[Closed] Recommend me a marathon (running content)

Are you set on running a road marathon or would you consider a trail one? Swaledale Marathon is slightly under marathon distance but is in June I think and is a fabulous route with lots of hills.

I did Edinburgh a few years back. It's good for a PB as the route is about as downhill as they can allow; finish is lower than the start. I didn't find it a very inspiring route though and isn't really a showcase of the city.

I ran Snowdonia Marathon a few years ago, pretty brutal with the hills but stunning scenery and ticks the boxes for Autumn. Entries open new years day and sell out in a few hours, so need to be on it if you want a place!

http://www.snowdoniamarathon.co.uk/

Thanks @turboflard ... I’ve done a few trail marathons.
I’m Looking for a road marathon to better my York time last year.

Should have mentioned that I’m looking for a PB kind of course!

Have you looked at Chester? Not done it myself but heard it’s good for PB’s

Loch Ness marathon is good, some nice scenery. It is a bit hilly, but more downhill than uphill anyway. So maybe not the fastest.

Manchester is good. Friendly crowd, flat course and a reasonable course.
I here good things about Brighton and Edinburgh, Mrs Lunge is doing the latter this year.
Worcester is meant to be small, friendly and a nice course but it’s a 2 lapper which puts some off. I’ll be able to confirm how nice it in in about 6 weeks.

I’m looking for a PB kind of course!

Not Snowdonia then 😂...my slowest marathon by about 20 mins

Not one for a PB...
Mrs S came second in the
http://www.snowdoniamarathon.co.uk/some years back.
She was leading lady for most of the race so had lots of coverage on S4C (TV Stardom failed to materialise).

I'll ask her this evening which road marathons she liked the most.

(EDIT: hah, twodogs our posts crossed!)

Clarendon Way is a lovely trail marathon, A to B (which I always liked as you're always going in the right direction!), in early October.

is that the salisbury one Moe?
Mrs S did that and it was v pleasant, although not a road/pb kind of event.

Edinbrugh and Manchester are the ones friends I have went to for PBs

Another tick for the Snowdonia marathon. Ive done it twice.

GPS watch, out the front door and turn left. Keep going. Just carry some fuel and water. No crowds, no cheering, no goodie bags, no hassle. No problem.

GPS watch, out the front door and turn left. Keep going. Just carry some fuel and water. No crowds, no cheering, no goodie bags, no hassle. No problem.

No atmosphere, no closed roads, no feeling of being part of something, no medical support if needed, no official timing to share. Just you and a battle of willpower for four hours with nothing and no-one to encourage and support you for those last few miles. Having to stop and wait to traffic at every road crossing. Why wouldn't you want to do that? Sounds like great fun. You could even make your own medal out of an old CD, a sharpie and a bit of string!
Or, you could do what you want to actually do and asked the original question about. Why do some people have to go out of their way to be smug in telling you the complete opposite of what you asked for?

Anyway, rant over. It's Friday morning, the sky is blue and I'm not at work next week! 🙂

Some Spanish options:

Valencia is the 1st of December, and very flat.
https://www.valenciaciudaddelrunning.com/en/entries-valencia-marathon-2019/

Seville is also highly regarded, in February.
http://www.zurichmaratonsevilla.es/zm2-detalle-evento/evento/3801-zurich-maraton-de-sevilla-2020

A mate set his PB in Castellon (on the coast up from Valencia), it's also in February:
http://www.maratonbpcastellon.com

San Sebastian is very flat and in November.
http://www.zurichmaratondonostia.com/maratondonostia/portada.asp

I've done Madrid a couple of times, as it's local. If you're combining it with tourism I'd recommend it, but it's not ideal if you're looking for a PB. It's at the end of April.
https://www.runrocknroll.com/es/Events/Madrid

Southend?

Edinburgh is good for a pb, but the half marathon is by far the better course.

