Alan Nawoj's Staging Area

This was my first time running the Peace-Love-Run Half Marathon in San Diego, and overall it was a good experience. The weather for race day was perfect (typical sunny San Diego weather) and the winding course had some great scenery along the way… it’s all within the park at Mission Bay and most of the course goes along the water. Although it’s a pretty flat course, the limited shade made it a bit more challenging as the sun started to beat down. There is also a 5K and 10K run at the same time, and these two races share part of the same course as the half marathon, so I needed to dodge around many of these runners during the second loop on the island. The markings/guidance at some key turns could have been better marked since I started going the wrong way twice but got the attention of a volunteer to steer me in the right direction (and a friend of mine ended up running 2 extra miles!). Although the spectator support was limited during much of the race, the finish line area was very nice and the volunteers were great. There was a live band at the finish, and the race medals were really nice… more impressive than most marathon medals I’ve received. Overall, a good race and a fun morning… I’d do it again.

If you’re looking for a fast course, Marrakech is a good option… although be prepared for the temps to rise as the race goes on… since it’s a desert-like climate, Marrakech tends to heat up quickly. Temps were in the 50’s when I started and in the 70’s by the time I finished. Not much in terms of any pre-race activities or expo, but the exotic old city with its winding narrow passageways and markets more than makes up for it. Overall, it’s a good race, but one area where they could improve is to have a professional photography company taking photos of runners along the course.

I ran the Auckland Marathon with my wife in 2010 and found it to be a great race. On the morning of the race, you can take the ferry ride across Auckland Harbor to get to the starting line… it’s a fun way to meet other runners and get a nice view of the city skyline before the sun comes up. You then get another great view of the city when you run back to Auckland over the famous Auckland Harbor Bridge. There are many scenic miles along the waterways of Auckland in the latter half of the marathon, and you get to finish in a nice big park in the city center. Weather was perfect the year we ran it, and there were plenty of aid stations along the course. Auckland is a beautiful city and a great home base to start exploring other parts of New Zealand, which we did after the marathon. Overall, I’d definitely recommend it to other runners.

As the marathon banners hanging around the city read, “there’s nothing quite like Boston” pretty much sums it up. The history and enthusiasm amongst runners for the Boston Marathon extends around the globe, and the event seems to get more popular each year. The energy in the city is palpable at the pre-race Marathon Expo and Pasta Party, and it all becomes real when you make the long bus ride from Boston Common out to the small town of Hopkinton on Patriots’ Day morning… your one-way ticket to the starting line. Held on a Monday in the middle of April (aka “Marathon Monday”), the weather runners experience during the Boston Marathon can vary widely… from cold, windy, and raining to hot and humid. I’ve experienced both, and it’s the one variable you can’t easily account for in your training. The relentless hills will give your quads a good workout, but the crowd support is among the best (if not the best) you’ll experience in any marathon… Boston Marathon spectators love this event and turn out in droves regardless of the weather conditions. They are especially boisterous at Wellesley College, Boston College, Boston University, and pretty much the entire last mile leading up to the Finish Line at Copley Square… enough to give you a boost of adrenaline if your body is starting to hurt. Making the final turn from Hereford Street onto Boylston Street with the Finish Line in sight is a very uplifting moment, and it makes the months or years of preparation all worth it. The B.A.A. also puts on a great post-race party, so the fun is not over when you cross the finish line!

If you’re looking for a marathon to run in Europe, Paris is an awesome place to start. The race takes place in the springtime, which is when the flowers are blooming in Paris and the weather is generally pretty nice. You’ll feel the energy of this big city marathon at the Expo and Pasta Dinner, where runners from around the world congregate and fuel up for the big day.

It’s an impressive sight with 30,000+ runners lining up on the famous Champs Elysees on the morning of the marathon with the Arc de Triomphe prominently displayed in the background. The Paris Marathon has a relatively flat course that takes you through the heart of the city and past several of its most well-known landmarks, including the Louvre, the Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, and the Arc de Triomphe… with a good amount of time running right along the banks of the River Seine. The crowd support was quite good the year I ran it, and you’ll hear the chant “Allez! Allez!” many times as you weave through the city streets.

Paris is definitely a marathon I’d do again… and the best part is indulging on the Nutella covered crepes after the race is over, which can be found all around the city 🙂