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Best Races in the United States
Photo credit: https://www.hotchocolate15k.com
Are you planning your upcoming racing season or creating a bucket list of races to run? Listed below are some of the best races in the US, across all distances.
Hot Chocolate 5k Chicago
Held in Chicago, Illinois in late October, this Hot Chocolate series race is the largest 5k in the country. With the “world’s best chocolate” on the course and in every runner’s goodie bag, it’s no wonder that 20,000 runners participated in the event in 2016.
Peachtree Road Race 10k
The Peachtree 10k is one of the largest 10k races in the world, with 57,000 participants annually. Held on the 4th of July in Atlanta, Georgia, entry into this hot 10k is coveted. Except for the elite field, each of the 57,000 participants is chosen through a lottery.
Detroit International Half Marathon
The International Half Marathon, which starts and finishes in Detroit, draws approximately 11,000 participants. What is keeping race directors from expanding the race? It turns out that when your race crosses international borders (twice!), you have to be mindful of limiting the number of competitors. The race takes participants through Windsor, Ontario, via the Ambassador Bridge and also through the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel when passing over international waters.
Twin Cities Marathon
Named one of the top ten most beautiful marathons in the world, the Twin Cities Marathon is a point-to-point race that starts in Minneapolis and finishes in St. Paul. This winding, tree lined course takes runners through greenways and around scenic lakes, with the last several miles being run along the Mississippi River. Held in early October, the weather is typically ideal racing conditions.
JFK 50 Mile Memorial
Considered the oldest ultramarathon in the United States, the JFK 50 Mile has been held in beautiful Washington County, MD ever since 1963. The race, which is run in November, is a fast course with approximately 37 miles of the race on road and flat trail, with the other 13 miles on a technical portion of the Appalachian Trail.
Western States 100 Mile Endurance Run
Perhaps the ultimate 100 miler, this race, which is held in the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California, has one of the most coveted race entries. To be part of the field of 369 participants, runners must receive a “golden ticket” by winning specified races in the Montrail Ultra Cup Series; place top 10 in the previous year’s Western States race; or win an entry via the lottery system.
6 Thoughts Everyone Has During a Half Marathon
Within the past 5 years, half marathon participation has reached an all-time high, with over 2 million runners completing the distance in 2014, according Running USA’s annual survey. Among these 2 million+ half marathon finishers, a large number of participants were racing 13.1 for the first time. What should runners who are new to the distance expect? Below are the thoughts that every half marathoner has during the race.
Before the race: As you stand on the starting line with thousands of other runners, you will experience thoughts ranging from excitement to dread. Before the gun goes off you may find yourself thinking, “this is so exciting! I can’t wait to start!” followed by, “wait…13.1 miles is a LONG way to go.”
Mile 2: After the gun goes off any dread you may have felt will disappear. At the second mile you will likely feel invincible, and wonder what all the fuss about half marathons being tough is about.
Mile 6: Approximately around mile 6 you will realize that you have been running for a while yet you are not even half way done with the race yet. At this point, panic might ensue.
Mile 8: After you are safely past the half way point of the race you will get a second wind and feel much the same way you did at mile 2. You will feel strong, confident, and ready to fly for the final 5 miles!
Mile 10: At mile 10 you realize you have now been running for a really long time, but you still have 5k to go. Panic may again ensue.
Mile 13: Only 0.1 miles to go! During this final stretch you will forget any pain you felt during the race and focus instead on the beer tent, but not before stopping by the registration table and reserving your spot in the race for next year!