The first half of the marathon is down from town centre to Musselburgh which is nice (and end of half). The second half of the marathon is one out and back along coastal road. Few spectators outside the small handful of coastal villages at this part and a fairly dull stretch when you are just waiting for the turn around Point. Last 10km or so is into prevailing winds which can be demoralising.

However well run, slick event and great support for final 2km into the finish shute.

Chester seems to be a good shout as mentioned above.
@Stoner - a lass that used to run for our club has been first lady at Snowdon at least once. Who finished in front of your wife, it wasn't Joanne Nelson was it?

No, I can't see the Nelson in 08 and 09. I'm sure Mrs S also ran pre 08 but the records don't go back that far

pocpoc
Why do some people have to go out of their way to be smug in telling you the complete opposite of what you asked for?

Ooops. Sorry, wasn't my intention to appear smug. Just offering a counterpoint to all the organised stuff. Medals and cheers don't do it for me and I'm happy to plan my own route and plod about by myself though I appreciate not everyone will share that particular weirdness.

I’m happy to plan my own route and plod about by myself though I appreciate not everyone will share that weirdness.

So am I, most weekends. But a proper race, with timing and everything, is fun every now and then. And adds a bit of motivation for those days when you get a case of CBA and the sofa's beckoning...

If you want a marathon that's actually in Edinburgh, try the Meadows Marathon. 18 laps around the park... It is quite a small event, organised by students for charity. So quite friendly and not too serious, and avoids most of the big crowds. Though not too quiet as you are passing people ahead or behind etc.

Apology accepted 😉
To me the events are the reasons to train because they are official. And they aren't cheap, so it makes me want to train and to do my best to justify the cost.
I've entered the Great North run this year. In January I could run 5k and be dead at the end. This week I managed 12k at a faster pace. If I didn't have the GNR as an end goal I would still be plodding around at 5k and thinking that was somehow progress while wondering why I wasn't losing any weight!

@Stoner, yes Salisbury, definitely no Pb's to be had! Not a Marathon distance but the Grizzly at Seaton is another option and a true 'experience'!!

I've Mk Marathon a few times. I'd say its quite a nice course, only one climb in it really but its not huge. Manchester marathon is changing next year to take out a bit of up hill, so it'll be even flatter and faster plus its usually a reasonable temperature. A lot of people use manchester to go for a Good For Age time to get into other major marathons.

Thanks all. Chester is a good option for autumn but I’m starting to get my head around a spring marathon now and getting it done.
Edinburgh appeals given its the end of May so I can ramp the training up after Xmas as opposed to Manchester which would start a couple of weeks before Xmas.
Milton Keynes Is aN option since I have family living there but read mixed reviews on the course and having watched the promotional video on the website, the finish in the stadium looks remarkably underwhelming.
Stof41 - is that what you’ve found having ran it?

I quite like the stadium finish, but i'm biased as i live here. I've not read the reviews. What did they say?

I did the Great North Run last year because everybody said how great it was but personally i found it one of the most boring courses that i've run. Its all dull duel carridgeway.

The promotional video shows a very quiet stadium and the smallest inflatable finish line .. not even a clock in sight! Maybe I’m mistaken but it really put me off.Id expect a gantry with a clock and crowds! Is that how it is or is it just a poor video?

I realise these places need to string a 26 mile route Together so I don’t expect paradise around every corner but I’m looking for closed roads - not running alongside dual carriageways or on cycle tracks. York is excellent in that it meanders through the centre then out to the villages .. there’s plenty of support and a great finish area. I guess I’m looking for something similar

Agree on the great north run. I avoid it like the plague. The vale of York half is on the same day and it’s far, far better and without the hassle.

I've just watched the official video, I see what you mean about the stadium. If your at the front of the race the stadium is very quite, but fills out as more people finsh. There is a big clock just behind the finish arch. They cant have a huge arch as they are not allowed to go on to the pitch.

I'm sure its not as pretty a York, but not many places are going to be.

