Which to choose?

The Rook

Hi all,

Am just starting to set myself up for training which will culminate in a marathon early spring of next year but as of right now I'm not sure which to pick between Rome and Paris and would really appreciate any info/feedback that anyone/everyone could provide, particularly if you've raced either or both!

Thanks a million

Woddle

I can't comment on Rome but here is my account of Paris

Woddle wrote: »

Ok I said I wouldn't say anything till I digest the info but my wife just fell asleep so I have some free time and no she didn't run today but she did have the kids running her ragged

This is the most badly organised race I have ever been apart of. They did not have a one way system for dropping bags and stuff like Dublin and Berlin do, this meant that people walking down to dump their bags were walking straight into people walking towards the start, I did not see any signs for anything, there was a shortage of toilets. It was a joke.
Finally got into my coral with approx 2 mins to spare, I was dying for a toilet but was afraid I would miss the start. Finally got going and I was trying my best to relax and not be too concerned with the first couple of k and I was only slightly of the pace but I could never get a rhythm going as this marathon was way to congested and the weaving in and out was very tiring. At the first water point at 5 k everyone was forced to stop, don't know why but we were there for 40 seconds to a minute would be my guess without moving a step, this is were I lost my cool and started shouting:rolleyes: When we did get going it took me till 9k to finally hit a target of 4:44 per k and then staright away I had to pee. After this I decided sub 3:30 was now the goal and I chipped away at this nicely but at around 12k I had to stop with what turned out to be a blister, so I took the pin from my number and burst it, I set off again and lasted 200 meters before the pain acted up, so I put a plaster around the blister, this thankfully did the job and I was off again. I tried to make up the time again but couldn't, I felt I could but I was just getting trapped behind too many runners who were running slower than what I wanted. I passed the 20k mark and saw the toilets, in I went and timed myself at 5:30 mins, everytime I stood up I had to sit back down. I went through halfway in 1:52 and I already knew my race was over, It was hot and now my nipples were bleeding, I stopped at a medical tent and asked for vaseline, she couldn't find any and gave me a cream instead, all this did was sting the fcuk out of me and with that I sucked the belly in and took off the singlet, and pinned the number to my shorts, all time wasting but I didn't care. We then got to 3x long tunnels and at the end of each was a hill, probably only 200/300 meters long but each time they knocked me back further. At 35kish I got cramp in my left hamstring and roared out loud like an eejit, it took me a while to stretch this out and while doing so the 4 hour pacer went by :eek: I didn't really give a **** and didn't care about even breaking 4 hours. I finally came in in 4 hours plus (I still hav'nt checked my official time or my watch). After the race it took a lifetime to get my bag and get out because for some reason the stewards would not let us out, everyone was roaring at them but yet they still didn't open them :mad: Oh and with 200 meters to go to the finish myself and about 5 other runners nearly got hit by an ambulance.
My anger towards this race is still raging, I will not be back, maybe I'm judging it harshly after running Berlin but this race organisation has nothing on Dublin and Berlin.

Now thats my rant and now this is were I take responsibility, I let the race defeat me mentally, I should have been mentally tougher, I'm annoyed at myself because of this because if I had of just sucked it up and said fcuk it give the second have a bash, but I didn't and I'm really annoyed at my defeatest attitude.

Oh and I really missed my garmin

eliwallach

That was a great rant there Woddle, and would have been a shoe-in for rant-of-the-season had it been a category .
On a more serious note this kind of thing concerns/frightens me, as no matter how well you prepare for a marathon, a whole myriad of things can mitigate against you.
You really do need the 'perfect storm' for a marathon PB.

PS- Rook, I think Woddle may be nudging you gently in the direction of the Rome Marathon.

Or how abouut the renowned Connemara marathon? (where men are made, I hear).

Woddle

Yep it was indeed some rant
Other marathons that spring to mind is Rotterdam and Belfast both got good reviews from boardsies.

rovers_runner

I'd recommend Barcelona based on the following:

1. Temps won't rise above 15/16 degrees most likely as it's first week of March which is handy after a winter training in Ireland.
2. Numbers are around 10,000 which means crowds not a problem
3. One of the nicest cities in Europe to stay in for a few days.
4. Course is fairly flat if you are planning on a pb.
5. Transport to the start/finish area is excellent, metro to 100m of the start line.
6. The view at the finish line:

Magnet

I`d say go for Paris!
I wrote something in the Paris Marathon thread about it,
I stayed in a hotel at the start (Arc de Triomphe) so didn`t have to do the drop bag thing, and went into my start area (Champe Elyeses) and we were off...
It was a big crowd so you really had to watch your footing with the high kerbs and traffic islands in the middle of the road along the start til it spreads out a little.
There was pacers (3 for the 3.15) and they were spot on at every 5k mark, the water stations every 5k had bottles (500ml) so you you got plenty to drink and pour over yourself as it got hotter! It got up to 18*C There were water sponges too and lots of dried fruit, and apparently there was wine etc towards the end but i was just focussed on finishing at that stage...
I got to my first sight ever of the Eiffel Tower at about 20 miles so that was cool!
There wasn`t much of a goodie bag but the Expo was great for shopping...
Oh and i think it was 83% men so if you`re a girl there`s plenty of support from the crowd -Amazing if you`re goin well but a little patronizing if you`re not..:o

billyhead

I have no experience in running in Paris but I ran the Rome maratahon in 2008 and I highly recommend it. Its not a very fast Marathon (those cobble streets are a pain in the ass). A sub 3 hour if thats your aim is achievable however. I one here but could have went faster only for the soles of the feet aching like hell after running over surfaces I wasn't used to. You pass all the touristy sights on your run apart from the spanish steps and you start and finish at the Colleseum and the Italians do give strong support. Oh and the weather is nice around Mid March. It was sunny and about 18-19 degress when I ran it.

--amadeus--

I haven't run Rome (cobbles put me off) but I did Paris as my 2nd race.

IMO it is very much an "experience" race rather than a PB race (although in 2006 they claimed more sub 3 finishers than any other European marathons, so maybe it was just me!). The start is crowded and I never really cleared the congestion and so it was very, very frustrating to run (I finished 4:00 dead :mad:) Nor was teh support all that (compared to Dublin / Rotterdam or teh lunacy of Berlin). However the route is hard to fault - flat if narrow in parts. It also hits the sights - starting down the Champs-Élysées, the Louvre, the Eiffel Tower from the river, the Diana crash tunnel (:eek:) and running up to finish by the Arc is great. And teh refreshments are amazing - fruit, cheese, cider, wine all en route!