Have you considered running a marathon? The number of 26.2-mile races has exploded in recent years. Which one should be on your bucket list? For the full article, visit http://accent.chubb.com/10-best-us-marathons. For more ways to stay healthy this year, visit http://accent.chubb.com/health

1. 10
Best
Marathons
in
the
U.S.

2. Across the United States, there is a staggering variety of ways to
run 26.2 miles: You can take your pick of big-city races, scenic
rural routes and any number of quirkily themed events. All in all,
more than 1,100 marathons take place in this country each year.
According to statistics by the nonprofit organization Running
USA, more than 541,000 runners finished a marathon in 2013 (the
last year reported). That’s a 40 percent increase over the last
decade. The number of events is up, too: In 2000, there were only
300 marathons to choose from.
So how do you pick your bucket-list race? Here are a few of the
best, sorted by time of year. Keep in mind that races fill up
months in advance, so if you want to participate, you may have
to plan for 2017.

3. The legendary Boston Marathon is 120 years old this year. The world’s
oldest annual marathon, it attracts about 30,000 participants and more than
a half million spectators, and is held each year on Patriots’ Day, the third
Monday of April.
It’s a tough race. Prospective male runners in the 18-34 age range must run
their 26.2-mile qualifier in no more than 3 hours and 5 minutes; women in
the same age group get 3 hours and 35 minutes. If you get in, you’ll run
through eight Massachusetts cities and towns, finishing in Copley Square.
When: April 18 Don’t miss: Women’s college Wellesley. It’s at the
marathon’s halfway point, and runners say if you’re going to collapse, do it
after a thousand screaming women are cheering you on.
Boston
Marathon

4. It’s
been
called
the
most
scenic
marathon,
running
up
the
California
coast
from
Big
Sur
to
Carmel
along
Highway
1,
the
naBon’s
first
naBonally
designated
Scenic
Highway.
It’s
also
the
largest
rural
marathon
in
the
world.
Along
the
course,
runners
zip
through
redwoods,
past
ranches
and
alongside
the
Pacific
Ocean.
When:
April
24
Don’t
miss:
The
view
from
Bixby
Bridge
in
Big
Sur,
one
of
the
tallest
single-­‐span
concrete
bridges
in
the
world.
Big
Sur
InternaBonal
Marathon

5. Get
ready
for
one
of
the
naBon’s
most
grueling
marathons,
which
actually
started
as
a
challenge
between
smokers
and
non-­‐smokers
in
1966
(none
of
the
smokers
completed
the
race).
Official
marathon
course
guides
warn
that
the
ascent
porBon
of
the
marathon,
starBng
at
6,300
feet
above
sea
level
and
climbing
to
the
summit
at
14,115
feet,
can
take
as
long
or
longer
than
a
full
urban
race—parBcularly
for
those
unused
to
the
alBtude.
The
race
begins
in
front
of
City
Hall
in
Manitou
Springs,
and
the
majority
of
the
distance
is
run
on
Barr
Trail
in
Pike
NaBonal
Forest,
on
the
east
face
of
Pikes
Peak.
When:
August
21
Don’t
miss:
Warnings
about
the
downhill—which
is
where
most
injuries
occur
on
the
mountain.
Pikes
Peak
Marathon

6. Few
places
in
the
world
are
more
scenic
than
Jackson
Hole,
Wyoming,
in
late
summer.
The
marathon
starts
near
the
town
square
in
historic
downtown,
and
runs
by
the
NaBonal
Elk
Refuge
and
Snow
King
ski
hill
before
heading
south
on
South
Park
Loop
Road
with
its
views
of
the
valley,
toward
Grand
Teton
and
an
incredible
finish
at
Teton
Village.
When:
September
3
Don’t
miss:
Bringing
your
own
hydraBon
system.
Jackson
Hole
is
one
of
a
growing
number
of
eco-­‐friendly
“cup-­‐free”
events,
which
means
aid
staBons
offer
water
and
someBmes
Powerade,
but
no
cups.
Jackson
Hole
Marathon

