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Best Spring Marathons? (Read 3410 times)

Slice


    If you are into big big crowds, a rolling-to-hilly, mostly uninspired course with a high registration fee, a typical sweltering hot and humid day, an overloaded half marathon that totally eclipses the marathon, a forgettable finish line and a real honest-to-goodness for-profit race management mentality, you may want to consider the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, late April.

     This is exactly why I'm trying to sell my spouse on how the benefits outweigh the cost of transportation, hotel room, & food for a different first marathon.

     

    I did the half 2 years ago and that was enough for me.

    I don't half-ass anything

     

    "I have several close friends who have run marathons, a word that is actually derived from two Swahili words: mara, which means 'to die a horrible death' and thon, which means 'for a stupid T-shirt.' Look it up." - Celia Rivenbark, You Can't Drink All Day if You Don't Start in the Morning

     

      St. Louis Marathon. Not east coast or metropolis, but it is a nice course in a medium sized city.
      Seanv2


         

        For a 1st marathon on the east coast, though, I'd have to recommend Vermont City Marathon in Burlington as the best option (unless you want to provide more details for what you think you'd like.)  At least among the races I've personally run.

         

        I second RTW here. I ran Vermont last year and had a great time. It is a hilly course, but a really fun race and Burlington is a great town. I may run it again this year myself.

        Have you qualified for Boston? I want to interview you!

        Message me!

         

        www.miloandthecalf.com

         

          Sugarloaf Marathon in Maine is a fast course, but thats about it. Small, quiet and fast.

          stadjak


          Interval Junkie --Nobby

            [quote]If you are into big big crowds, a rolling-to-hilly, mostly uninspired course with a high registration fee, a typical sweltering hot and humid day, an overloaded half marathon that totally eclipses the marathon, a forgettable finish line and a real honest-to-goodness for-profit race management mentality, you may want to consider the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, late April.[/quote]

             

            It is almost exactly the opposite of what I'm looking for.  Ideally, I'd like the NYC to run in the Spring or Philly.  Great scenery, good crowds, if not prestige, then class.

             

            Vermont sounds interesting.  I'll have to look into it. I'm considering the Shamrock, right now.  If nothing else, it is close by and therefore cheap for me.

             

            Thanks for all the suggestions.  If there are any organizers reading, there might be a market for a big-city marathon in the Spring!

            2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

            Trent


            Good Bad & The Monkey

              It is almost exactly the opposite of what I'm looking for.

               

              Frankly, I'd imagine that it is the opposite of what most people are looking for.


              Amazing that they make so much money...

              xor


                >> If there are any organizers reading, there might be a market for a big-city marathon in the Spring!

                 

                There are TONS of medium-sized city marathons in spring, and at least one big city marathon (LA).  Just not tons on the east coast.

                 

                  I hear Boston has one.   But it's kind of new and up and coming so you might want to wait a few years and see if it takes off.

                  Runners run

                    I hear Boston has one.   But it's kind of new and up and coming so you might want to wait a few years and see if it takes off.

                    Didn't used to be named after a snotty private school, or is that something else?

                    "If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus

                    xor


                      I hear Boston has one.   But it's kind of new and up and coming so you might want to wait a few years and see if it takes off.

                       

                      I will check that one out.

                       

                      jpdeaux


                        I will check that one out.

                        Try not to make it your first one though.


                        an amazing likeness

                           Vermont sounds interesting.  I'll have to look into it. I'm considering the Shamrock, right now.  If nothing else, it is close by and therefore cheap for me.

                           

                          There's been a pretty steady diet of Vermont City Marathon threads here on RA over the years, here's one if you want more information.

                          Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.

                          stadjak


                          Interval Junkie --Nobby

                            Thanks for all the suggestions, folks.  I decided on the Shamrock in VA for a few reasons:

                             

                            1) Mrs. Stadjak likes the beach -- and therefore has something to do for 3hrs while I'm huffing and puffing

                            2) cost of travel (it's only a few hours away from me)

                            3) I roped a friend into it

                            4) looks big enough to be an "event" (which is important for Mrs. Stadjak)

                            5) I like point to point runs better than loops.  Seeing runners go the other direction on the same street is depressing.  I would think a clover would exacerbate that.  (I realize Shamrock is a loop).

                             

                            Though, as V states go, i like Vermont a lot better than Virginia.

                            2021 Goals: 50mpw 'cause there's nothing else to do

                              Warning about Vermont. It has been a tad warm there the past two years. It's Memorial Day weekend, it can get hot/warm in Burlington, VT that time of year.

                              PaulyGram


                              Fast is better than long

                                If you are into big big crowds, a rolling-to-hilly, mostly uninspired course with a high registration fee, a typical sweltering hot and humid day, an overloaded half marathon that totally eclipses the marathon, a forgettable finish line and a real honest-to-goodness for-profit race management mentality, you may want to consider the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, late April.

                                 

                                Sadly, this will always be special to me as a first, but you hit the nail on the head with this one.

                                 

                                I loved the first half of the course and the out and back to the park, but they took us through some underbelly parts to get through the city.

                                2017 Goals: Give up goals; they're stoopid

                                 

                                Give a man a fire and he'll be warm the rest of the night;
                                Set a man afire and he'll be warm the rest of his life.

                                What in the Jehu?

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