We headed to Berlin, Germany, for a long weekend so that I could run the Berlin Half-Marathon (and eat copious amounts of schnitzel and do some sight-seeing, of course). The course for Berlin should be flat and fantastic with plenty of good scenery to keep me entertained. And, there’s a fabulous stadium there as well, which is pretty well known.
I started running in earnest in January of this year, when I signed up on a whim for the National Half-Marathon in our former ‘burb of Washington, D.C.
While I was training for that race, I remember a favorite coworker saying to me as I pulled on layers for another chilly post-work run, “Gosh, I bet you can’t wait until all this running stuff is over!” .
There’s a distinct dearth of race options in Senegal, and getting in a long run is admittedly tough when I don’t have the attention span to complete more than six miles on a treadmill and it’s blazing hot outside.
Registering for a half in faraway lands has made me want to, well, register for more halves in faraway lands.
With that, here are others that I’d love to run someday and you should put on your radar if you’ve ever considered running one.
Mt. Kilamanjaro Half-Marathon – Tanzania
Before you think I’m insane, this half doesn’t actually require you to run up the mountain (thank god) – you just run around the base and take in the views, with the option of climbing the mountain the days before or after the race.
That doesn’t mean the course isn’t challenging; there are hills and elevation changes to deal with and it’s definitely the type of race you do for the experience, not a personal record time. This race would also be a great opportunity to donate some old shoes and running clothes to aspiring runners in Tanzania.
Sundown Half-Marathon – Singapore
My beloved Atlanta Braves have been in a heated playoff race of late, but with the games usually not starting until 11:05 p.m. Senegal time, that means some late bedtimes for this fan. That’s fine with me, though, because I’m a night owl through and through. Hence, the basis for this half’s appeal – the Sundown Half-Marathon in Singapore starts at 8 p.m.! Plus, visiting a new world-class city wouldn’t be bad, either.
Geneva Half-Marathon – Switzerland
There’s something to be said for a race run purely for beautiful scenery and Switzerland is gorgeous. But I typically opt for big-city races, with plenty of flat terrain and cheering spectators. The Geneva half would be the best of both worlds; great views of the mountains and the Rhone, but routed mainly through an urban setting. Perfect.
Of the races you’ve run, which was your favorite and why? Do you have any “dream races” you’d like to do?
Rachael Cullins is a twentysomething American girl living in Dakar, Senegal, with her husband and two dogs. She blogs about her adventures in Senegal and travels elsewhere in West Africa. She will reside in Dakar until summer 2013, when she and her family will move to another foreign post as part of her husband’s career with the U.S. government. In addition to West Africa, she has traveled to France, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Italy and Costa Rica and plans to continually add to that list.
