Cleveland rocks! There are so many reasons to love the Cleveland Marathon. Find out why YOU should run the Cleveland Marathon in May!
I’m super excited to be the featured ambassador of the week for the Cleveland Marathon. If you follow me on Instagram and Facebook, you know I’ve been running a fun giveaway for a free entry to your choice of race at the Cleveland Marathon in May. Since today’s topic for the Friday Five 2.0 is all about love, I couldn’t think of a better time to tell you all the things I LOVE about the Cleveland Marathon!
Cleveland Rocks! 5 Reasons to Love the Cleveland Marathon
1. The weather.
Who could forget the Most Cleveland Race EVER back in 2016? It started off overcast, then changed to a drizzle, pretty soon it was icing in our faces, and then of course there was the thundersnow. And of course about 30 minutes after I crossed the finish line the sun came out. HOW DOES THAT HAPPEN?! It happens only in Cleveland. (I can’t make this stuff up!)
The weather is really variable in Cleveland in May. One year it will be cold and overcast (2014, 2016) and the other years it will be hot as Hades (2015, I’m looking at you), and yet others it’s perfect (like in 2017). The exciting weather is just one reason to love the Cleveland Marathon!
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
2. Tour the city!
The Cleveland Marathon course takes you on an amazing tour of the city. You hit a ton of local hotspots including Ohio City, Tremont, the Lakefront, and downtown. Runners get to see the iconic 10-story-tall LeBron James banner, run by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, Great Lakes Science Center, and more! The Cleveland Marathon is a great way to visit Cleveland on foot.
Cleveland Rocks!
3. The after party is fantastic.
After crossing the finish line at Public Square, you’ll be greeted with enthusiastic spectators, delicious post-race fare, and of course, the beer garden. The after party is a lot of fun and when the weather’s nice, it’s a great place to stick around and celebrate your accomplishment!
Team CLE!
4. Super swag.
The Cleveland Marathon usually rocks some pretty great swag. Last year for the 40th running, runners received a great shirt, a keychain, and a commemorative medal. I have no doubt they’re working on some fantastic swag for 2018 as well!
5. It’s a “little big” race.
Out of all the things I love about the Cleveland Marathon, the thing I love the most is that it’s a little big race. It’s not a small race by any means, but it’s not SO big that it’s intimidating like some of the other big dogs (NYCM, I’m looking at you). There are some races I would love to run but I’m way too stressed out based solely on the amount of runners in attendance. The Cleveland Marathon, on the other hand, is comfortably large. Not so big that it’s intimidating but not so small that it’s a small race.
In a nutshell, Cleveland rocks and the Cleveland Marathon is awesome. If you’re local, I highly recommend running it. And if you’re not, you should add the Cleveland Marathon to your bucket list!
Need more reasons to register? Check out a few of my past race recaps:
- My first half marathon!
- The insanity that was the Most Cleveland Race Ever
- A fabulous start to the 2017 season!
Today is the last day to enter to win a FREE ENTRY to the Cleveland Marathon. Be sure to follow me on Instagram and Facebook! The winner will be announced next week. If you’re antsy and don’t want to wait to register until next week, you can use code RFCLE10 for 10% off any race!
Looking forward to seeing you in May! #clevelandrocks
xo
Let’s talk!
What’s your favorite race size?
Have you been to Cleveland?
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73 Comments
The Cleveland Marathon is such a great race! (Coming from someone who’s never run it:)) I did do the 10k one year…I think that was 2012 and it was super hot. We won’t be back again this year but maybe one day!
Definitely let me know when you come back. 🙂
i have never been to Cleveland but you certainly make it sound appealing!
You should totally come to Cleveland. We have an AMAZING foodie scene.
I’m actually comfortable with huge & small races & everything in between. My husband is more comfortable with smaller races & he’s my Sherpa so I do do a lot of small halfs.
I’ve been to Cleveland once, for my cousin’s wedding, decades ago. We didn’t see the city, though.
You should come!
I have never been to Cleveland! You do make it sound super fun even for someone who has never run a marathon. fun! thanks for the link up today
There’s a 5K, 8K, 10K, and half, too 🙂
I’m a big fan of the Cleveland Half – did it a few years w/a friend who moved there. They do a great job! The back half seemed a bit quiet for me but glad that it’s a lot of fun!
The back half of the full is a little bit quiet, but not for long. It’s a great race!
This sounds like a perfect race! I just wish it wasn’t a week before our daughter’s graduation (whomp whomp). That’s not to say I couldn’t swing it….
You should TOTALLY swing it. You’ve got a place to stay if you do!
Cleveland is a great race, I’ve had some good and great times there!
Me too! 🙂
I love how you turn the variable weather into a plus! If you don’t like the weather, wait a few miles! I love it when race courses show off the best of a city. And crowd support can make all the difference.
Ha! Yes, exactly!! Our weather is a total roll of the dice in May.
I’ve never been to Cleveland, but after reading this, you make it sound like a great city to visit! Whether your a runner or not 🙂
Definitely! We have a really great yoga, fitness, craft brew, and foodie scene. The races are just the cherry on top.
Yoga, Fitness, Craft Beer and food?! I’m definitely adding Cleveland to my list to visit 🙂
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I’m so glad you are getting to run a race you love so much! You are a great ambassador!
