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Has anyone out there done the Mont Saint-Michel Marathon - the course looks pretty spectacular, though June might be rather warm...
Anyone got any experiences of it they could share?
I've run Paris, Berlin and Dublin (never London, sigh...) and would recomend them all. Mont Saint-Michel looks like it could be amazing.
*Rome*-Flat but tough, 8k of cobbles, v. twisty at 15m. +++ you can see all the sights in Rome, start/finish at Colliseum!
*Connemara*-spectacular
+April+
*Rotterdam*-easy to get to, brilliant organisation, flat, RW pacers, PB course.
*Lochaber*-(anyone who's anyone's doing it) Fast, flat, friendly, Potential PB, out & back in the countryside on quiet wide roads.
*Taunton*-one hill of note, which you do twice.
*Paris*-get in straight away no waiting. Same month as FLM. Good weekend and can bring back some booze, practically identical to London in terms of course profile, weather conditions, number of runners etc. Doesn't have as many people shouting "keep going!", people in amusing costumes or the Isle of Dogs, but it does have a wine station at 42K. The underpass is pretty unpleasant, but everything else is magnificent.
*Shakespeare*
*Turin*
*Madrid*-a bit uphill towards the end
*Zurich*
*Boston*-Day after London. Paula may be doing it to get the grand slam. Need a qualifying time. Atmosphere all its own, truly the marathoner's Marathon
+May+
*Copenhagen*-+++ Easyjet from Stansted, Well organised, excellent food at the finish, Good pacers , lovely city. Hotels/food £££, fairly flat but with kerbs, parked cars, narrow paths,cyclists giving drinks to their friends, drinks in plastic cups. Great experience
*Halstead*
*Prague*-flat, by the river, fantastic city, - 2002 was the worst organised race ever, absolutely appalling. It is flat, but starts and finishes on quite long cobbled sections which can affect your time.
*Vienna*
*Mannhein*-21 May for an evening marathon! Starts at 17:30
*Belfast*-Cheap flights easyjet – good event, re-routing it this year to make it "flatter and faster". Talk of a half & 10k, not confirmed.
*White Peak*-Name kids people into thinking it is hilly - it isn't as it is an old railway track - only real hills are 2 steep downhills near the end. Surface is ideal - firm enough to run on more forgiving than tarmac.
+June+
*Stockholm*-Great, Not as big as some European marathons but support is good, organisation second to none, conditions are generally good. A fast course can't be beat for atmosphere. Nice town, friendly people. A bit hot though. The fact that it is in early June allows you to do most of the long runs in April/May.
*Blackpool*-Headwind for the first 10 miles, dreadful part of the course along the Golden Mile and a long stretch on concrete. Fast in the right conditions.
*Dartmoor Vale*-2 quite undulating laps on quiet country roads at Dartmoor Vale
*Edinburgh*-Interesting course. Well organised. Classy medal. Not flat so no PB potential, Arthur's seat being taken out for 2005 so will be a faster course, 39 quid entry fee for 2005, daylight robbery, Edinburgh organisation was terrible! ran out of drinks
+September+
*Kent Coastal*-Nice and scenic and mostly flat.
*Berlin*-Berlin beats Paris into a cocked hat in all respects, the start, the course, the spectators, the weather, everything. Autumn race not a spring one.
*Medoc*
*Nottingham*
+October+
*Abingdon*– pb potential, 2 different loops, mainly flat out/thro Abingdon into the countryside and return thro the town, then into countryside with a few second half undualations.
*Cardiff* – pb potential, Cardiff - 2 laps mainly flat, City Centre, docklands & over the barrage, riverside, parks, thro the Castle grounds and finish in the Millenium Stadium.
*Dublin*
*Venice*-Late October. Pancake-flat course apart from a few little bridges. About 8,000 runners, good atmosphere without being too crowded. Fabulous finish where you run over a temporary pontoon bridge over the Grand Canal.
I was most looking forward to getting the FLM medal i have medals for halfs but there is just something about the FLM medal that is special i just hope i get a good time in my first full to give me more chance of getting in next year.
