Twelve Months of Marathons
- By Doug Kurtis
Free Press Columnist

I once saw a TV skit on the twelve days of Christmas detailing the cost of ordering all the gifts that one's true love would incur.   Putting on a marathon comes at an enormous expense plus significant planning and manpower.   I look at marathons as a gift to their running community.   Over the next twelve months there will be many wonderful presents (marathons) to choose from.   Here's a sampling by month.

January brings three well renowned marathons.   The Disney Marathon in Orlando offers runners a mini vacation with the kids and a giant Mickey Mouse medal for completing the race.   It also has the ninth largest half marathon in the country. The HP Houston Marathon and Half Marathon also has comparable numbers. Houston puts on a first class event with crowds lining almost the entire route interspersed with giant signs, dances, music, bands, and belly dancers.   If you want a fast Boston qualifier course as well as a fun destination the Las Vegas Marathon and half falls in January.

Last February was the month for the Men's Olympic Trials held in Birmingham, Alabama. Title sponsor Mercedes Benz is back to put a nice big bow around this gift package.   Also in February runners can experience the historic charm and southern hospitality of New Orleans while running the 40th Annual Nokia Sugar Bowl Mardi Gras Marathon.   Like Detroit, this race has a football field finish in the Louisiana Superdome.

You can't ignore March's City of Los Angeles Marathon. It's the fourth largest marathon in the country. But if the trip isn't in your budget, you might put Northville's Martian Marathon through Edward Hines on your radar screen.

April hosts the grand daddy of the all the Boston Marathon. If you've met the qualifying time this is a must on everyone's list. Otherwise, one of the new kids on the block, the Country Music Marathon in Nashville, might wet your whistle.

May brings a plethora of marathon to our region. You would be making an excellent choice if you ran your 26.2 miles in Cincinnati's Flying Pig, Cleveland's Rite-Aid or Traverse City's Bay Shore Marathon. If you can get in, California's Avenue of the Giants will take you through the awesome Redwoods.

June has two great ones in store for you.   The Suzuki Rock and Roll Marathon in San Diego is one of the first of the major entertainment marathons.   My personal favorite is Grandma's Marathon in Duluth, Minnesota because it's a world class race with small town charm. This gift sells out in February so look on-line to sign up asap.

The heat of summer cuts down the choices for July and August but two newspapers come to the rescue. The San Francisco Chronicle stages the city's major marathon while Deseret Morning News gives Salt Lake City something to write about. And there is always the exotic Artic Marathon in Greenland.

Maui's Marathon in September is the gateway to October's marathon month. Twin Cities and Chicago put on sold out affairs.   Detroit's own Free Press/Flagstar Bank Marathon is the only one crossing an international border twice and caters to first timers. With the addition of the Freep's half marathon it has moved into the big time of national class participation.

Rounding out November and December are two of the world's largest marathons.   New York doesn't do anything on a small scale and the ING New York City has been a traditional heavy weight. Next week's Honolulu Marathon may be one of the best presents of all for the non running spouse who has supported you through all those months of training.

Contact Doug Kurtis at Detroit Free Press, 600 W. Fort St. Detroit, 48226