Ice in May????? Now I have to go look up “Thunder snow”, never heard of that!
Oh gosh, it was a doozy. We get thundersnow every now and again, but it was particularly insane in 2016.
I’ve never run the Cleveland Marathon but you give some great selling points! I also love little big races
You’re always welcome to check it out 🙂 🙂
I like the idea of doing races to see a city. When I did the Dallas half, it took me places I hadn’t been before, and some of it was quite nice.
That’s so fun! I’ve only flown through Dallas. I should stick around next time!
sounds like an exciting race on lots of levels! I’ve never been to Cleveland
Cleveland has a lot to offer, not just the racing. 🙂 Great restaurants and food, and lots to do!
That sounds like an amazing race! I’ve never been to Cleveland but maybe I need to add it to my travel list!!
I like both small and larger races for different reasons! I ran my first full marathon in a smaller race and I wish I would’ve done that in a larger one because I ran most of it solo which was extra tough! But, there so many fun things about a small local race too that I love, like the community of it all!
You should definitely add it to your list!
I could see how a small first marathon would be lonely. It’s such a new and intimidating experience!
That sounds like a lot of fun! I’ve run the Flying Pig in Cincinnati but haven’t run in Cleveland yet. I like both large and small races – although, 30k for the Army 10 mile was entirely too much – but I do better in smaller races because I get overwhelmed by people and I hate not being able to find my family/friends at the finish!
30K for Army 10 sounds ridiculous. If I’m going to a big race it needs to be a half marathon minimum. 😉
That does sound like a fantastic race, but I just can’t, can’t, can’t sign up for another marathon this year! But can I tell you, you look totally badass crossing that finish line!
That’s great, though! Because there’s a 5K, 8K, 10K, and half marathon, too! So you could totally fit it into your training schedule. 🙂 And it’s a short drive from you!
And thank you so much. I thought I was going to die when that photo was taken. I was in so much pain!!
You are really good at selling this marathon!! I even looked up how far it is from me. Maybe I’ll think about it for this spring!
You should! 100 days from today!!
Wow, this does sounds like a great race! I haven’t though about this one before but I’ll have to look into it more 🙂 Usually I just do whort races from May to September to avoid the Summer weather issues though.
The Cleveland Marathon has 5K, 8K, 10K, and half marathon options as well. 🙂
Oh, I love races that provide so many options!
I’ve never been to Cleveland but that does sound like a fun race. I love the big BIG races. The energy at them is insane and really gives you power.
The energy is really great at big races, you’re right. It carries you through the challenging moments!
How fun! Years ago I walked the Columbus half marathon, didn’t know all this about the Cleveland one!
You should come check it out 🙂
It’s fun when you have a good area to hangout a bit! A beer garden helps 🙂
The hanging out at the end is the best part 🙂
I like small races, but I’ve never actually run a big race…just the logistics and time required to get to the starting line kinda put me off! I’m not sure I’ve even run a race that would count as small-big.
I hear you. I’m not a big fan of big races. The only reason I’m good with Cleveland is because it’s not so huge that it’s intimidating. And MCM, while huge, never felt really big either.
Little big races are my favorite. I’ll have to look into adding this to my race cal one year soon!
You should! Come run the CLE 🙂
I’ve heard so many good things about this race! Maybe I’ll have to come to Cleveland some day!
Please do!! It’s so close! I’ll show you all the sights and we can eat all the food!
You’ve got me sold! I’m not a runner, but I would definitely go to see Cleveland and watch the marathon lol
Cleveland is a wonderful city. We have a lot to offer.
I’ve always wanted to go to Cleveland and check out the city I’m used to ever-changing weather too. In Idaho, we often say if you aren’t happy with the weather wait 5 minutes and it will change.
That’s exactly how it is here, too!
This is on my someday list! I’ve heard so much good about this race and I’ve never really spent much time in Cleveland.
You should! There’s so much to do here.
I love little big races! I feel like The Vermont City Marathon is a little big race (at least it used to be) and the Flying Pig.
I’ve never done Flying Pig But it’s on my list. Same with Vermont!
Sounds like a great race. Hope you have another great year.
Thanks!
What a great race that was. Such an interesting and inspiring story. Cleveland sounds like amazing city. Hope you’ll have fun again next year!
Thanks! Come visit. 🙂
I wish I were a bit more local. This sounds like a great race! Maybe one year.
You’re welcome to stay with me when you come!
Intriguing.
I prefer larger races. I just don’t feel quite as much pressure. But I can pretty much hang in all sizes.
I don’t believe I have ever been to Cleveland, but I’ve heard great things about the city. I think it would be awesome to race there!
It’s a lot of fun. It’s big enough that you don’t feel pressure but small enough that it’s not overwhelming. If that makes sense.
I have never been to Cleveland. I do love smaller races! This sounds like a great way to visit Cleveland, but I am not interested in snow…..
Come visit!!
Congrats lady! It sounds like it is a great race! I do need to get in a race in Ohio one of these years!
Hope it all goes well!
Thanks, Esther!
I’m in for the half CLE. Since 2010 I’ve worked a water station, so now for the 8th year, I’ll actually be grabbing some of those water cups! Thanks for being an amassador!
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