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January 25, 2017
20 Iconic American Races That ArenÕt Marathons
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Legendary for their course, their history, or simply their name, these races should be on any runnerÕs bucket list
Jackson Day RaceWhere: New Orleans, Louisiana When: January 8, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 750 Register: runnotc.org Why Run It: Billed as the longest running race in the southeast, this 110-year-old event takes runners on a 5.6-mile jaunt through New Orleans, winding through Crescent City and finishing at historic Jackson Square in the French Quarter. In tribute to the routeÕs historic rootsÑit follows the same path that Pirate Jean Lafitte and his henchmen took to rescue Andrew Jackson before the Battle of New Orleans in 1815Ñreenactors dressed as soldiers from the1800s start the race each year. The postrace bash at Natchez Dock overlooks both the Mississippi River and the city, featuring unlimited draft beer plus unique local eats, like jambalaya, king cakes, and baked cheese curls. Gasparilla Distance Classic Where: Tampa, Florida When: February 25-26, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 29,500 Register: tampabayrun.com Why Run It: Pick your distanceÑ15K, half, 8K or 5KÑfor this spirited non-profit series that benefits charitable youth organizations and running programs in the Tampa Bay area. The 5KÑthe most popular distance with more than 12,000 participantsÑis an out-and-back course along Bayshore Boulevard that borders the Tampa Bay and skirts alongside some of the neighborhoodÕs most beautiful homes. At the halfway turnaround point, runners are greeted by the Tampa Rough Riders, a crew of costumed cavalry men in a decked out train trolley who dole out beads and a limited supply of donuts. After pivoting, runners will receive another treat: a view of the downtown Tampa skyline that lasts all the way to the finish line. NYC Half Where: New York City When: March 19, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 20,000 Register: nyrr.org Why Run It: Led by a talent-packed roster of American and international elites (Stephen Sambu and Molly Huddle won the 2016 race), this televised event takes runners on a sightseeing tour of Manhattan hotspots, from the start in Central Park to the finish around Wall Street, with a stint through Times Square and along the Hudson River in between. Approximately 1,000 pint-sized athletes from schools across New York City partake in the festivities too, with the NYRR Times Square Youth Run, which is exactly as it sounds: a 1,500-meter sans-traffic jaunt through the Big AppleÕs megawatt epicenter. Cooper River Bridge Run Where: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina When: April 1, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 40,000 Register: bridgerun.com Why Run It: This point-to-point 10K, which ranks as the third largest 10K in the country and celebrates its 40th year in 2017, takes runners from Mount Pleasant to downtown Charleston via the 2.5-mile-long Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, the longest cable-stay bridge in North America. Enjoy iconic views of the Charleston low country as more than 20 live bands pack the course, playing everything from jazz to funk to rock to rockabilly, and this yearÕs event will feature a prerace ÒBattle of the BandsÓ contest to determine the group that jams out at the peak of the bridge. Young runners can get in the fun too with the kids run and festival, held the day before at Hampton Park, the largest park in the Charleston peninsula. Carlsbad 5000 Where: Carlsbad, California When: April 1-2, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 8,000 Register: runrocknroll.com Why Run It: Sixteen world recordsÑthe most for any road race on the planetÑhave been set on this multiple loop seaside course that, fittingly, bills itself as the ÒWorldÕs Fastest 5K.Ó The route kicks off in Carlsbad Village and brings runners south along the Carlsbad State Beach before doubling back north for a second mini loop past Magee Park. A staggered age-based start system puts elite runners last, which allows the everyday athlete a chance to watch history happen while basking in the Pacific Ocean breeze and sipping suds at the finish line beer garden. World record breakers are honored with a new brew specially crafted and named for them. Cherry Blossom 10 Mile Run Where: Washington, D.C. When: April 2, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 16,000 Register: cherryblossom.org Why Run It: The most iconic part of this 10-miler around the National Mall and the Monument Core? ÒItÕs a tie between the cherry blossoms themselves when theyÕre out and the major national monuments,Ó says race director Phil