Using that criteria, we found the Youngstown Marathon in Ohio on June 3.
Sure, most people would probably say that if you are going to do one marathon in Ohio, it would have to be the famous Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati or maybe the big Cleveland Marathon. But even though I thoroughly enjoyed the giant spectacles of Boston and New York City, and the big fun of Rock and Roll San Antonio, the smaller races seem to be more my style.
OK, so this one is really small. Last year's race had 200 people. That makes it slightly bigger than the 2009 Eisenhower Marathon (175) that produced my personal record and slightly smaller than the 2013 Fort Myers Beach Marathon (230). With small races, my worst fear is getting lost - 26 miles is a long way to go and if there is not a lot of runners, there is also likely not a lot of volunteers, not to mention a dearth of spectators and large gaps between participants. Not only can it get lonely, but worrisome - I have had more than my share of occasions at small races when I wondered if I was still on the course (and some unfortunate experiences when, in fact, I was not).
That said, the course for Youngstown is displayed with an excellent interactive map that will prove to be helpful. The day before the Park City Marathon, I wrote down directions for every turn on every road and brought it with me at the race. And I am glad I did because I would have been sunk by some of its confusing sections had I not done so.
The other benefit of small marathons is the easy in-and-out. We will stay in a cheap hotel a few miles away, park our car near the race's start and finish and not have to worry about early wake times, shuttle buses, giant corrals and other stuff that can make big marathons frustrating.
There are two weeks left and my training has been going incredibly well. I will be prepared. I will be properly trained. I will eat the correct pre-race meals. I have not yet decided whether I will make it a PR attempt, but I am confident this will be a quality race and I am determined to make my 18th marathon another enjoyable experience.
OK, so this one is really small. Last year's race had 200 people. That makes it slightly bigger than the 2009 Eisenhower Marathon (175) that produced my personal record and slightly smaller than the 2013 Fort Myers Beach Marathon (230). With small races, my worst fear is getting lost - 26 miles is a long way to go and if there is not a lot of runners, there is also likely not a lot of volunteers, not to mention a dearth of spectators and large gaps between participants. Not only can it get lonely, but worrisome - I have had more than my share of occasions at small races when I wondered if I was still on the course (and some unfortunate experiences when, in fact, I was not).
That said, the course for Youngstown is displayed with an excellent interactive map that will prove to be helpful. The day before the Park City Marathon, I wrote down directions for every turn on every road and brought it with me at the race. And I am glad I did because I would have been sunk by some of its confusing sections had I not done so.
The other benefit of small marathons is the easy in-and-out. We will stay in a cheap hotel a few miles away, park our car near the race's start and finish and not have to worry about early wake times, shuttle buses, giant corrals and other stuff that can make big marathons frustrating.
There are two weeks left and my training has been going incredibly well. I will be prepared. I will be properly trained. I will eat the correct pre-race meals. I have not yet decided whether I will make it a PR attempt, but I am confident this will be a quality race and I am determined to make my 18th marathon another enjoyable experience.
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