Looking for my next marathon...which marathon is your favorite and/or which one is your next?

I just finished my second marathon and have started contemplating a third. I really enjoyed meeting a couple fellow marathoners from this site in Chicago and would consider a location where some of you might like to go.

Training virtually with others that “get it” (or should i say “have it”?) really helps and then meeting for the race is really exciting. I would consider any location but would prefer cooler temps than what we have here in south Florida.

While I am serious about meeting at a race, I am really just as interested in your favorite or dream marathon. Fast or scenic, big or small…please share!

Chicago was my only one, but loved it!! I am going to do the Derby Marathon next!

I ran the Philadelphia Marathon and it was absolutely priceless. Did it with Run for Autism team which was awesome. It was nice to have a tent to hang out in before the run.

I am volunteering in April for a marathon in Gettysburg, PA. I love to run around the battlefield, and I want to pay it forward after the awesome volunteers that helped keep me motivated during Philly.

Dane,
Congrats on finishing the second marathon. Sounds like it was a challenge. Tough to run when your BG starts out low. Makes for a long day for sure. Great job though.
I am planning on running both Minneapolis in June next year and then Chicago in October. I haven't really determined which others I want to run in the years following. Would like to do one in another country though someday.
Again, congrats on finishing ANOTHER marathon. Amazing.

I think I've recommended the Big Sur Marathon about a dozen times here. It's my favorite. I am aware that there are some good ones I haven't done yet, though.

Oh, yeah, and Carlsbad always comes up.

Seems like I wrote a list of favorite marathons very recently.

Oh, yeah. It was in Glu, and I just went back and looked it up.

This is copied from there:

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I agree, Scott, that Twin Cities is a great marathon. The scenery manages to be urban, residential, rustic, historic, modern, and beautiful for every step of the way. Great crowds for the size of the marathon, too.
It is also sponsored by Medtronic, and Medtronic brings together runners from around the world who have been helped by medical devices to run in this race every year. Diabetics who wear insulin pumps are always included in this group of "Global Heroes." It's definitely a great way to get into this race, marathon or half, to apply to be a Medtronic Gloabal Hero. You don't have to be using a Medtronic device, either.

Carlsbad is a great, scenic marathon by the Pacific Ocean, and is now the site of an annual pilgrimage of insulindependence members and other diabetic athletes. There will be more than 100 in the marathon and half this year.
The races are just part of the weekend events. It's a big party. Check it out at insulindependence.org if you're interested.
This year will be my 6th year running with Insulindependence there.

My favorite marathon so far is Big Sur. It is magnificently beautiful, challenging but rewarding. It was the inspiration for all of the "musical marathons" which have followed, but still does it better, more consistently than any of them.

Terry,
I have also done Carlsbad, Malibu, and Long Beach. Malibu is nice, but of course I prefer Big Sur, Carlsbad, and the Surf City Marathon. Long Beach did not impress me.

Other marathons I recommend from experience:

Bataan Death March, White Sands, NM
Napa Valley
Golden Gate Headlands
Nisene Marks Park - Santa Cruz, CA
Lost Dutchman - Apache Junction, AZ
Whiskey Row - Prescott, AZ
St. George, UT
Sedona, AZ
Avenue of the Giants, Humboldt, CA
Boston

Marathons on my to do list:

Las Vegas (I did the old Las Vegas Marathon, which was not on the strip like it is now.)
Pikes Peak
Marine Corps
New York
Crater Lake
Niagara Falls
Honolulu
London
Marathon de Monaco et des Riviera
Comrades Marathon, South Africa
Great Wall
Victoria Falls, Zambia
Kilimanjaro
Loch Ness
Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey

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I am in for a meetup marathon experience with you Dane!!!! First I have to do my second in January in Arizona. I will let you know how it goes. I am intrigued with New York and did sign up for LA but probably won't do it as it is too close to the Arizona. I think the huge spectator thing in Chicago was part of why it was a dream experience. That and the cool weather. I am with you...not a great fan of heat or hills for that matter. I would also love to do the Las Vegas. It's later in the day and the course looks fun.

I've done philly 3 times and it's a very good race. think next year will be a little less crowded once they move the half marathoners up a day. rolling hills and cool/cold temps

I hope they change their minds. I didn't mind the crowds. It's what makes it so much fun!

I run Twin Cities marathon in 2010 as one of the Global heroes.. Don't miss it!

I really like the first half, but the out and back along East River is less than inspired. Still a great race.

Thanks for the input everyone. It was fun researching some of the suggestions. I would definitely like to do Big Sur and Carlsbad in CA, Twin Cities, Philadelphia, and Boston (for charity since I won’t be qualifying any time soon). I have actually chosen to do the R&R Savannah in November. Did the half there last year and really want to go back! Training in earnest will be a little later this year giving me a little break from training in the brutal Florida summer. Would love to meet up with anyone else that may be there…Acidrock and Drsoosie, do you want to do a repeat?