Stewart. Runners start at 15th Street alongside the Washington Monument where theyÕll see the Lincoln Memorial to their right and the Capitol dome on their left. Cherry blossom trees dot the course throughout but are at their highest concentration around mile five as runners pass the Jefferson Memorial and then loop around Hains Point underneath a canopy of color (the race is always held in early April to coincide with peak cherry blossom season but of course the blooms arenÕt guaranteed ). An out-and-back course means that back-of-the-pack runners can observe the elites, who in the past have included Olympic medalists like Meb Keflezighi and Joan Benoit Samuelson. Statesman Cap10K Where: Austin, Texas When: April 23, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 22,000 Register: cap10K.com Why Run It: This looped 6.2-miler through downtown Austin is the largest 10K in Texas, and the seventh largest in the U.S., but race director Jeff Simecek likes to keep the vibe close to home. ÒAs Austin grows and changes, I work hard to make sure we keep the local flavor a big part of the event,Ó he says. Case-in-point: a costume contest with six different categories, including ÒSpirit of Texas,Ó ÒThe Armadillo,Ó and ÒSuper & Everyday Heroes,Ó as well as live, local music at more than seven spots along the course, which begins on Congress Avenue Bridge and finishes in Vic Mathias Shores, an urban park overlooking downtown Austin. The Finish Line Festival features more live tunes, local food trucks, a beer and Bloody Mary garden, a dronie station (selfies, but taken with a drone), a massage tent, and photo booths. 500 Festival Mini-Marathon Where: Indianapolis, Indiana When: May 6, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 34,000 (Mini-Marathon and 5K) Register: indymini.com Why Run It: More than 80 entertainment groups and spirit squads line the course of this fairly flat half marathon that ranks within the top 20 largest road races in the U.S. The route includes a full 2.5-mile lap around the Indianapolis Motor Speedway beginning right before mile six, where many runners follow the Indy 500 tradition of smooching the bricks at the speedwayÕs start and finish line. Another highlight: ÒVictory Mile, Ó the final leg of the race. It starts as runners cross the White River at mile 12 and begin to spot the telltale black-and-white checkered flags and hear the roar of the crowds. Festivities continue at the postrace party in Military Park, which is open to runners and spectators and includes live tunes, a live video feed of the race, and food from local restaurants. Broad Street Run Where: Philadelphia When: May 7, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 37,500 Register: broadstreetrun.com Why Run It: This fast, slightly downhill 10-mile point-to-point course charts through PhillyÕs varied neighborhoods via Broad Street, beginning in North PhillyÕs Logan neighborhood row homes, passing through Temple University's campus, and then Center City, City Hall, and the Avenue of the Arts. Runners will also breeze by sports stadiums for the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and the Sixers before finishing on the Marine Parade Grounds in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, where ships and cheering crowds await. Support is provided along the route as well in the form of music groups, high school bands, cheerleading squads, church choirs, and drill teams. Bay to Breakers Where: San Francisco, California When: May 21, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 40,000 Register: baytobreakers.com Why Run It: ÒPurely San Francisco.Ó ThatÕs how Chris Holmes, the General Manager of Bay to Breakers, describes the vibe of this 105-year-old 12K race, which bills itself as one of the oldest consecutively run annual footraces in the world. The hilly course (beware of Hayes Street Hill, a 0.69-mile, 5.5-percent grade stretch beginning at mile two) weaves west through the city and passes through nine different neighborhoods to finish at the Great Highway along the Pacific CoastÕs Ocean Beach. Approximately 200,000 spectators cheer on the pack and take in the uber-creative, downright weird, and larger-than-life costumes that runners are known to wear. Highlights from the 2016 race include a two-person Golden Gate Bridge get-up, a gaggle of snow globes in which each person was enclosed in a plastic dome and surrounded by props tied to specific locations (like Las Vegas and Paris), and a runner dressed as a Golden State Warrior while carrying a 10-foot-tall basketball hoop on his shoulders the entire course. Soldier Field 10 Mile Where: Chicago When: May 27, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 12,500 Register: soldierfield10.com Why Run It: This Memorial Day weekend race kicks off in the