Want to get away for the weekend but keep up your routine? Why not plan a racecation, and combine a vacation and a race into your plans.
Traveling for a marathon is a great way to do this – you’ll get your workout in, and then be able to go sightsee in the surrounding areas after the race.
Below are some amazing marathons across the US you can consider planning a trip around.
Big Sur Marathon, CA
Yes, Big Sur has a marathon! With the route beginning at the famous beach and finishing in Carmel, the route follows the famous Highway 1 and brings with it vistas of giant redwoods and the Pacific Ocean.
Eu Claire Marathon, WI
Known as the country’s ‘biggest small-town race,’ this Midwest event also hosts a 5k, 10k, and children’s race, so families love this one. The run takes in the Chippewa and Eau Claire Rivers views, with the Wisconsin Eau-Claire University campus section known as the “Blugold Mile.”
Missoula Marathon, MT
This marathon has won accolades from major running magazines, earning it the moniker: ‘The last best race in the last best place.’ Ironically, this is not an elevated circuit, with only one brief hill interrupting an otherwise flat journey.
Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon, OH
Cincinnati’s heritage as a pork-rearing location meant gave it the nickname “Porkopolis” in the 19th century. The Flying Pig title also partly references the historical tradition of letting the livestock run through the same streets where the marathon takes place.
Bank of America Chicago Marathon, IL
With Chicago being a lowland city, this race is great for getting your personal best. The race only gains 243 feet in elevation, meaning it is one of the fastest marathons. Those wishing to enter must either run for charity to ensure registration — the only way in is via lottery for everybody else.
TCS New York City Marathon, NY
The New York City Marathon sets the stage for close to 50,000 competitors. Heralded as a well-run event (excuse the pun), this is a firm fixture on any serious runner’s calendar. Another lottery-only personal-entry race, this marathon meanders through all five of the city’s famous boroughs.
Boston Marathon, MA
The oldest marathon in America starts in the quaint little town of Hopkinton, MA, ending in downtown Boston. Being one of the toughest marathons to enter, the competitors must run a certain time even to be considered. However, those who make it to the list of 30,000 runners will have the race of their life.
Fargo Marathon, ND
This marathon ends in the FargoDome — where it also begins — and even crosses into Minnesota along the way. Maybe the biggest selling point for this race is that runners get two chances to see themselves up on the FargoDome jumbotron.
Napa Valley Marathon, CA
This one is a more relaxed, rural affair. For those less interested in crowds and more in touch with the scenery, the Napa Valley Marathon is perfect. Set among Californian vineyards, this race is a net downhill circuit that begins in Calistoga and finishes in Napa.
Williams Route 66 Marathon, OK
The Sooner State has two marathons: the Oklahoma City Memorial and this one. This race has plenty of gradients to navigate on its circuit; moreover, there is a special 0.3-mile detour from the finish line to a historical landmark and the opportunity to say you have run an ultramarathon!
Space Coast Marathon, FL
Any runner interested in Florida’s legacy of space travel will love this race, which takes in the Kennedy Space Center. Being Florida, the circuit is not elevated, though runners earn an astronaut-themed medal and are cheered on by NASA costume-clad volunteers.
Marine Corps Marathon, VA
One of the biggest and most loved marathons in the US, the Marine Corps Marathon is run with military precision, naturally. This race provides multiple chances to salute the fallen, taking in the Pentagon, Arlington National Cemetery, and various other monuments on its poignant route.