Miami Tropical Marathon & Half-Marathon - Miami & Miami Beach, FL - Feb. 2, 2003
This is expected to be the largest inaugural marathon for 2003! Located in a city that sorely needed a marathon, and held on the last official day to qualify for the Boston Marathon, the Toyota Prius Miami Marathon will offer runners an exciting tour of the city - from the beaches to Coconut Grove. This race should become a fixture in the annual winter marathon schedule. Add this race to your calendar to say that you were there for the inaugural race of what should grow to become a major event.
Kauai Marathon - Poipu, HI - Mar. 16, 2003
With the Maui Marathon moving to the fall, the Kauai Marathon is hoping to fill the void for a spring Marathon in Hawaii. This will be a small race, on a moderately tough course, in an extremely beautiful setting.
Eisenhower Marathon, Half-Marathon & Relay - Abilene, KS - Mar. 29, 2003
North of Wichita and west of Topeka lies Abilene, Kansas - the home of Dwight D. Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States. On a flat course through cattle country, this race begins and ends at the Eisenhower Presidential Museum & Library, and is organized to raise money for charity - an interesting opportunity to combine presidential history with a 26.2-mile run! This race is organized by the county Red Cross, and funds raised will go to help area residents. A good race for a good cause.
Frederick Marathon & Relay - Frederick, MD - Mar. 30, 2003
Located in the heart of Maryland, Frederick is the center for visits to a number of Civil War sites, and near the Appalachian Trail. A quaint town with historical significance, that features numerous attractions, this will be a scenic marathon and provide a very good weekend getaway.
Charlottesville Marathon/Half Marathon, 5K - Charlottesville, VA - Apr. 19, 2003
To quote the race website: "The course will run in the shadows of the Shenendoah National Park and winds through historic Albemarle wine and horse country. One of the most scenic courses on the East Coast! If you are tired of pounding pavement you will love this race, as the majority of the course is on soft packed roads with rolling hills." Others will be running the Boston Marathon on the same weekend, but if you don't qualify for Boston or are simply looking for something else to do on the third weekend in April...
Triple Crown Trail Marathon - Newark, DE - Apr. 26, 2003
Delaware remains the only state without a marathon of its own. On various years, organizers add a marathon to their event to satisfy those looking for 50 States-status. This year, the Triple Crown Trail series will be organizing a marathon in April for those looking to add Delaware to the list of states that they've run.
Little Rock Marathon, 5K & Relays - Little Rock, AR - May. 4, 2003
The capital city of Arkansas will be launching a new marathon with great local support. Historical landmarks, southern hospitality, and strong civic support will lure runners and walkers (8-hour course limit) to this beautiful mid-sized southern city. The race is organized to support the city's parks and recreation office, and the Arthritis Foundation.
Casper Wyoming Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5K - Casper, WY - Jun. 1, 2003
With the subtitle, "Run With The Herd,", this marathon promises the opportunity to view pronghorn antelope and mountains on this relatively flat course (200-foot drop from start to finish, with one major incline: 100 feet, between miles 4 and 5). In pioneer days, Casper Wyoming marked the point of convergence of westward trails: Oregon, Mormon, Bridger, Bozeman, and Pony Express. With 66,000 people, Casper is the second-largest city in Wyoming, and serves as a historic destination, as well as a jumping off point for outdoor recreation.
Grizzly Marathon, Half-Marathon & 10K - Choteau, MT - Aug. 23, 2003
One hour south of Glacier National Park, in the middle of grizzly bear country, the Grizzly Marathon will surely offer one of the most scenic and beautiful races in North America. The course is set to be have major declines (700-foot elevation drop before) and climbs (an 800-foot elevation gain), so is not suitable for a first-time marathoner. It should be beautiful.
Road Runner Akron Marathon & Half-Marathon - Akron, OH - Oct. 11, 2003
The Akron Marathon features a number of interesting landmarks. Starting at the Lockheed Martin Airdock (where the Goodyear blimps were constructed), the course passes Firestone Country Club (home of many pro-golf events), runs alongside the Ohio & Erie towpath, and ends at Canal Park, home to Akron's minor-league baseball team. As an extra attraction, the Akron Marathon will be hosting USATF-sanctioned Marathon Relay Championships.
Orange County California Marathon & 5K - Anaheim, CA - Dec. 7, 2003
In an already crowded California marathon scene, the Orange County Marathon is hoping to prove that Southern California can support another large marathon. Situated two months after the Long Beach International Marathon and one month before the San Diego Marathon (not to mention the LA Marathon and the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon) - can this area support yet another marathon? We'll see next December...
