Spring Marathons

kilns

After Dublin sold out and did not get a place and then waited too long to get my Valencia place for that booking out. I now have my attentions turned to a Spring Marathon. I am really between Vienna, Barcelona and Paris. Any one have any experiences of any of these marathons?

OOnegative

Done 3/4 of Barcelona in 2017, collapsed just after 19 miles due to the heat!! It is a nice marathon from the 19 miles I experienced, flattish route with decent support and plenty of aid stations and well organised.

Training in an Irish winter can leave you at a disadvantage for a European Spring marathon due to the differences in weather. Rotterdam is another you should consider.

kilns

OOnegative wrote: »

Done 3/4 of Barcelona in 2017, collapsed just after 19 miles due to the heat!! It is a nice marathon from the 19 miles I experienced, flattish route with decent support and plenty of aid stations and well organised.

Training in an Irish winter can leave you at a disadvantage for a European Spring marathon due to the differences in weather. Rotterdam is another you should consider.

Forgot to mention I am based in Switzerland

OOnegative

kilns wrote: »

Forgot to mention I am based in Switzerland

Weather be no issue so, give Rotterdam some consideration so. Always good Boards contingent running it, superb support & won’t get a flatter marathon.

KSU

If you do plan on Vienna make sure you get the hills in

TFBubendorfer

KSU wrote: »

If you do plan on Vienna make sure you get the hills in

Err ... no. That elevation profile is not correct. Vienna was one of the flattest marathons I've done.

KSU

TFBubendorfer wrote: »

Err ... no. That elevation profile is not correct. Vienna was one of the flattest marathons I've done.

Apologies

Looks like a dodgy garmin reading so Just checked a few of the other strava readings from the same race and elevation completely different

plumber77

Did Barcelona a few years back. If the potential heat isn't an issue I would highly recommend. Atmosphere at the start was the best I've ever experienced. Vienna would be on my to do list as well

kilns

Vienna is actually the location for the next breaking 2hr marathon attempt so is fairly flat.

I do like the idea of big marathons in big cities, obviously Paris is the biggest but if Vienna was a decent sized field (you dont want to be exposed in a small field!) then that certainly would be a good choice

Fenster

Doing Malta (through Valletta) on March 1 coming.

The Davestator

I've done a few over the last few years and in order, I'd recommend;

Barcelona - Great start and finish. Not too many hills. In the city and goes past the sites and shaded for most of it. Few KM along the sea is hot though.

Paris - Big. Busy. Sightseeing. Was undercooked for it, so didn't enjoy it all but will go back.

Rotterdam - Flat, big, nice expo, some scenery and easy to get to.

Edinburgh - Flat and downhill for most. Boring course. Finishes outside city. No pacers.

Seville - Didn't run this due to an injury, but did go over to watch it - beautiful city, well supported but hot, even in Feb.

Duanington

The Davestator wrote: »

I've done a few over the last few years and in order, I'd recommend;

Barcelona - Great start and finish. Not too many hills. In the city and goes past the sites and shaded for most of it. Few KM along the sea is hot though.

Paris - Big. Busy. Sightseeing. Was undercooked for it, so didn't enjoy it all but will go back.

Rotterdam - Flat, big, nice expo, some scenery and easy to get to.

Edinburgh - Flat and downhill for most. Boring course. Finishes outside city. No pacers.

Seville - Didn't run this due to an injury, but did go over to watch it - beautiful city, well supported but hot, even in Feb.

Seville is class, the early start means you miss the worst of the heat for most of the race but it certainly heats up in the latter stages, well organised, cheap as chips, cobblestones are a little messy at stages but I’d deffo go back

rainbow kirby

I've done Barcelona, Manchester and London (twice) in the spring - Barcelona is great, ran my PB there, but I'd agree that the stretch by the beach is quite hot. Absolute smorgasbord of food at 20 miles as well - nuts and fruit etc. Manchester has surprisingly good crowd support (I may be biased though as I was running in the singlet of one of the local clubs, I'm a Chorlton Runner) and very few hills to speak of. Support should be better next year as the route is heading into the city centre as opposed to being mostly around Trafford. London is London, I've been jammy enough to get two ballot places, and had two shockingly bad runs there. Still enjoyed it though!

Dub13

I have done Brighton and Rotterdam, on both got hit with hot days and it messed me up. I would recommend both. they are both very easy to get to as well.

kilns

Looks like I am going to for the Vienna Marathon in April (unless in the unlikely outcome I get a London ballot entry)