7. Each
year,
around
15,000
military
and
civilian
runners
take
their
places
at
Wright-­‐
Paherson
Air
Force
Base
in
Dayton,
Ohio,
to
traverse
historical
places
on
the
base.
Runners
pass
the
NaBonal
Museum
of
the
U.S.
Air
Force,
the
Air
Force
InsBtute
of
Technology,
Headquarters
Air
Force
Material
Command
and
the
Wright
Brothers
Memorial
Monument,
among
others.
To
commemorate
the
U.S.
Air
Force’s
history,
one
aircrai
is
highlighted
each
year,
and
finishers’
medals
bear
an
image
of
that
plane.
When:
September
17
Don’t
miss:
The
Air
Force
jet
flyover
that
kicks
off
the
day.
U.S.
Air
Force
Marathon

8. One
of
the
country’s
most
popular
races,
the
Marine
Corps
Marathon
is
nicknamed
the
“People’s
Marathon”
because
it
doesn’t
offer
prize
money
to
top
finishers.
The
event
sBll
sells
out
in
record
Bme
and
recently
had
to
switch
to
a
lohery
entry
system
due
to
its
popularity.
In
this
year’s
41st
annual
race,
runners
will
sprint
through
the
naBon’s
capitol,
passing
by
the
Jefferson
Memorial,
the
NaBonal
Mall
and
Arlington
NaBonal
Cemetery.
When:
October
30
Don’t
miss:
The
many
Marines
along
the
course
who
cheer
runners
on
and
place
finishing
medals
around
their
necks.
Marine
Corps
Marathon

9. In
2015,
runners
from
139
different
countries
and
all
50
states
made
their
way
to
New
York
City
to
race
in
a
pack
of
more
than
50,000
compeBtors.
Every
year,
parBcipants
run
through
all
five
boroughs,
kicking
off
in
Staten
Island
and
passing
through
Brooklyn,
Queens,
Manhahan
and
the
Bronx
before
returning
to
Manhahan
and
ending
in
Central
Park.
Along
the
way,
runners
pass
about
two
million
spectators.
When:
November
6
Don’t
miss:
Running
with
the
stars.
CelebriBes
running
in
2015
included
Alicia
Keys,
Ethan
Hawke
and
Tiki
Barber.
New
York
City
Marathon

10. One
of
the
country’s
most
unique
races,
the
Las
Vegas
Rock
‘n’
Roll
Marathon
doesn’t
start
unBl
4:30
p.m.
Why?
It’s
rock-­‐themed,
of
course,
and
aier
26.2
miles
of
racing,
runners
end
in
the
evening
hours
in
the
middle
of
the
Las
Vegas
Strip,
which
closes
just
for
this
event.
Live
rock
performances
greet
all
those
who
finish,
and
the
event
ahracts
thousands
of
revelers.
When:
November
13
Don’t
miss:
Running
Elvises,
drag
queens,
hair
bands
and
more;
Las
Vegas
marathoners
take
their
costumes
seriously.
Las
Vegas
Rock
‘n’
Roll
Marathon

11. Among
the
10
largest
marathon
races
in
the
world,
the
Honolulu
Marathon
is
held
in
December—perfect
weather
for
a
(very
long)
coastal
run.
The
course
is
incredibly
photogenic:
The
mostly
flat
run
starts
on
Ala
Moana
Boulevard,
winds
through
downtown
Honolulu
and
Waikiki,
and
then
loops
back
along
the
Kalanianaole
Highway
to
end
in
Waikiki’s
Kapiolani
Park.
Runners
pass
Hawaiian
landmarks
such
as
Iolani
Palace,
the
only
royal
palace
in
the
United
States.
When:
December
11
Don’t
miss:
The
celebraBon
in
Kapiolani
Park,
with
an
award
ceremony,
Japanese
banners,
fireworks,
costumes
and
drums.
Honolulu
Marathon

12. Is
this
the
most
magical
race
on
Earth?
That’s
how
this
marathon
through
all
four
Walt
Disney
World
theme
parks
is
billed.
It
starts
at
Epcot,
winds
through
the
Magic
Kingdom
and
Disney’s
Animal
Kingdom
park
and
goes
on
to
Hollywood
Studios
before
finishing
back
at
Epcot.
When:
January
7,
2017
Don’t
miss:
The
finish—racers
now
get
Mickey
Mouse
finisher
medals.
Walk
Disney
World
Marathon