shadows of Soldier FieldÕs famed colonnades before taking runners on a vehicle-free jaunt down Lake Shore Drive. The turnaround at mile five provides a sweeping view of the cityÕs skyline and pivots runners back towards ChicagoÕs Museum Campus for the 50-yard-line stadium finish, complete with uniformed members of the U.S. Armed Forces hanging medals around each participantÕs neck. Postrace tailgating on the nearby Stadium Green features food, beer, two hours of live music, and clear views of Lake Michigan. bolderBOULDER Where: Boulder, Colorado When: May 29, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 48,000 Register: bolderboulder.com Why Run It: As the third largest road race in the U.S., everything about this event is bigÑfrom the lineup of 35-plus on-course entertainment groups to the roaring finish inside the University of ColoradoÕs Folsom Field in front of 70,000 spectators to the postrace Memorial Day tribute featuring an F-16 flyover and skydivers carrying flags for each branch of the military. The course itself is a moderately hilly high-altitude journey starting alongside BoulderÕs outdoor Twenty Ninth Street mall and weaving through tree-lined neighborhoods, where spectators are known for their enthusiastic (and often eccentric) cheering. Highlights include Elvis at mile two, belly dancers on Casey Hill at mile four and ÒMs. Tutu,Ó a cheerleader who has been a mainstay alongside the course since 1979. Runners can enjoy even more fresh-air Boulder festivities at the annual Creek Festival, a three-day extravaganza of local food, drink, vendors, carnival rides, and live music hosted that weekend. The 107th Dipsea Race Where: Mill Valley, California When: June 11, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 1,500 Register: dipsea.org Why Run It: This treacherous 7.4-mile cross-country competitionÑthe oldest trail race in America and the countryÕs second oldest footrace behind the Boston MarathonÑfollows the historic Dispea Trail over hills, dales, and three flights of steep stairs to eventually climb to a peak elevation of 1,360 feetÑthe equivalent of a 50-story building. Runners continue through Muir Woods, Mount Tamalpais State Park, and the Golden Gate National Recreation Area before finishing at Stinson Beach where they can dip their toes in the Pacific Ocean. A staggered start system that awards runners Òhead startÓ minutes based on age and gender makes the race anyoneÕs game. Winners from the last three years include a 59-year-old retiree, 55-year-old former Olympian Diana Fitzpatrick, and a 72-year-old. Registration is capped at 1,500, and thereÕs always a waiting list, sometimes up to 600 applicants. The trick to snagging a bib? ÒWe encourage applicants to write 'sob storiesÕÑpersonal reasons why they are inspired to compete in the DipseaÑwhen they apply,Ó says Dave Albee, communications director for the race. Mount Marathon Where: Seward, Alaska When: July 4, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 900 Register: mmr.seward.com Why Run It: This 102-year-old raceÑone of the oldest footraces in the U.S.Ñis an approximately three-mile climb and descent on Mount Marathon, complete with cliffs, scree fields, and waterfalls. Rookies beware: the steepness, measured from the base to the lip of the mountain just before the turnaround rock, averages 34 degrees, and runners are encouraged to wear gloves for the descent (described as more dangerous than the uphill), so that they can use their hands and feet to Òcrab walkÓ facing forward. Because these conditions are not for the average 5Ker, first-timers must complete the entire course prior to race day. But the treacherous trail is countered by stunning scenery along the route and at the peak. Think: vibrant green and snow-capped mountains, glacial cirques, and sparkling blue waters in the Gulf of Alaska. Peachtree Road Race Where: Atlanta, Georgia When: July 4, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 57,000 Register: atlantatrackclub.org/peachtree Why Run It: Upwards of 150,000 spectators plus four radio broadcasts along the course rally runners as they wind their way through Buckhead into midtown Atlanta in this 48-year-old Independence Day race, the largest 10K in the world. A recurring cheerleader is Dean Sam Candler, who sprinkles runners with Òholy waterÓ outside the Cathedral of St. Philip around mile two. The support is especially needed about half a mile later as runners tackle Cardiac Hill, which rises more than 120 feet in approximately 0.75 miles. While conquering Cardiac, participants are cheered by patients at the Shepherd Center, which specializes in spinal cord and brain injury rehabilitation. The race then wraps in Piedmont Park, AtlantaÕs largest park and the site of the postrace party, where both finishers and