A travel website in the United Kingdom is telling international runners to add the Akron Marathon to their bucket list.
HolidayLettings, a TripAdvisor company specializing in vacation rentals, said it compiled a list of “the most loved and most talked about races” across America and chose its favorite in each state, company spokesperson Chelsea Tyler said.
In a web story with the headline “50 US Road Races to Attempt in Your Lifetime,” the Akron Marathon was named as the Buckeye State’s best.
Marathon officials said it was their understanding that the list was based on participant reviews, race location, and the interests of the travel community — and they couldn’t be more tickled to get the attention.
“The Akron Marathon has always had a stellar word-of-mouth reputation, mainly because we make such an effort to execute a well-organized event,” the marathon’s executive director, Anne Bitong, said. “Our goal is to ensure every runner feels like they are a part of a world-class event.”
The marathon has grown from 3,000 runners in 2003 to more than 20,000 last year. Officials have also estimated another 100,000 participate as volunteers and spectators.
“We’ve heard that our race has been referred to as Akron’s Holiday,” Bitong said. “Honestly, it’s the people of Akron and the support they give our events year after year which continues to make our races so special in the industry.”
Tyler said HolidayLettings would be promoting its list on blog and social channels throughout the month.
The full list can be found at https://www.holidaylettings.co.uk/blog/50-us-road-races-to-attempt-in-your-lifetime.
Paula Schleis can be reached at 330-996-3741 or pschleis@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/paulaschleis.