I've done the shakespeare 3 times now and I'm sure you'll enjoy it. I was wondering about doing the Bungay Black Dog, amongst others.
I am also looking at the Three Forts Marathon - 1st May - Tough with 3701 ft of climb!
www.1250.org.uk/threefortsmarathon
It depends - the entry fees are ok, about £30 usually. It helps if you pick a city where the low-cost airlines fly. Then it's up to you how comfortable you want your accomodation to be. I've stayed in a cheap hotel in Paris, a rather swanky b&b in Berlin and a chipboard hostel in Dublin. All of which were fine - all you need is somewhere quiet and handy for the start and finish.
I've usually gone for a few days, and always stayed a day after the race - you'll need that hotel bed and bath afterwards, rather than lugging your stuff to teh airport.
Also - beware the French medical certificate. I casually asked at my GPs surgery about getting one, and they were going to charge just over £100 for a full medical + certificate. I eventually got a friend of a friend who's a doctor to write a letter to do the job...
Beachy Head october.. Trail marathon, great fun but add 45 mins to your normal marathon as there is some serious climbing involved.
Neolithic Marathon Avebury to Stonehenge, June Another trail marathon not quite as tough as Beachy head.
Others which I haven't run but which often get mentioned, Medoc (wine at every water stop), Wolverhampton, Barcelona, Malaga, The list is endless look at Marathonguide.com
It is in rural Essex, so not too far from London. It is a double 13 mile loop around undulating country lanes.
Remember however it is about a month after London so is likely to be a lot hotter, as it was this year. The race starts later than London, so the sun is high and there isn't much shade.
At the end the St Johns ambulance folks told me that they had never been so busy. The last six miles was one of the worst experiences of my life. I thought I was going to die at one point.
Don't think I'd ever do it again simply because if it is a hot day......you will suffer, and I was only out there for 3.5 hours.
You tend to forget how hot it can get in May, even in England.
I've just read your Halstead report, about an hour after sending off th entry form. Doesn't inspire me with confidence. I hope the weather is not hot next year. What have I done???
You'll still have done a good 13 miles, and you live to fight another day.
I hit halfway on schedule but felt totally rotten. I knew the second loop was going to be a tough call, but as it was the first marathon I'd done in over twenty years, and so many at my club wanted to know how I would fare, I felt I had to carry on.
I hope that this feeback makes you feel better.
Oh and don't forget if it is hot, bin any thoughts of getting a PB, think more in terms of a PB plus 10%.
Twice I've had bad sunburn running the London marathon but every year my wife has run it she's almost caught pneumonia.
I think I am coming round to the Lochaber idea if I dont get in FLM via my club. Course sounds good and its less than £10 each way to Glasgow or Inverness with BMI (taxes are more than the flight!). Never seen Ben Nevis before, at least the race doesnt go up it.
I sympathise with Dull Napoleon - picking a marathon with reliable weather is not something even the pros can get right. London has ranged from 5C-25C over the years. Last year I ran the Richmond half marathon in May - may have been the same w/e as Halstead. It started at 8.30 and was only a half but I was baking by the end and damn glad it was over. A full mara starting later wouldnt bear thinking about!
(I found out that in the Brussels Marathon last year, the winner had to ask for directions to the finish line ...)
I hope it's either dull and grey, or the start time is an hour earlier.
*Rome*-Flat but tough, 8k cobbles, twisty at 15m, all the sights in Rome, start/finish at Colliseum!
*Connemara*-spectacular
+April+
*Rotterdam*-brilliant organisation, flat, RW pacers, PB.
*Lochaber*-Fast, flat, friendly, PB, in the countryside on quiet wide roads.
*Taunton*-one hill of note, which you do twice.
*Paris*- no waiting to get in, good weekend, can bring back booze, practically identical to London re. course, weather, number of runners. Not as many people shouting "keep going!", amusing costumes or the Isle of Dogs, wine station at 42K, magnificent.
