Rome Marathon - 20th March 2011

Krusty_Clown

Hi there, I am considering signing up for Rome marathon in 2011 (20th March), as it is ideal from a training schedule perspective (enough time to train, and enough time to recover before my subsequent goal).

1) Has anyone done it? Any feedback?
2) Is it feasible to fly in on a Saturday (arriving at 11am) and make the expo, run the race and fly out on the Sunday?
3) Do you need to provide a medical cert before you register for the race?
4) How did you find the cobblestone stretches? Are they very hard on the legs?
5) Any other feedback?

TFBubendorfer

It's one of the marathons I'm considering for next year. The feedback I've gotten is that the cobblestones are tough and really painful at the end. Then again, it may just be a case of HTFU.

I wouldn't fly in and out on Saturday/Sunday though. That's not the way to do a marathon and that's definitely not the way to treat a famous city like Rome. At least leave a day for sightseeing the day after the marathon, even if you can't be bothered to relax the day before the race!

Krusty_Clown

I know, it seems dreadfully wasteful to zoom in and out, but I'm trying to save my work holidays for far more lofty goals in April, so I'll probably end up travelling from Saturday -> Monday, despite the fact that it's near impossible doing any sight-seeing after running a goal marathon.

On a plus side, the marathon route is supposed to take you on a grand tour of many of the more recommended historic sites, so at least I will get to see them momentarily! The fact that I'm classed as an elite for the purpose of this race, has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with my interest in the race. :rolleyes:

neilc

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

3) Do you need to provide a medical cert before you register for the race?

Yeah I heard its quite cumbersome, I think there's a bit of faxing to be done before your application is accepted.
Neil

eliwallach

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

On a plus side, the marathon route is supposed to take you on a grand tour of many of the more recommended historic sites, :rolleyes:

Straight up the Spanish steps at mile 16.

Krusty_Clown

eliwallach wrote: »

Straight up the Spanish steps at mile 16.

You are kidding, right? :eek:

anymore

neilc wrote: »

Yeah I heard its quite cumbersome, I think there's a bit of faxing to be done before your application is accepted.
Neil

You dont need \ medical cert if you are a member of a running club affiliated with your national running organisation - here Athletics Ireland. There is a lot of bureauracy though - i had to give proof of membership of running club, copy of membership card with Athletics Ireland and, believe it or not, after paying by credit card on their site, I then had to send them copy of their email to me confirming payment of fee by credit card. After that I received email confirming all was in order and that a running number would be issued only to receive a further email a few hours later asking for a copy of my membership card with running club ! It took six emails to sort the whole thing out.

anymore

Update; my own time was 3.31.49. The course had quite a lot of stretches with poor road surfaces and in particular on the cobbled stretches, there was a lot of subsidence with a potential for twisted ankles. The first 5/6 miles was extremely congested with the additional hazard of two or three bottlenecks. In general Rome's roads are pretty poor so organisers cant be blamed.
On the positive side, organisation was very good with plentiful water, sports drinks, salts and fruit along the way and more of the same at the end with the addition of black tea with sugar and packs of biscuits. The race began and ended at the Colleseum which added to the sense of occassion and weather was good. Over 16,000 runners took part. The final 3/4 miles was through narrow streets full of spectators so atmosphere was great. It was a tour of old Rome and for anyone taking it easy was no doubt a great marathon run.
The medal is a very nice design and also given were a colorful cotton T shirt and a good ascis back pack with the Roma marathon logo.

anymore

Krusty_Clown wrote: »

You are kidding, right? :eek:

No ! no climbing steps; there are a few reasonably short hills or drags but it is mainly quite flat.

Jmcmen

It was only my second Marathon and I really enjoyed it. Was very congested at the start alright. Handy to get in and out of Rome. Would deffo reccommend it to anyone looking for a challenge but probably not their PB. The sights are only amazing.

anymore

Jmcmen wrote: »

It was only my second Marathon and I really enjoyed it. Was very congested at the start alright. Handy to get in and out of Rome. Would deffo reccommend it to anyone looking for a challenge but probably not their PB. The sights are only amazing.

Hi Jmcmen. I spoke to one irish guy at the starting line but didnt talk to anyother irish people unfortunately beofore or after the race. I did speak to one Irish lad on the plane home who had an unfortunate experience - he, and a lot of others from what I saw, got off the tube at the Collesium stop but this was blocked off for the race. He had to make his way, running, down towards the official entrance with the result that the run was well under way when he started. He said he did 3.40 when he had been hoping to make around 3.05.
You are right about getting in and out of Rome being easy. Even the security queues at the Rome airport were quite fast.

Jmcmen

anymore wrote: »

Hi Jmcmen. I spoke to one irish guy at the starting line but didnt talk to anyother irish people unfortunately beofore or after the race. I did speak to one Irish lad on the plane home who had an unfortunate experience - he, and a lot of others from what I saw, got off the tube at the Collesium stop but this was blocked off for the race. He had to make his way, running, down towards the official entrance with the result that the run was well under way when he started. He said he did 3.40 when he had been hoping to make around 3.05.
You are right about getting in and out of Rome being easy. Even the security queues at the Rome airport were quite fast.

Well Anymore
Met a good few irish people. Our flight back on Monday was full of hobbling Irish.
Was running along side a guy with an Athenry singlet on for the first 6miles or so. Didn't get chatting as it was so tight you really had to concentrate where you were going.
A similar thing happened me at the start, running round trying to find the drop off lorries for the bags. If only I had read the instructions!!!
Had to start from the back but more or less on time. Was a fight to get up to where we wanted to be for the first 4 miles.
Race went well and I was delighted with my 3hrs 18mins. Was going great until the last 4 miles when I started to slow.
Would reccomend it though, really enjoyed it.

Anymore planned anymore?

anymore

Jmcmen wrote: »

Well Anymore
Met a good few irish people. Our flight back on Monday was full of hobbling Irish.
Was running along side a guy with an Athenry singlet on for the first 6miles or so. Didn't get chatting as it was so tight you really had to concentrate where you were going.
A similar thing happened me at the start, running round trying to find the drop off lorries for the bags. If only I had read the instructions!!!
Had to start from the back but more or less on time. Was a fight to get up to where we wanted to be for the first 4 miles.
Race went well and I was delighted with my 3hrs 18mins. Was going great until the last 4 miles when I started to slow.
Would reccomend it though, really enjoyed it.

Anymore planned anymore?

For once I was reasonably well prepared - I did a dry run the night before walking from my hotel to Termini andtaking the tube down to the Circus maximus station so I had an idea of how much time to allow. If I hadn't I might have panciked a little when i saw runners getting off at the Coliseum tube stop and been tempted to get off also.
I think it took me about 6 miles to cathch the four hour pacer and a good bit more to catch the 3.45 pacer. I never saw the 3.30 pacers at all.
Well done on your time ! Anything under 3.30 would be a dream for me !
my next marathon will be Cork and hopefully i will get at least one half marathon before then. That said I am going to physio at moment to hopefully clear up a problem that has been nagging me for 3 or four weeks. Are you going to Cork ?