My 5 Marathon Bucket List (and Reverse List)

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You guys know that I’ve run a lot of marathons, right? Thirty-nine at this point. I’ve done great destination races, many more that were close to home, but because I’ve done some races many times, there are quite a few that I haven’t had a chance to do. Today I picked five races that are on my marathon bucket list.

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My 5 Marathon Bucket List

 

Kauai Marathon

Kauai is my favorite place in the whole world. In fact, I would want to live there, but I know that if I did it might become run of the mill, so I settle for a visit every 10 years or so. The Kauai Marathon which is on September 3 this year, is a fairly small race and has some challenging climbs, but it’s on Kauai, so there you go.

New York City Marathon

The New York Marathon is kind of the king of US marathons, isn’t it? I have never run it, but I would love to do it someday. Though I’m cheap and doubt I’ll spring for the high cost (because Alan and I are both runners we have to double the cost of most races). So if someone wants to sponsor this old runner…

London Marathon

When we were younger and running a lot of marathons, Alan and I joked that it would be fun to someday go for the three-pack of the Paris Marathon (April 1), fly back to the US for Boston (April 17), then back to the UK for the London Marathon, on April 23 this year. We never managed that feat, but I still have a yearning to run in London at least once.

Firenze Marathon

When Alan and I were on our honeymoon, we spent one night in Florence, Italy. We’ve never been back, but it is such a beautiful city that I would love to explore it on foot by running the Firenze Marathon, which is on November 26 this year.

Boston Marathon

Okay, I admit it. I would love to run the Boston Marathon. I never did it while I had the chance, and now, multiple years and injuries later, it may be a challenge to qualify again. Though I still have hopes.

 

Because I have run so many great marathons, I also wanted to share my reverse bucket list. I picked five of my favorites.

Reverse Marathon Bucket List

Paris Marathon

I’ve been fortunate to run the Paris Marathon twice (it’s on April 1 this year). The first time, Alan and I ran for Fred’s Team, raising money for the Memorial Sloan Kettering. We went back a second time in 2001 to do it again. I love this race so much that I almost put it on my bucket list because I’d really love to do it one more time.

Honolulu Marathon

The Honolulu Marathon was my very first marathon way back in 1996. I’ve been back about seven times, but not since 2003. I signed up in 2015, but that was the year that I fractured my kneecap just two months out from the race, which is on December 10 this year.

St. George Marathon

I ran the St. George Marathon for the first time in 1999. It has a beautiful, mostly downhill/rolling hill course that is perfect for qualifying for Boston or setting a PR. The year I was there, a lot of runners aiming to qualify for the 2000 Olympic trails were also there. That meant that even though I ran a 3:16 at the age of 41, I was still only 17th in my division! Still, it’s a beautiful course and a well-organized race. I ran about 10 minutes slower in 2000 and still managed fifteenth in my age, thanks to a lot less competition!

San Francisco Marathon

The San Francisco Marathon, which is on July 23 this year, has changed its course many times over the years, but I still think the first time I ran it in 1997 was the best. We were bussed across the Golden Gate Bridge for the race start, traveled through all the highlights of the city, then finally finishing in Kezar Stadium, which was the original stadium of the San Francisco 49ers. There is something about finishing on a track in a stadium that makes you feel like an Olympian!

Rock ‘n’ Roll San Diego Marathon

I have done the Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon in San Diego many times, including 2014, but I was also at the very first one in 1998. Everything about it was different than anything that had been done before. A live band every mile, men dressed up as Elvis, a rock and roll theme, all of it seemed to make this one of the first marathons for the people. It wasn’t all about your race time, it was about the experience.

 

Do you have a marathon (or other race distance) bucket list? Have you done a super special race that you’d love to do again?

 

And Now It’s Time for the Runners’ Roundup!

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