I did the Rock and Roll, San Diego marathon because I wanted to see San Diego. I’d never been and it was a good excuse to visit the city. Spending the day after the race at SeaWorld may not have been the best decision but my legs held out as long as my kids did at the time, so it turned out well.
Likewise, I had never visited the Pacific Northwest, so when it was time to find a trail ultramarathon I picked one outside Portland, OR, near Mt Hood. Part of the race was ON Mt Hood with the halfway turn-around being the Timberline Lodge. To date, that is one of the most enjoyable trail runs of my life. The scenery was fantastic. The race was well run and had plenty of aid stations. It was my first 50-miler so it will always hold a special place in my trail running heart.
I plan to continue using race names and locations when choosing trail runs. One item on the list is the “Four State Challenge” on the Appalachian Trail. You can look it up on your own but it’s a one-day / 24-hour hike/run that hits four of the states along the trail. There are some great trail runs in Italy, and I’ve always wanted to do the marathon on the Great Wall of China.
I think the popularity of the Rock & Roll Marathon series is due partly to its name. Granted, the organizers provide good races in great cities, but the name got people interested in the first place, which led to their expansion, and continued success. If it were called something like “Music Marathon”, “Tune Trot”, or “Listen While You Lope” I’m betting attendance would be lower.
I think we all need some bucket list items to keep us motivated and moving forward. Always forward. What’s on your epic list?