spectators enjoy a DJ, awards show, and local food. Bix 7 Where: Davenport, Iowa When: July 29, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 15,000 Register: qctimes.com Why Run It: This out-and-back race through downtown Davenport is rife with seriously steep hills. ÒItÕs only seven miles long, but feels more like youÕre doing a marathon,Ó says Ed Froehlich, race director for the past 38 years. The challenge begins immediately with Brady Street Hill, the most severe and longest inclineÑa seven to nine percent grade for approximately a third of a mileÑthatÕs stationed just after the starting line. Another doozy, McClellan Boulevard hill, arrives at the turnaround point. The event celebrates its 43rd year in 2017, and owes much of its successÑand popularity with elitesÑto distance runner Bill Rodgers who joined the race in 1980 in lieu of the boycotted Moscow Olympics. Since then, the race regularly draws top talent from around the globe, including Joan Benoit Samuelson and Meb Keflezighi, who compete yearly alongside Rodgers. Beach to Beacon Where: Cape Elizabeth, Maine When: August 5, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 6,600 Register: beach2beacon.org Why Run It: This fast, point-to-point seaside 10KÑfounded by Joan Benoit Samuelson, winner of the first-ever womenÕs marathon in the 1984 OlympicsÑkicks off near Crescent Beach State Park in Cape Elizabeth. The winding route takes runners along tree-lined roads with panoramic Atlantic Ocean vistas. A fire truck aerial ladder arch displaying the American flag marks the midway point, and a hairpin turn around mile six leads runners up a steep path before wrapping around into a homestretch that includes views of Casco Bay and the Portland Head Light, the nationÕs first commissioned lighthouse and also the most photographed lighthouse in America. Samuelson herself greets runners at the finish line and will be jumping in the field for this yearÕs race, the 20th running. Falmouth Road Race Where: Falmouth, Massachusetts When: August 20, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 12,800 Register: falmouthroadrace.com Why Run It: This 7-mile course is nearly completely seaside, beginning in Woods Hole with the first three miles on narrow, hilly, winding and tree-shaded roads. The most iconic part, according to the raceÕs general manager Jennifer Edwards, comes right after mile one when runners pass Nobska Light, a picturesque, historic lighthouse perched on the southwestern tip of Cape Cod and overlooking Martha's Vineyard and the Elizabeth Islands. The final four miles open up on the flat right alongside Martha's Vineyard Sound, where a small steep hill indicates the final half-mile of the race. As runners crest the hill, theyÕll see a giant American flag flying overhead, and they can see themselves cross the finish on the JumboTron. From there, the race is all downhill to the finish along Falmouth Heights Beach. Manchester Road Race Where: Manchester, Connecticut When: November 23, 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 15,000 Register: manchesterroadrace.com Why Run It: This 4.75-mile looped Thanksgiving Day race through Manchester's central streets will celebrate its 81st year in 2017, making it one of New EnglandÕs oldest road races. With that heritage comes hearty crowd support, as tens of thousands of cheering spectators line the route and live bands play every third of a mile. ThereÕs also a race within a race: Midway through miles one and two, runners tackle a one-mile climb up Highland Street. The first male and female to conquer the incline are dubbed ÒKing and Queen of the HillÓ and receive a $1,000 bonus. Another reason to run: the race raises approximately $100,000 each year for a number of charities, including a large donation to the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Across the Bay 10K Where: Annapolis, Maryland When: TBD in November 2017 Approximate Number of Finishers: 25,000 Register: bridgerace.com Why Run It: Nearly 4.5 miles of this 10K point-to-point course take place over water on the dual-span Chesapeake Bay Bridge, which reaches 186 feet at its tallest point. The race begins on the western shore of the bay with a steady (but not overly steep) climb for approximately 1.7 miles to the midpoint of the bridge, where runners will see 360-degree vistas of water dotted with sailboats and cargo ships. The course continues across the eastbound span of the bridge to finish near Terrapin Nature Park, a 276-acre expanse in Queen AnneÕs County. Postrace festivities include food, an all-you-can-drink beer offering, and a free live concert for both runners and spectators. Copyright 2017 Rodale Inc. All rights reserved. From http://www.runnersworld.com. By Jenny McCoy.
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