Aren’t you in awe of my MS Paint skills right now?
A few summers ago, while resting an injury and daydreaming of a time when I would be whole once again and running with reckless abandon, I posted about my bucket list races – races that sounded so awesome to me at the time that I decided I would do my darndest to run them someday (you can read the posts here and here). The list included:
- James Joyce Ramble 10K
- Maine Lobster Festival 10K
- Oxford Half Marathon
- Great North Run
- Boston Marathon
- London Marathon
- Yorkshire Marathon
- Santa Rosa Marathon/Half
- Rock n Roll New Orleans (or any RNR) Marathon/Half
The reasons for wanting to run these particular races varied from “I was an English major and am still a literature nerd and this race sounds awesome” (James Joyce Ramble) to “OMG an excuse to travel to England” (4 of the 9) to “The course looks beautiful, and also wine” (Santa Rosa).
At the time, the list felt definitive. I was injured and sad, and these races were a way for me to dream my way back to fitness. Or something. Now? Meh… there are still several on that list I’d love to run someday (Boston, London, Oxford Half), but I don’t feel the need to keep the list definitive. I don’t think I’d be sad if I never ran a Rock n Roll race, for example.
That said, I’ve finally signed up for one of my bucket list races, so I can finally put a check mark on my not-so-definitive-but-still-cool list: the James Joyce Ramble!
(Source: JJR facebook page)
Because I’m feeling list-y today, here is why I am particularly excited to run this race:
- I’m an English/literature nerd. It’s a race in honor of an author. Performers read Joyce’s works on the course as the runners go by. I will be in my nerdy glory.
- It’s in Dedham, which means I’ll get to check another town off my map.
- Some of my favorite Shammies will also be running it, and I love me some Shammies bonding!
- I like the 10K distance and have been wanting to run more 10K races.
- Checking anything off my races bucket list is pretty exciting, whether the list is definitive or not!
Now I just need to keep my fingers crossed that I can keep my various wonky body parts in line so that I can actually run the Ramble!
Do you have any Bucket List races? Have you ever run one of them?
Have you ever run a themed race for something you’re proudly nerdy about?
Slow and Steady(ish) 
I am running two of my bucket list races this spring, Boston and Paris. I know that I am lucky, and it took years to finally qualify for Boston and then sign up for Paris. You have a great list going– good luck!!
That’s so awesome! Congrats on BQing, and what great races to run this year! I hope you have a blast and run strong 🙂
Thank you, I will try! 🙂
Very cool! I don’t really have a bucket list, but I do have an ongoing list of races I’d love to do. Maybe I should put some more thought into this…
At the very least, it makes for decent blog fodder when you’re not sure what else to write about 😉
OMG James Joyce! I love his stuff – re-read Ulysses a couple of years ago, such an amazing book. The whole thought of that race is just so cool! And in Dedham … I grew up in Stoughton, so we would hit the movie theater there occasionally since they had a better selection than at Westgate Mall …
I still haven’t even signed up for a race this year yet … no clue. No bucket list races, just go with the flow. 🙂
To be honest, I’ve never read James Joyce *cue sheepish English major face* Well… not true. I’ve tried, but couldn’t get past the first several pages of “A Portrait of the Artist…” Despite that, I’m still giddy at the literature-nerdiness of this race!
Dedham has blown up recently in terms of shopping areas. Have you seen Legacy Place and all that madness?
Going with the flow isn’t a bad thing at all 🙂
I love themed races and also bucket lists! Although mine have changed over time. Courses that are scenic are always awesome!
Scenic races are definitely awesome! It gives me something to focus on when I start feeling tired 🙂
Does is end and start in the same place? Now I will think of Finnegans Wake at all looped courses. 🙂 I don’t really have bucket list races but I’ve recently learned about half marathons in the national parks- Yosemite and Lake Powell look pretty sweet.
It does! 🙂 I may have to read Finnegan’s Wake before I run this. The national park races look amazing… I follow “Vacation Races” on instagram and want to do all of them, haha.
Love your list! And love your passion for literature! Is it likely you’ll be doing some of these this year? So exciting!
Thanks! 🙂 Probably just the James Joyce race off that list… though the Lobster one is a possibility. The others will likely have to wait for quite a while, unfortunately!