32 Marathons and Counting

Here is a list of marathons that I've run to date (in no particular order) with a few comments:

St. Louis (2) -- I grew up in St. Louis. I ran a very small STL marathon in 1995 as my first marathon. The 2005 event was my 25th marathon. The current course of this race is a bit hilly, but a good run. I've run the half-marathon here too and it's a good one.



Rock 'n' Roll Nashville (1) -- This marathon is very hilly, but Nashville is a great city. While there, I went to the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry and took in a minor league baseball game.


Mardi Gras (1) -- When I ran this marathon, in New Orleans, Louisiana, it was not a 'rock 'n' roll' event like it is now. In it's earlier incarnation, it was awesome. Starting and finishing at the Superdome, there was a 'red dress' water station where everyone, men included, wore very stylish red dresses. There was also gumbo at the finish line. One thing I loved is that we didn't even rent a car while we where there. The hotel was right near the Superdome and only eight or so blocks from Bourbon Street and downtown. I loved that we could really walk everywhere.


Valley of the Sun (2) -- This marathon used to be in Phoenix, AZ in February or March. I haven't seen it online anywhere so it may not be around anymore. I can't say I remember much about the course, but it was as sunny as they said it would be.


San Francisco (1) -- Yes, this race is hilly, but hey, it's San Francisco. When I ran this race, runners did not traverse the Golden Gate bridge like they do now. It was cloudy, then sunny, then a little cloudy again and windy and then sunny when I finished. We finished at the Embarcadero which I really liked. This is another city where you don't have to rent a car. I've run the half-marathon here as well and it was a fun event.

Los Angeles (3) -- The LA marathon is my hometown marathon since I live in a Los Angeles suburb, but since it changes course just about every year, I cannot comment on the current course. I will say that I ran this marathon in 2000, and the city got it's annual rainfall in that one day. It was quite miserable. The other two time I ran it were great.


Rock 'n' Roll San Diego (5) -- It would seem that since I've run this marathon five times that I must like it. Well, not really. I kinda of keep getting talked into it. In my opinion, it's just too big. The start is not so bad, but the finish is always a nightmare and the last time I did it I had to crawl in the UPS truck myself to find my gear bag as they had one guy in there who did not seem to know the numeric system. Then I had to walk nearly a quarter mile to wait for about thirty minutes for a bus that did not take me all the way to my hotel, which, incidentally was the host hotel. At that hotel, on the morning of the marathon, we received a note under our door that said we had to be out by noon, no matter what. No late check-out. Again, this is the host hotel. We were mad and told the front desk so. They wouldn't budge. So, we ran the marathon hoping to get back in time. But again, with the running the twenty-six plus miles, and the UPS truck incident, and the long bus ride with walk to the hotel there was little chance we would make the noon deadline. And we didn't. When we did get to the hotel, enough people must have complained as we found another note under our door that gave us a later check out time. Needless to say, I don't think I'm going back to San Diego. This marathon is just too big and complicated for me. Now New York is big and I would do that marathon every year if I could afford it. It's big, but not near as complicated. San Diego should learn some things from New York.


Pacific Shoreline (aka Surf City) (1) -- Not a bad marathon, but it is quite uphill in the last few miles. It's been a while since I ran this, but I think you sort of run down to a park and then around the path of the park, which is not closed to pedestrians so you have to dodge baby strollers and the like, then you run back up to the finish.


New York (3) -- This is my favorite marathon. Yes, it's big, but it's so well organized. And this city loves its marathon!!! Many other cities see a marathon as an inconvenience, but New Yorkers embrace the event. Every runner is like a celebrity in this marathon. Now, know this, it's a difficult course with many, many hills. The Queensborough bridge at mile 16 has broken many a fine runners. Right after that bridge though, is 1st Avenue. There is nothing like the cheering on 1st Avenue. Fans stand twenty deep and it's loud, very loud. The loudness helps as you're at mile eighteen and running up a long, gradual climb. Then at about twenty miles you have to climb up 5th Avenue to get into Central Park. Many of the runners who made it through the Queensborough Bridge uphill fade here and start to walk. Once in the park, it's rolling hills right up to the amazing finish line. If you conquer this marathon, it's saying something. Remember, seven time Tour De France winner Lance Armstrong ran this marathon and said it was the hardest thing he's ever done.


Boston (1) -- The Granddaddy of all marathons. If you can do it, you must. There is no other marathon like it. Everything you've heard about it is true. One hint, once you've been accepted into the marathon, order your jacket online. I heard this from another runner and I was happy that I did it.


St. George (2) -- This is a great 'small' marathon -- I think the cap is about 5000. In this race, you take a bus out to the start. It's chilly in the morning but campfires keep you warm. I think you run the first mile in the dark, but then the sun comes up and it's quite beautiful as you run through the canyons. There's a big uphill at about seven or eight miles, but the second half is quite downhill. Both times I ran this marathon I had a huge negative split, running the second half significantly faster than the first half.


Chicago (1) -- Chicago is a nice marathon, but very crowded. It's incredibly flat and there are tons of fans along the course. A very nice big city marathon.


Las Vegas (2) -- When I ran this marathon (both times), it started out in the desert and runners ran toward the Strip but did not get to actually run on the strip. The finish was in a park off the Strip. Now organized as one of the Rock 'n' Roll series, the course does go down the Strip. And, it really is always fun to be in Vegas. A great destination race.


Portland (1) -- This is one of my most recent marathons. I had heard this was a good marathon a few years ago and had thought about running it. Then I got swooped up in other Fall marathons like New York and St. George. About a year ago a close friend of mine moved to Portland and suggested we do the marathon. I liked this event soooo much I really want to do it again. It's not flat, but it's a good course Everyone I met there was super nice and it was not crowded at any point.


Marine Corps. (Washington, D.C.) -- This is an amazing marathon. It's very flat and there are fans all throughout the course. Great organization and what's not to like about a marathon where there are Marines everywhere?


Sacramento (3) -- This is a first class event all the way. Again, not a big marathon and that's a good thing. The expo is always good with very interesting speakers. One of the speakers is a legacy runner and he gives an excellent mile by mile description of the course. This is another city that is walker friendly. I always stay at the Holiday Inn near the shopping center where I can walk to the expo and the start and finish line. And it's pretty cool finishing right in front of the Capitol buidling.


Humboldt Redwoods (1) -- This is a very small marathon. I think there was about 150 to 200 people in the race. I ran by myself for miles. The people at each aid station were so happy to see me! It was beautiful running under a canopy of amazing trees. I ran this marathon and then ran New York three weeks later (I don't recommend doing that! It was quite by accident). So, I ran one of the smallest marathons and one of the largest marathons in the same month and they were both amazing in their own unique ways.

The Foot Traffic Flat (1) -- This marathon takes place in Portland, Oregon on Sauvie Island. It truly is a flat marathon with only one small hill. It's very small with only about 400 marathoners. The weather on the 4th of July in Portland is a crap shoot, but the year I ran it it was very pleasant. It's also a quiet scenic marathon with a lake and wheat fields that truly look like 'Fields of Gold'. I highly recommend this one.

As you probably figured out, I liked a well-planned event. It doesn't matter if it's large or small, it just has to be well run and easy logistically.