The first 6 or 7 miles are on closed roads, then it goes on to the Redways around the outskirts. Suppoert is patchy.

Depends where your coming from, I'm sure there is better.

It is very well organised though

Another MK local, I've run it 5 times and think it's great - the stadium finish is good if you have family who are watching, 3.5hrs - 4hrs the atmosphere is good. I've done 20+ marathons, after London and York, I'd put MK third. I found Edinburgh to be a total bore/uninspiring, Brighton is nice but pricey.

As an alternative, Cambridge Boundary run is low-maintenance, cheap and quite a fun route: https://cuhh.soc.srcf.net/boundary-run/. Also heard good things about Stratford (Shakespeare) and Manchester.

Not much help (sorry), give MK a go, you'll be surprised!

Lochaber is April, iirc it's flat?

Loch Ness is slow as ****.

Lochaber marathon was cancelled a few years ago.
There's a new Fort William trail marathon in July, looks like a nice route, though a lot hillier and slower.

Edinburgh is nice for the first half, last half is a grim out and back along the coast. Fairly uninspiring, if you can close your mind to that, then it's definitely a PB course.

Mrs ran Chester Marathon a year or so back, she said it was nice and flat - English Athletics were using it as a seniors selection event, so lots of quick people of all ages there.

There is a small slope towards the end (about 23 miles in) that had people buckling, the Mrs ran the Devil of the Highlands a few weeks earlier and couldn't see what the complaint was......

Nice city to visit as well - certainly worth a look.
If you want a spring marathon, Stirling or Manchester tend to be the popular ones in our circles

I ran Kielder a couple of years ago. Fantastic setting, far nicer than a city marathon; that said, it is a bit 'lumpy'!! If I ever get strong enough I'll do it again.

Abingdon Marathon always used to be popular for those looking for a decent time.

If you fancy a trail marathon in the future, I can recommend White Peak Marathon. Not as hilly as it sounds as you run on old railway lines - Tissington and High Peak trails. 3 massive downhills right before the end (the first 10 miles are a very gradual up hill).

Edinburgh may be fine if chasing a PB but the route itself is a total disappointment. You very quickly leave the city for East Lothian, never to return. The 2nd half is past a lumping great power station to an uninspiring cone turn, back through the (uneven) grounds of a stately home, past the power station again and into Musselburgh park. The Edinburgh Moonwalk had a far better 26 mile course past a number of historical buildings, through parks and along the seafront before actually finishing in Edinburgh, so it can be done.

If you want to enter MK (AND WHY WOULDN'T YOU WANT TO VISIT THE CITY OF DREAMS!) - the entries had closed, but have re-opened - if you use the code MKAMBVIP2352 - then you get 15% off (I'm an MK Marathon Ambassador - http://mkmarathon.com/ambassadors/ can you guess which one?)...

Thanks @tarka_the_rotter but it’s next year I’m looking for a marathon.

@downshep - that seems to be the consensus regarding the Edinburgh route . I am in it for the PB so I’d like a relatively nice route but equally I can live with some sh1tty sections

Boston UK has just been (14th April?).
I did it last year and it is flat, very flat, and I got a PB so ticks the spring and PB options.
It is though pretty dull, but if you're after a PB then it's a good course with that in mind.

Manchester is pretty flat too, not as flat as Boston though.
Manchester is much bigger and Boston is much smaller so it depends whether you want to go low key or big event?
Best thing to do is have a look on run Britain for events that have just happened or are about to and see what floats your boat.

A couple of left-field options, both of marathon distance but with scenery:
Lairig Ghru race, June.
Braemar to Aviemore, straight through the middle of the Cairngorms and very well managed.

Glencoe marathon in September.
Marathon distance from Glencoe village to Glen Nevis campsite near Ft William, much of it on the West Highland Way; again highly regarded.

Both have lumpy bits in them and harder surfaces than your average high street. The terrain, the company and the views are superb.