Races: If I could only run one marathon. . .

Recently a friend of mine asked a question, with a whole bunch of qualifications. They wanted to know which race I would pick if I could only run in one marathon in my life. Then they added that it would:
- have to be good for beginners
- be flat
- be in the United States
- be a marquee event

What follows are my two answers. First, if I had to pick out just one marathon to run in a life-time (what a tragic thought!) and then second, one that meets all of the qualifications above.

If I could only run one marathon in my life?

1. BAA Boston Marathon - every marathon runner dreams of running Boston. If you could only run one, it would have to be Boston. The city comes alive and the runners are the stars for Patriots Day each year. It’s a historic marathon and the crowds are packed in thick for the entire 26 miles. However, you must run a qualifying time in another marathon in order to run Boston, so it is likely out for the purposes of running just one in your life. But it’s the top of the list when it comes to great marathons.
2. ING New York Marathon - they don’t get any grander than New York. Millions of people line the course in the biggest city in the US. It’s a great race. The course is not flat, but the weather is good and the crowds will keep your mind off of any bumps in the road. The only catch is that admission is based on a lottery system and you have about a 50% chance of getting selected if you apply. The one way around this is that tour operators may have package deals which include the entry, but they are more expensive than standard packages.
3. LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon - probably my favorite US marathon in many respects. The course is completely flat and travels through all of the major neighborhoods of the city. With 40,000 runners, it’s a very large race, but tremendously well organized. Entry sells out each year, but is done on a first-come-first-served basis. The only drawback last year was a change in dates, moving the race back by three weeks to late October. However, with an October 7th date in 2007, the weather should be more predictable.
4. Flora London Marathon - some of the fastest times in the world have been run on the London course. It is flat and the weather is usually perfect. Paula Radcliffe ran the two fastest women’s marathons in the world in London. London entry is also based on a lottery.

If I could only run one marathon, I’m a beginner, I want it to be flat, and it has to be in the United States?

Alright, so we’ve added some additional qualifications here. You’re a beginner, so you want lots of course support and you want it to be pretty much flat, so that lets out some of the more majestic courses, but there are plenty of great marathons to consider. Maybe not the “once in a lifetime experience” of Boston, but if you have a wonderful first time experience, you’ll likely come back for another one anyway.

1. LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon - Chicago is perfectly flat and is very well equipped with aid stations. The race expo is top notch and you get to tour a great city. It’s a wonderful place to spend a weekend. Even if the weather is less than perfect, you can dress for the weather, and colder weather is preferred for marathon running anyway. Chicago is definitely a marquee event and a wonderfully produced race.
2. ING New York Marathon - New York is still the marquee event, and if you can get in, it would be an amazing experience. However, Chicago gets the edge between these two, because New York has some rolling terrain and bridges to cross.
3. Rock N Roll Marathon, San Diego - The Elite Racing series of musical marathons really caters to beginners. They put on extremely well organized races with plenty of aid stations and lots of support. The San Diego event is flat, with the exception of one fairly good climb early in the race. San Diego is a gorgeous city and a great place to spend a weekend. Since the event is in early June, it is perfect timing for most people that start training in late January to get ready for an early Summer event and then you are in great shape for the myriad races throughout the Summer season.
4. California International Marathon, Sacramento - Although CIM is not a marquee event, it is a great race for first time runners. It is not flat, but rather gently rolls downhill from start to finish. It’s an easy and fast course with lots of aid stations and lots of support. This is the smallest race to make this list, but I would call this the best small marathon in the United States.

Honorable Mention:
- Walt Disney World Marathon, Orlando - I have not run Walt Disney World, but I continue to hear good things about it. It would be fun to run through the theme parks and the terrain is entirely flat. However, I have heard that the course has strict cut-off times to get the park roads open, so slower runners will be re-routed onto less scenic routes after prescribed times.
- Vancouver International Marathon, Vancouver B.C. - I love the Vancouver BC marathon course. Vancouver is such a beautiful city and the course takes it all in nicely. The course does have one fairly good climb through Stanley Park that is a drawback and the year that I ran it the weather was about 45 degrees and raining. But, all in all, it is a great race.
- Portland Marathon - Since it’s our hometown race, I will say that Portland is a very good race. The course is easy with minimal climbing and it is right here at home. It’s definitely one to consider since you live here.
- Other Elite Marathon Events - The other events in the musical marathon series are: PF Chang’s Rock N Roll Arizona and the Country Music Marathon. They are both good events as well.