Kim and Zenaida’s Tuesday Topics link-up for today asks if there is a popular race you never want to run!
I have a feeling I’ve done a few popular races that not everyone wants to do.
The biggest one was probably the Antarctica Marathon. Even though there is a waiting list with Marathon Tours of up to 3 years, it still isn’t a trip or race that appeals to everyone, and I totally get it!
After all, the trip takes a lot of time, there are a lot of variables and things that could go wrong, and to top it all off, the marathon itself is a very challenging one. (My finish time was my slowest ever.)
You can read all about my experience running the Antarctica Marathon HERE; it was FULL of challenges! But I’m still so glad I did it.
I’m even more glad I did it when I did, as I’m not sure I’d be willing to be stuck on a boat with 200 other people after living through a pandemic…!
Secondly, I’ve also heard that there are lot of people who have no desire to run the Boston Marathon.
They think its a lot of hype and hassle.
I’ll admit, the logistics of the Boston Marathon are a bit of a hassle, from the Monday schedule, the midday start times, the point-to-point course…but I will also admit that it was 100% worth the hassle and the hard work I put in to get there. The history of this race alone makes it so special.
Read all about my Boston Marathon experience HERE.
There is one marathon that I’m not sure I want to do, and that is the Great Wall Marathon. I’ve read recaps of this race and it sounds pretty miserable- the heat and sun sound very intense, on top of the challenge of the course itself. I’ve read that finishing could take you TWICE as long as your normal marathon time. That’s crazy!
Who knows though, I might change my mind on this one some day, but there are other international races I’d like to do first at this point in my life.
I also don’t think I want to do the Las Vegas marathon; I don’t like the idea of starting a marathon at night, even if it’s cool to run on the Vegas Strip at that time. It’s just not for me. I think we’ll pick a different marathon when we check Nevada off of our 50-state quest.
One final race that I wouldn’t want to do is the Barkley Marathon. I like trail running, but this is above and beyond regular trail running. No way would I even have a chance at this one! If you’re not familiar with the Barkley Marathon, fire up your Netflix and check out this documentary. It’s such a hard race that there were ZERO finishers this year- zero! Insane.
Let me know what popular races you don’t want to run in the comments; I would love to hear from you!
Be sure to check out Kim and Zenaida’s blog and all the other bloggers who linked up this week to share their thoughts on this Tuesday Topic!
I think the Antarctica Marathon is a nice one to do if both are running and you have no kids. However, I don’t like the cold at all… but still, I’m intrigued, I’ll have a look at your race recap!
And I fully agree on the Barkley Marathon! Insane! The Netflix documentary made it look like there are usually a number of finishers. It’s only a few days ago that I learned that this is actually not the case. Most of the time there are no finishers. It must be so brutal!
Both my husband and I ran Antarctica and have no kids 🙂 So it was great! There were people on the trip who even brought their kids, which I don’t think was all that fun for the kids. And there was a woman with us who had an 8 week old baby at home, but she didn’t want to miss the trip of her lifetime!
I just read your recap on the Antarctica Marathon. Awesome!
It must have been so hard with being sick as well. Well done!
Thanks for reading it Catrina! It was an adventure!
100% Anytime I get a chance to listen to a podcast with Courtney Dauwalter I am all ears but everything ultra secretly horrifies me. I do get a little bit turned off by Boston but I understand how if someone is at the level where they could qualify that it’s a worthy goal.
Courtney is awesome. I had really high hopes for her to be the first woman to finish! I bet she comes back again.
I did run LV and it was cool to run at night along the strip.
But I do not want to run Barkley or Boston (wouldn’t get in anyway).
I also have zero desire to do a Disney race (too expensive), a color or mud run (too messy) or a spartan (too clumsy) and lastly a Ragnar (don’t want to sleep in a van or run at night).
I just don’t think my body would cooperate for a marathon starting in the evening. I’m sure you could train for it and do your long runs late in the day, but I just don’t want to, ha!
I agree with that. I ran the 5k one night and the half the next night. 26.2 would be too long and the marathon does not run most on it on the strip.
I did the RnR Las Vegas Half Marathon a few years ago and I wouldn’t do it again. In my opinion it was really over hyped and the logistics were kind of a nightmare.
Getting to see penguins is the only reason I would need to sign up for the Antarctica Marathon!
Interesting to know about your Vegas experience!
Haha, yes, the penguins were so entertaining!
Vegas was my first half — I would not do the full though. It was a fun race for my first half!
Boston I don’t have to worry about, even if I ran a marathon, I’m still not going to BQ.
Vegas would make for a memorable first half I’m sure!
Boston is up there for me. I’m just not mentally there.
The Great Wall would be awesome, but hard, for sure. And Antarctica sounds absolutetly incredible!
The hassle of Boston- on so many levels- is legit. And I definitely felt a lot of other runner’s pressure/anxiety there- so many nervous runners, it was intense!
Everyone is talking about Barkley today, and it appears we’re all in agreement LOL I remember reading about your Antarctica experience, there was a lot going on just to get there. It sure looked like a neat experience, though!
Haha, yup! No Barkley for me 🙂 Antarctica was tough enough!
I do remember reading about the Antartica Marathon. What an experience! But I would love to go just to see the penguins. 🙂 I would like to run the Boston Marathon but know that I will never qualify, but if I do get an entry, then I will run it. I’ve run the RnR Las Vegas Half Marathon. Part of the course is fine because you run on the strip but that’s it.
Thank you for linking up with us!
The penguins were so entertaining!
Yes, if you get an entry to Boston, do it!
Your Antartica Marathon sounds like such a wonderful and memorable experience — including the challenging parts!
The challenging parts made it more memorable!
Ha ha, everyone seems to mention Barkley in this topic!
Your recap of the Antarctica marathon was so interesting- I have to say that’s probably on my list of ones not to run… but it definitely sounded like a cool adventure!
Thanks Jenny! Yes, it was a cool- and cold, ha!- experience.
[…] for another weekly recap; but before I delve in, be sure to check out my post from Tuesday, “Popular Races I don’t Want to Run!” and let me know what your answers would […]
I don’t think I’ll ever get to Antarctica unless I win the lottery and can afford to fly — there is zero chance my stomach/equilibrium would survive the Drake passage. Boston doesn’t appeal for some odd reason, I don’t think it’s the challenge in accessing as I’d have no issue fundraising, it’s just not a destination I’m interested in running. DC and London on the other hand are the two I’d consider if I ran another.
Vegas I might run as a Half.
There was a time when I wanted to do the Antarctica Marathon–I even put my name on the waiting list, lol. I ran Big Sur and I’m pretty sure a lot of people wouldn’t want to do that one because of the hills and the winds. It’s interesting to see what people say. I would have loved to run Boston. But I just couldn’t qualify, even trying twice. I have no desire to run the Great Wall Marathon because I don’t want to go to China. Or Badwater–ugh Death Valley!
I HATE the cold so Antarctica is out haha. I would love to run the Great Wall marathon just to say I did it…even if it took forever haha. And I want to run all the majors one day! I’m sure they would all be such an amazing experience. Barkley is a big NO from me too though- pretty much any Ultra is a no from me. 26.2 is enough no desire to do more than that. For any reason.