I can’t believe the title of this blog post. I ran my first marathon in November of 2013 and in June of 2018, I will run marathon number ten. After a racing season (or let’s be real, a race) ends, I immediately think about what’s next. I can’t help it – I just do it! I am still shaking out 2018 plans but I have decided on my two big anchor races, around which I will plan my schedule for the year.
After I spectated the New York City Marathon, I decided that I definitely wanted to run New York in 2018. I decided after running Chicago, that I wanted to run all six of the World Marathon Majors. However, after Berlin, I have also decided that I do not want to run the rest of the World Majors as goal races, but rather run them for the incredible experiences they are. Which means that if I want to run a sub-4 hour marathon in 2018 (which I very much do), I need to run two marathons in 2018. I have spent a lot of time thinking about what races will work for my schedule and my work travel for 2018. I think I have read 100s of race recaps and reviews while trying to decide which race to run in search of my sub-4 marathon.
After looking at my schedule, reading reviews and talking to some folks who have run the races I was considering, I have decided that marathon number ten will be…
Grandma’s Marathon! This is a point to point, relatively flat race with some rolling hills, it’s mid-sized and the course is supposed to be beautiful. I am really excited to race this and even more excited to announce that I have decided to work with a coach to help me cross that sub-4 barrier. More to come on that, but I am really looking forward to 2018 and all the exciting things to come (both running and personally).
Who is looking at a 2018 marathon? Which one?
That is exciting news about your marathon! I look forward to following along.
I am planning to run the Illinois Marathon in April. I will also be working with a coach.
Is the IL marathon in Chicago? Or another part of the state? Excited to follow along with your training as well!
Woohoo!!! Can’t wait to follow your journey!!
Thank you! Looking to finally string together a great full!
I am the exact same way and have been planning for 2018 since I finished the IM. So far I’m planning to run the New Jersey Marathon in the spring and, if I can keep my momentum up, I have my eye on Richmond in the fall.
I’m really interested to hear about your coach and see how you do with one, especially since our times are similar. I’ve been wondering how much longer I can self-coach and keep improving.
You knew this was coming but a big ole YES to Richmond! Such a great race. I’ve heard many good things about New Jersey as well! And yeah – I think I could get myself there but work is getting more complicated and having someone figure that all out with me is going to be awesome, I think!
congrats on picking marathon #10! I have heard nothing but good things about Grandmas!
I am very very excited!!
I was supposed to run Grandma’s last year but I had some health issues…anyhoo, i”ve heard Grandmas is a good race for a BQ (which was my original goal!). Good luck and it will be fun following your training!
Thanks Wendy! I’m excited for the race!
Very exciting! I look forward to following your training and reading about your experience working with a coach.
Thanks – I’m super excited – about the race and the coach!
This is so awesome, Courtney; I am super excited for you!! I, too, have heard so many great things about this race; a local friend has actually won it a couple of times (yes, she’s our little celebrity!) and absolutely loves the atmosphere and support there. I’m ready to cheer you on to race day!!
Oh that’s awesome! A couple birds are also running it which makes it even more fun!
Amazing! I’ve heard great things about Grandma’s Marathon. I’ll be doing my second attempt at Marathon #3 in February at the Austin Marathon!
Gabrielle @ Marathons and Macarons recently posted…Week 5 of Austin Marathon Training
Awesome. I’ve heard such good things about Austin!! That’ll be fun 🙂
Exciting news! I’m also really interested to hear more about your plans to work with a coach. I had to smile at you reading 100s of race reviews & reviews because I’ve been doing that too!
Jennifer @ Dashing in Style recently posted…Weekly Recap: Grateful for Balance
Ha, don’t we all?? I read SO MANY lol. I will do a separate post about why I decided to get a coach 🙂
Thank you for letting me know about the Richmond marathon. I had no idea it existed and it might work really well for my fall race if NYC doesn’t work out. But oh my, NYC is so much fun.
I also loved the Detroit marathon but October races are a bit tougher to train for (my life gets crazy in September).
Not sure what my spring race will be. Maybe Buffalo? I’m still fan-girling over Allie Kieffer’s amazing race and how proud and confident she is about her body and her unsponsored, self-coached path to the starting line.
Can’t wait to read about your training too. You’re quicker than I am but close enough to be really inspirational. I’m working on speed over the winter months so my poor friends don’t freeze in the cold or melt in the heat waiting for me to finish up!
Tl;dr: thanks so much for keeping the blog up during the busy holiday season. You, ma’am, are awesome.
Oh I’ve heard great things about buffalo. Seems like a great race. And yes, Richmond is awesome!!!! I’m super excited to run NYC for fun – spectating it was incredible! Thanks for the kind words!! 🙂
How exciting! I ran Grandma’s as my 2nd marathon in 2015. It was a breakthrough race for me as I PR’d my 15 minutes and I had a blast, so I have very fond memories of that race and it holds a special place in my heart. It’s so well organized and the whole town of Duluth really gets behind the race.
Some things to note: the course is nice but the first 18ish miles can get a little tedious – it is just a tree-lined highway with few spectators. It’s pretty but the unchanging scenery can lead to some boredom. Grandma’s is a great course to negative split though, because the last 4 miles are downhill and you’re going into town so the crowds really pick up.
I got lucky in that the weather was great when I ran it, but the last couple years it has been warm and muggy. Even though it’s so far north, it’s a risk you take with a late June marathon. That said, the advantage of that is that you have more time to acclimate to warmer weather so unless it’s really hot it shouldn’t throw you off too much. The other nice thing is that with training starting in late Feb you get to avoid most of the worst of winter weather. 🙂
Good luck! I hope you enjoy working with a coach. Sometimes we need a little outside push to move to the next level. I hope it goes well for you!
Thanks for the race insights – so much good knowledge that you’ve shared!
So excited for you!! I’ve heard great things about Grandma’s, but I think it will be some time before it fits into my schedule. I think running NYC for the experience is exactly the thing to do….I had such an amazing race there, but I would have really missed out if I was running it for time. I’m so excited to follow your training again!
Have you mapped out when you (ideally) want to do each of the world majors? I want to do them all too, so I’m hoping we sync up for some of the others! I’ll be doing chicago in 2018, then my tentative plan is London and Berlin in 2019 (fingers crossed), Tokyo in 2020 (same year as the olympics there!!) and Boston in 2021. Maybe later on Boston depending on how fast I can get and how quickly 🙂
My plan: NYC 2018, London 2019 and Tokyo 2020 🙂 Boston whenever I qualify!!
Wow, 10 marathons – what an achievement! Folks seem to really love Grandma’s, I’m sure you’ll have an amazing time! You know I’m all for working with a running coach – look forward to hearing your strategy for 2018!
Janelle @ Run With No Regrets recently posted…December Running Goals and November Recap
I’m very excited about 2018 – running and beyond!!
I am excited for you and look forward to following! I got into Chicago so that is my 2018 marathon so far!
Chicago is so great!! You will love it!
Very fun! I’ve had one big PR and two hot races at Grandma’s, but it’s been hot two years in a row, it’s got to be good next year 🙂
Here’s my recaps if you’re looking for more info on Grandma’s:
http://www.therightfits.com/2015/06/fits-do-race-reviews-grandmas-marathon-2015/
http://www.therightfits.com/2016/06/fits-race-reviews-grandmas-marathon-2016/
http://www.therightfits.com/2017/06/fits-race-reviews-grandmas-marathon-2017/
Good luck and let me know if you have any questions about logistics with this race. It’s a good one!
Oh I have read your recaps . More than once, lol. I’m super super excited 🙂