Active Community: Message List - A Guide to Some of the Best Marathons in North America

Re: A Guide to Some of the Best Marathons in North America

Travis_24 — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 02:05:20 GMT

Personally I like the Equinox Marathon in Fairbanks Alaska. It's a tough course... some say second only to Pikes Peak. I have run the Equinox twice, and recently as a 50K Ultra. The perks of the race are:

1. Great organization - a lot of planning goes into it each year

2. Challenging course - rolling hills then up the side of a mountain and back down then more rolling hills. Aid stations every 3 miles whether you need them or not.

3. Scenery - Fall in Alaska, need I say more?

4. Friendly attitude - I have heard from numerous individuals that the Equinox is the friendliest Marathon they have run. Even your competitors cheer you on.

5. Small Group - there were only about 1000 entries this year

Just a couple of reasons I like the Equinox... hope to see you there!

A Guide to Some of the Best Marathons in North America

Active Toby — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 18:42:49 GMT

Did your favorite Marathon make the list?

Best Rural Race: Napa Valley Marathon

Best Small-Town Race: Richmond, Virginia

Best Big-City Race: New York City

Best Destination: Honolulu

Best Chance for a PR: Chicago

Toughest Marathon: Pikes Peak (Colorado Springs)

Most Charitable: Marine Corps (Washington, D.C.)

Most Legendary: Boston

Best New(er) Race: Baltimore

Best Race at Altitude: Salt Lake City

Most Scenic: Big Sur

Best Place to Feel Like a Movie Star: Los Angeles

Best Marathon/Vacation Combo: Vancouver, B.C.

Best Race to Leave the Kids Behind: Las Vegas

Best Race with a Half Marathon: Flying Pig (Cincinnati)

Best Race Off the Radar: Cal International

Best Race That Lives Up to the Hype: Twin Cities

For detailed information on each of these "best races," check out the article, A Guide to Some of the Best Marathons in North America