*Shakespeare*
*Turin*
*Madrid*-a bit uphill towards the end
*Zurich*
*Boston*-Day after London. Paula may be doing it. Need a qualifying time. Atmosphere of its own, marathoner's Marathon
+May+
*Copenhagen*-Easyjet from Stansted, Well organised, excellent food at finish, Good pacers , lovely city. Hotels/food £££, fairly flat but kerbs, parked cars, narrow paths, cyclists giving drinks to friends, drinks in plastic cups. Great experience
*Halstead*-Rural Essex, not far from London. Double 13 mile loop around undulating country lanes.
*Prague*-flat, by the river, fantastic city, - 2002 was worst organised race ever. It is flat, but starts and finishes on quite long cobbled sections which can affect your time.
*Vienna*
*Mannhein*-21 May for an evening marathon! Starts at 17:30
*Belfast*-Cheap flights Easyjet – good event, re-routing it this year to make it "flatter and faster". Talk of a half & 10k, not confirmed.
*White Peak*-Name kids people into thinking it is hilly - it isn't, it is an old railway track - only real hills are 2 downhills near the end. Surface ideal
+June+
*Stockholm*-Great, Not as big as some European marathons but good support, organisation second to none, conditions generally good. Fast course can't be beat for atmosphere. Nice town, friendly people. A bit hot. The fact that it is in early June allows you to do most of the long runs in April/May.
*Neolithic Marathon* Avebury to Stonehenge, trail marathon not as tough as Beachy Head
*Blackpool*-Headwind for the first 10 miles, dreadful part of the course along the Golden Mile and a long stretch on concrete. Fast in the right conditions.
*Dartmoor Vale*-2 quite undulating laps on quiet country roads at Dartmoor Vale
*Edinburgh*-Interesting course. Well organised. Classy medal. Not flat so no PB potential, Arthur's seat being taken out for 2005 so will be a faster course, 39 quid entry fee for 2005, daylight robbery, Edinburgh organisation was terrible! ran out of drinks
+September+
*Kent Coastal*-scenic and mostly flat.
*Berlin*- beats Paris into a cocked hat in all respects, start, course, spectators, weather, everything.
*Medoc*
*Nottingham*
+October+
*Abingdon*–pb, 2 different loops, mainly flat through Abingdon into the countryside and return thro the town, then into countryside with a few second half undulations.
*Cardiff*–pb, Cardiff - 2 laps mainly flat, City Centre, docklands & over barrage, riverside, parks, thro the Castle grounds finish in Millenium Stadium.
*Dublin*
*Venice*-Late October. Pancake-flat course apart from a few bridges. 8,000 runners, good atmosphere not too crowded. Fabulous finish over temporary pontoon bridge over the Grand Canal.
*Amsterdam*-Flat course, no cobbles, slippery tram lines, nice city for a weekend.
*Beachy Head*-Trail marathon, great fun add 45 mins to your normal marathon as there is serious climbing involved.
Lake Vrynwy would have been idea. Can't believe it's been cancelled permanently.
Plus points:- Fast flat course, pretty French Town route, 40 mins drive from Channel Tunnel or Ferry port, only 400 runners, chance to finance the trip flogging booze & fags to friends
Minus points:- 3 laps (10+16+16km), only 400 spectators, usually 5 degrees warmer than London
I'm thinking of doing the Bungay Black Dog instead of FLM, or maybe the Shakespeare. I'd love to get a GFA for 2006 (I wasn't far off in 2004), would one of them be better than the other?
If you're thinking about it, hurry, they have just about reached their 20,000 entry limit, and entries close on Monday - that's 6th December.
start off in the town and then head onto a main road with a gradual climb upwards and onwards. The hill must be a good couple of miles long. After that you enter countryside and lovely lanes but still quietly undulating. Steepish drop back to the start and then repeat the process all over again.
Very small field of marathoners although the first lap is well supported cos of the half running at the same time. Very lonely second lap so it would be best to chum up with someone else running at your pace if poss.
Free massage at the end and nice momento. Very well organised and lovely friendly people.
Shakespeare does have a hill, can't imagine how someone could forget that especially on the second lap.
Will look at either Bungay, Taunton or Halstead.