlimited resources. He bought and moved historical buildings to Dearborn, MI. He moved Edison's Menlo Park complex, the Wright Bros shop, an early Heinz shop, Noah Webster's house (the dictionary guy) - tons more.

When I lived there, we would take visitors there and they loved it every time.
(OK, off my geek box)

Other ideas:
You can usually catch the beginning of hockey (Red Wings) season or a late pre-season Pistons game
- The Lions might be in town
- There are three casinos in Detroit and 1 in Windsor
- There are dozens of theaters if you want to catch a local or nationally touring play/musical
- The Hitsville (Motown) tour takes about an hour
- The Detroit Inst of Art (Art Museum) is one of the better ones I've been to in my various travels
- There's a so-so zoo
- Not too far from the zoo is a place called Royal Oak, a pretty quaint little artsy town with tons of unique food and shops - good for people watching and window shopping (and re-fueling!)
- Slightly further north from Royal Oak is Birmingham, a well to-do suburb with pricey shops and excellent (and pricey) restaurants (also, where Tim Allen was arrested for DUI!)

So, yes, a lot to do based on your tastes and budget!

Wow thanks for all the tips. My little sister lives in Milford. We've gone there to visit here. It had a neat downtown area and I enjoyed running along some of the trails theres. Greenfield village sounds really neat.

LOL...the crowd is nothing compare to Disney races...I found it very enjoyable and will probably run it again next year.

I think once you've run Disney you can handle most any crowd.

 

[derekleigh]

Great lists from everyone!

BUCKET
- 1 Half Marathon in all 50 states, Canada, England, France, & Italy
- World Marathon Majors (Boston, Chicago, NYC, Berlin, Tokyo, London)
- Goofy/Dopey Challenges
- DL Half
- B.A.A. Half
- Wine & Dine Half
- 5K race that will get my PR to a sub-7:00 MM (Current PR is 7:06)

 

[IrishMel21]

Part of it was due to construction, but a lot just from wear and patching over and over again. I didn't find it really hilly/difficult, some slight elevation but nothing like heartbreak or west newton hills. I may do it again in 2017 but next year I think I will run the Tufts Women 10k (same weekend). That route starts at the Common, down Beacon, across Mass Ave Bridge and up and down Mem Drive. I ran that last year and really enjoyed it.

Thanks for the info - it will help as I really want to sign up for the BAA Distance Medley and love hearing feedback from folks!

 

[SueInBoston]

Here is a little incentive, the Medley medal is pretty sweet

 

[rteetz]

Here is a little incentive, the Medley medal is pretty sweet
View attachment 129113

Mike Scope and Michelle Scribner Maclain from Mickey Milers were talking about this on the podcast today but they had to back out due to injury. They didn't want to hurt themselves worse for wine and dine.

 

[opusone]

CNN posted their U.S. marathon bucket list a few days ago:
http://www.cnn.com/2015/10/12/travel/best-usa-marathons/index.html

 

[Optimator]

Philly, Cleveland, RnR Nashville and DC are good. Marine Corps is great.

You can't beat Towpath (OH) for a fast course. Flat and straight.

Pittsburgh is a very nicely done race. Hilly, but interesting and lots of support. I never thought I would pass up a beer stop, but I skipped the 4th or 5th one in the late miles for fear of getting a little loopy.

I'd like to do Chicago, New York, and Boston (once I become an 85 year old woman so I can qualify) but lately I've been gravitating toward what I call "Ready, Go!" races. No fireworks or DJ's. Just some dude with a bullhorn at the start saying... "Ready, Go!"