Favorite - Sydney, Australia. Nice course and people. When I ran it there was a 5 hour time limit. Running with Australian and Japanese Olympic elite runners just before the 2000 Olympics was a great motivator.

Oklahoma City - the entire city including the churches get into the spirit and support of the marathon. It includes something for everyone - full, half, relay teams, fun run. And all the funds go to the support of the Oklahoma City Memorial.

Niagara Falls Marathon was also very enjoyable, flat, small but well organized.

As for as halves:

San Francisco in July when they include the Golden Gate Bridge, even though you may not be able to actually see the bridge when you are running on it due to the fog.

Myrtle Beach for a nice February run.

I did not like the Virginia Beach RnR 1/2. Too expensive for what you received from it and way too many runners. I guess it was okay for a one time event. Chances of me doing an RnR event in the future are slim.

My only marathon thus far is Vermont City in Burlington, and it was a great time. The volunteer and crowd support were outstanding.

My favorite Half is a small local one, in which I improved my PR by 10 minutes.

Wanted to add that traveling for a better, larger marathon is well worth it. I was lame and did not travel for my first and only marathon because I was intimidated. I ran a local small marathon (Buffalo,NY) Bad choice.

I live and train in the Dallas area and my favorite races are as follows:

Destination:

1. Honolulu Marathon - it was my first marathon and I was running in paradise.

2) Chicago Marathon - the most organized and well supported race I have ever participated in. I loved this race and the course is great and I PR'ed here.

3) Mercedes Marathon in Birmingham AL - I ran the half here this year, and it was great to run in a city that has a lot of history. I ran this one for fun just to get the finisher's medal (a Mercedes hood oranament to match the one on my car that I got last yr).

Local:

1) The Half in Nov around White Rock Lake in Dallas - it was my first half ever and running around the lake is fun.

2) The Cowtown Half - it's a crazy hilly course without much support or organization but I did PR here so I can't complain.


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Rochesterrunner, I am really sorry to hear about your foot. Is it definitely PF? Is your doctor a runner? If not, you may be better off seeing a podiatrist. But geez, if you need shots and a brace, I can't believe not running for just three days is going to help very much.

Are you talking about the NYC Half-Marathon on Aug 27th? Do you think the foot will be sufficiently healed by then? That would be great, but is it realistic? If you're open to a bit of free "good judgement" (free meaning it's worth what you paid for it!), I'd say (1) scratch the NY Half, (2) immediately switch to other forms of aerobic exercises to maintain your conditioning - eg cycling, elliptical, swimming, (3) make healing that foot your TOP priority and <patiently> do whatever it takes to achieve that goal, and (4) sets you sights on a half marathon next spring. It may be a bummer for the next few months, but if the foot heals, you'll be laughing all the way to the finish line in the spring. Anyway, that's my $.02.

As for your heart, which you DO have a ton of, making up for no foot...if you can get your ticker into your Addidas', I say go for it.

Please be careful, RR, and don't make things worse. I really want to read you here next year getting excited about an upcoming half or marathon and being downright giddy about how GOOD you feel.

Hang in there, RR. And don't bail on your goals. But don't charge at them blindly either.

I agree with Sherri's perspective, "Listen to your body and let the foot heal. If not you'll end up with lingering problems that could sideline you longer."

Why not <adjust> your goals, as we all must occassionally do owing to the random gifts and gaffs fate tosses in our paths. Find a balance between your short-term goal of running a good Half Marathon, and your long-term goal of being able to introduce distance running to your grand children. (I just made that up, but I hope it's true.)

Whatever you do, RR, remember that we're with you. So hang in there.