Fun factoid fail. In my last post, I attempted to share a fun February fact but as my husband and 50in50marathonquest so kindly noted to me, there really wasn’t anything special about it. I tried looking up where I had heard about my fail factoid but couldn’t find it and there you go, another don’t believe everything on the inter webs. BUT, February does start and end the same day which is not a common occurrence. (I felt I needed to give you something! 😀 ) My source: Wikepedia, lol!
Linking up again on this Friday morning with the DC Trifecta ladies Mar, Cynthia, and Courtney for the weekly Friday Five 🙂 I’m straying from their theme this week though, it being Valentine’s Weekend and all ❤ , and instead writing about
5 Places I Would Love To Visit and Run in the United States
I’m a huge history buff and enjoy learning about our country and all the interesting places there are in it. And like a lot of American runners, I’d like to run a race in all 50 states; however, there are some specific places that I’d like to visit.
1. Marine Corps Marathon–Washington, D.C.
MCM was my dream/bucket list race and I got to do it in 2014. I distinctly remember putting my name in the lottery thinking there was no way I’d get in on the first try. Welp! 😀
This race encompasses so much of what I love. My dad was a Marine, the race takes you through so many awesome landmarks in our nation’s capitol, and you experience something so amazingly awesome–beyond running marathon. It’s really indescribable.
Best. Medal. Ever.
2. Mt. Rushmore–South Dakota
This is a landmark that fascinates so much for some reason. I’m not sure it’s something that could/would be built today (for a variety of reasons) and I think it’s incredible that it was done in the first place. Like, people made that!!! With their hands!!! (Duh Helly–I know, I know… lol)
The race I would run is the Deadwood Mickelson Trail Marathon. They have a Mt. Rushmore tour the day before (yay!) and the race is on a beautiful course with views I’m not accustomed to here in the desert. The elevation chart isn’t horrible either.
Not bad..
I know I have an ultra in me somewhere. Not a long one, but maybe a 50k. There’s a few I’d like to do but there’s one in my state that just looks amazing. It’s up in northern Arizona, Chinle, and the biggest thing I love is how much the race sticks to its roots and culture. From the get-go at packet pick-up, guests are asked to to brush off their shoes so that no foreign elements are introduced to the canyon. I love this aspect of respecting your surroundings and land that is special to so many people. Before the race, a Navajo prayer is said for runners; at the end, Navajo food is provided. This is a race that sells out in minutes and a few of my friends in my running club made the cut this year!!
4. Anchorage Mayor’s Marathon–Alaska
Kristen at Run Away With Me lives there and I LOVE seeing her pics. Besides wanting to see her, I’d love to run in some of Alaska’s beauty. This marathon happens on the day closest to the summer solstice where there’s maaaaybe 4 hours of nighttime darkness. And even then, it’s not completely dark, right Kristen?
How cool does that sound??
5. I was wanting to choose a fifth but really, there are so many awesome races in this country. I’d love to do Big Sur in California, St. George in Utah, the Indy Mini in Indianapolis, Pike’s Peak in Colorado, Grandma’s Marathon in Minnesota…there’s no shortage of good ones in the U.S.A. ❤
–Where in the United States would you like to race in?
–What’s the best race in your country (if not stateside)?
I have heard great things about the Ottawa Marathon (in Canada’s national capital). I have yet to run it but have friends who have and say it is amazing. You get to run through two provinces (Quebec and Ontario) and afterwards you can go check out all the yummy local food like Beavertail (it’s essentially a flat donut) and some Poutine. 🙂
I think it’s cool when you can run across states/provinces. That one sounds super fun!
If you like crossing borders, you should try both the Niagara and Detroit Marathons run across the Canada-US border – your bib is your passport!
That…sounds…AWESOME!!!
So many amazing races! I’d love to do the Zion half–it looks so beautiful! It would be cool to do a race in every state.
Oooooh, Zion. YES.
How cool…I read your hubby’s blog as well! So great that you both are writing and journaling your adventures!!!
LOL, my husband and the blogger you’re referring to are two different people. I should have made that a little clearer jaja!
Whoops! Now that is funny! haha
It never ceases to amaze me how many incredible races are out there. Running near Mount Rushmore would be amazing!
Right??!! There’s so many to choose from!! 🙂
I love how excited you are about your list! I have always thought half of the fun running was having this internal list of amazing races and places you want to go. My list is mainly for international marathons right now, like the Reykjavik Marathon in Iceland. But stateside I still want to run Chicago Marathon.
I’ve done one international (Spain) and it was so much fun and very interesting to see how races are executed differently than in the states. Iceland would be awesome!!!
Oh, you totally have an ultra ready to go in those veins of yours. I know it. I’ve been to Alaska but I’ve never run a marathon there. I’d LOVE to do it on that Summer Solstice day! That would just be incredible.
Doesn’t it sound cool?? I think it’d be so much fun! I’ve never been to Alaska and don’t see me going unless I run there, lol
I cannot wait to run Big Sur in April! But I’d love to do any of the National Parks half marathons.
Can’t wait to read all about it!! It looks so beautiful!
Such great picks, Helly. 🙂 I want to do R2R!!!! (Not R2R2R like some crazy runners I know….) 😉
Jaja!!! I don’t do it back to back though. We do R2R one day and then cross back the next day 🙂
Yeah but that’s what I meant! It’s still crazy!! 🙂 Hey I am trying to figure out how to plan this for me and my dad to do. Do you think the easiest/safest thing to do is pay and go with a group???
I would def recommend a group. It’s so nice to just pay and have other people deal with the logistics because there are a lot of them. It’s completely worth it and you and your dad will LOVE it.
Excellent choices. You always find the best races. I agree that St. George and Big Sur sound awesome too. I have yet to do a trail marathon but think that would be an awesome experience (and totally exhausting!).
Totally. But we love doing that to ourselves, right?? 😀
The February facts were still cool..I just noted there were 5 Mondays in the month, which in a way kinda sucks 🙂 Great race list Helly…as you know, we are on a journey to run in every state and there are just many to choose from. I have a database I put together of about 90 marathons covering all the states – planning is half the fun! I would really like to run Marine Corps and Philadelphia. A trail marathon also would be fun one day. I just ran the Maui Oceanfront marathon and while it sounds fabulous, it honestly was far harder than I anticipated but we still go to relax in Maui, so it wasn’t all bad 🙂
So, so cool! That database sounds like something I’d want to get my hands on 😉
Yaaaaay come visit me! You are definitely right about the minimal sunlight. That race is a lot of fun – the half course is gorgeous!
Someday!!! ❤
Big Sur and Mayor’s Marathon are both on my list! I just signed up for the Mesa Falls Marathon in Idaho and I’m hoping that one is beautiful too! Oh, and I just got back from Hawaii and I’m sure they can put on a great one there too (although maybe a bit hot!)
Oooh, I’ll have to look at that Idaho one! Hawaii is on my list too but oddly, there are others I’d want to do first.
Big Sur will live on my bucket list until I get in 🙂
Right??!! It’s a must!
I visited Canyon de Chelly (briefly) a couple of years ago and it would be amazing to run there – it’s such a special place. We went rock climbing in City of Rocks, Idaho a while ago and I learned they have a mountain festival with a trail half marathon and mountain film festival which sounds amazing to me!
I’ve never been to Canyon de Chelly. It looks so beautiful. Idaho sounds amazing too!! A mountain festival?? So cool!
This is what I get for believing what I read on the internet without verifying 😉
Marine Corps is on my bucket list too!
LOL, sorry I was “that” person ajaja!!