As a Swiftie eagerly looking forward to Taylor’s 12th album, and as a runner who loves pairing people and races, I knew I had to think of which marathon would pair best with each of her beloved albums. It was a tricky compilation to create, but I think I nailed these final race and album combos.

For the races I considered the routes, difficulty, atmosphere, registration, location and crowds. For the albums I thought about reception, genre, branding, and general vibes of each one.

Debut is the Athen’s Authentic Marathon

While the legend of the first marathon runner is widely distorted (he actually ran 10x the distance of a marathon before dying), the Athens Marathon is the original marathon from the first Modern Olympics in 1896. While the marathon distance wouldn’t be formalized until the 1921 Olympics, the first Modern Olympics is where the marathon officially debuted.

Fearless is the Run the Wall 2k

This isn’t a marathon, but it is part of the Dubrovnik Half Marathon weekend. The race takes place running up and down the ancient city walls of Dubrovnik. You’ll need to dig deep since there won’t be crowds, but you will have gorgeous views. At the end you’ll finish to massive applause and celebrations. Plus, the knowledge that if you can tackle this race, you can be fearless in the rest of your life too.

Speak Now is the Queenstown Half Marathon

Taking place in New Zealand’s spring (aka November), the course of this gorgeous race is scattered with lupines blooming in all shades of purple. You’re also running through amazing mountain ranges (there’s a reason that Lord of the Rings filmed in New Zealand), and stunning water features. In the last 1k crowds will pick up to guide you to the finish line of this point to point race. You’ll simply be Enchanted by this entire race.

Find Your Perfect Runcation

Red is the Beaujolais Wine Marathon

Of course I had to include a wine marathon in my list, but which one? I was tempted to go with the classic, Marathon du Medoc, but I think Red needs a younger race. A race with a wine that some people love, and some people hate. Red was Taylor’s first totally pop album, and it brought some controversy. In the same way, the Beaujolais Nouveau wine served during the Beaujolais Wine Marathon is either loved or hated for being aged in under two months, instead of the years it normally takes a red.

1989 is the Paris Marathon

Besides being an amazing race for crowds, the Paris Marathon is also very beginner friendly. It’s a beautiful race to distract you from the pain of running. It’s also a very easy to access race, being one of the last remaining races with over 50k+ runners and no lottery. In a similar way, I’ve always felt that 1989 is one of the most accessible of Taylor’s album. It’s a very friendly album that anyone can find something they like in.

Reputation is the Boston Marathon

What race has a bigger reputation than the Boston Marathon? And what race causes the most controversy every year when they announce the adjusted qualification times? It’s got to be Boston. They don’t care what you think about how they let runners enter, they will do what they want, and the world will thank them.

Lover is the Romeo and Juliet Half Marathon

Located in Verona, Italy the Romeo and Juliet Half marathon was one of my favorites that I ran during my year of half marathons. It’s a Valentine’s Day race filled with couples. I also think Taylor would get a kick out of the fact that the tragic tale of death is now known as a love story, in the same way the media loves to make everything she does about her boyfriends.

Folklore is the Midnight Sun Marathon

You might think a race called Midnight Sun would be for Midnights the album, but no. We can go deeper than that. Running the Midnight Sun Half Marathon was one of the few times I felt like I was surrounded by magic. The views were so stunning, and there was a surreal element to knowing that this golden hour sunlight was happening at midnight.

Evermore is the Polar Night Marathon

Just as Evermore and Folklore are sister albums, Midnight Sun and Polar Night are sister races. Organized by the same group in Tromsø, Norway, the Polar Night Marathon takes place in the middle of January when the sun never rises above the horizon. Evermore is the moodier sister, and this is the more difficult of the two races, with a four hour qualifying time for the marathon due to safety reasons. But hey, you have the rare opportunity to race under the Northern Lights (if Mother Nature is feeling kind).

Midnights is the Luxembourg Night Marathon

This race is easily the marathon I get recommended the most, and for good reason. Taking place in Luxembourg, the race provides a true party experience with massive crowds and people cheering through the night. But as it’s also a bit hidden away in a country known for being a tax haven for wealthy Europeans, it brings an air of mystery that I think is perfect for anyone who loves Midnights.

The Tortured Poets Department is the Sea Ice Marathon

Taking place every February on a frozen bay in Sweden, the Sea Ice Marathon has long been on my running bucket list. I’ve always imagined that running surrounded by ice with no other markers would be an isolating experience (that I still want to have). Which is also how I think many of Taylor Swift’s songs on TTPD could be described. The Albatross? Clara Bow? I Can Do It With a Broken Heart? These aren’t songs of joy, but moments of standing on a frozen bay, realizing how alone you are.

While we don’t know what race this next album will be, I do know that I can’t wait for it to come out and to experience what the Life of a Showgirl is all about.