Under High Patronnage of its Majesty the King Mohammed VI, the International Marathon of Marrakech announces its next edition which will take place this January. More than 12,000 runners from all over the world will be there to participate in one of the most prestigious marathons in the world. The …
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Under High Patronnage of its Majesty the King Mohammed VI, the International Marathon of Marrakech announces its next edition which will take place this January. More than 12,000 runners from all over the world will be there to participate in one of the most prestigious marathons in the world.
The Edenic city of Marrakech offers an exceptional setting, an often mild climate and a beautiful circuit considered among the fastest of international marathons, along the alleys of palm trees, orange trees and olive trees, but also the ramparts of the city. In continuity, but also in change, the International Marathon of Marrakech, not only aims to regain the place it once occupied in the list of prestigious international marathons, but even more, to become the essential meeting international of all the stars of this beautiful sport.
The International Marathon of Marrakech is also an exceptional tourist event which will make the beautiful city of palm trees, during this month of January, one of the favourite destinations for thousands of Moroccan and foreign visitors.
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Chaos, terrible organization
The worst organized marathon of my nearly 200! Package pickup not done by race organization - only two sizes of men’s tshirts available. Three portapotties at the start for 9,000 … MORE
The worst organized marathon of my nearly 200! Package pickup not done by race organization – only two sizes of men’s tshirts available. Three portapotties at the start for 9,000 runners. Fast, wide streets, but when we merged and unmerged with the halfers, confusion and air pollution from motorbikes on the sidewalk. At the end, no medals , crammed in tight space while runners around me nearly rioted.
Extremely Poorly Organized
This is the worst organized marathon and half marathon I've seen in my 35 years of running. It begins with the deceptive websites that appear to be the official race … MORE
This is the worst organized marathon and half marathon I’ve seen in my 35 years of running. It begins with the deceptive websites that appear to be the official race website but instead are run by travel companies. Travel Gateway is one of the worst. When you arrive at packet picket, you can except to wait for 2+ hours in chaos with no defined line and very limited staff. The race itself is on roads open to traffic belching exhaust with limited scenery as it is primarily outside of the Medina. If you decide to run Marrakech, DO NOT sign up in advance. Instead, you can sign up with no wait on the Friday or Saturday before the event at the Marathon Village or in the Jemaa el-Fnaa square.
Not recommended for first-timers
### My Personal Race Experience Summary #### Summary My BHAG is to run a marathon on every continent (minus Antarctica) by the time I'm 60. The Marrakesh Marathon was my … MORE
### My Personal Race Experience Summary
#### Summary
My BHAG is to run a marathon on every continent (minus Antarctica) by the time I’m 60. The Marrakesh Marathon was my marathon in Africa, chosen because it suited my itinerary, and plans to explore the country several years earlier had fallen through. So, 2024 was my chance to do both.
There was a general lack of important information on the official websites, which were run by different event/tour agencies. Reviews from past participants were also poor, so my expectations were low.
I knew I needed more than the officially provided water and orange slices to get through the event, so I bought a bum bag in Marrakesh to carry bananas, dates, and an electrolyte sachet. As it turned out, support stations provided plenty of food. Better communication from the organizers could have saved me time and money.
#### Race Preparation
I run 5-6 days per week, so it’s hard to pinpoint when my training officially started. By September, 4 months before the event, I was running over 60km per week, with long weekend runs over 20km. In the 10 weeks leading up to the marathon, I ran 717km, my highest marathon training mileage since 2015. This included six runs over 30km and weekly speed workouts. I also ran six Parkrun 5km events, ending with a 19m44s run in early December.
#### Race Entry
I entered the event in early December after ensuring my training was on track and I had no injuries. The registration process was outdated and required sending the entry fee to a bank account in Morocco. Despite concerns, I went ahead and received a confirmation email.
#### Pre-Race
**Travel and Acclimatisation:** We traveled from New Zealand to Morocco with stopovers in Singapore and London, arriving in Marrakesh 8 days before the event to acclimatize and recover from jetlag. I did an 18km run at marathon pace one week before the marathon, with the rest of the week consisting of easy runs.
**Accommodation:** We stayed in a Riad 2km from the start/finish line. The Riad was occasionally noisy but had good amenities and single beds, which were important for my restless legs.
**Massage:** I arranged a 90-minute massage with a physiotherapist at La Maison du Tui Na for MAD725, which helped with final stretching.
**Race Pack Pickup:** I picked up my race pack on Friday but found my name wasn’t on the official list. After showing my confirmation email, I received my race pack. The lack of proper record-keeping was concerning for safety reasons.
#### Race Day
**Before the Start:** My race day routine includes black coffee, toast with peanut butter, and a banana. We left at 7:30 for the 20-minute walk to the start. There were no maps of the start venue, but we found the toilets easily.
**Start:** The race started at 8:30 with announcements only in French. The temperature was 9°C, and I regretted not wearing an extra layer. My pacing strategy was to keep between 4m50s and 5m00s per kilometre.
**10km:** The route was quiet with few supporters. I ran the first 10km in 48m19s, slightly faster than planned.
**20km:** The course passed through less scenic areas. I reached 20km in 1h36m50s, on track for a sub-3h30m finish.
**30km:** Traffic increased, causing safety concerns. I reached 30km in 2h26m07s, slightly slowing.
**40km:** The last 10km were brutal. I walked intermittently but finished in 3h38m32s, missing my goal of 3h30m.
#### Finish
The finish area was crowded with half-marathoners. I received a medal and a small goodie bag. I walked back to our accommodation and rested.
#### Results
I finished in 3h38m, averaging 5m11s per km, placing 395th out of 1,170 and 20th in my age group. Despite registration issues, my results were eventually corrected but still had errors. Overall, it was a poor experience.
Room
Marrakech marathon is one of the biggest sporting events in Morocco. In 2019 , in its 30th edition- the Marakesh Marathon had over 8000 runners signed up for the half … MORE
Marrakech marathon is one of the biggest sporting events in Morocco. In 2019 , in its 30th edition- the Marakesh Marathon had over 8000 runners signed up for the half and the full marathon distance.
For some reason there are two operators that promote the marathon and I still have not figured out how my friends and me signed up at two different promoters.
That led to the fact that when we arrived at the Marathon expo we had to go to different tents to get our bib and our race shirt which were slightly different in the design and colour.
It was pretty chilly on race day: fog prevented the sun from roasting us and 10’C are perfect for running!! They had a bag drop (a tent over a dusty lawn) but far to little toilets. The marathon started 30 minutes ahead of the half. The plan was sticking to my friends for the whole race. Due to their last minute need to get rid of some extra water we started a little further back then we wanted. The Boulevards at the start are huge. The course was drawing a big circle via the opera, the olive park and around the medina (old town). Logistics with water was not perfect. Sometimes one had to wait until the volunteers would turn around and grab from behind or from under the table a bottle of water. Most water stations also handed out oranges. At the finished everybody was handed out a bag (that were freshly packed so a little wait) with two oranges, a banana and water. The medals came with red and green ribbons (Moroccos national colors) but we didn’t see a “system” that decided which Color you would get.
It was a nice race to check of Morocco with room for improvement when it comes to logistics. The course is flat and can be fast; 55€ For the half was in comparison to other races that were brilliantly organised (many races in Eastern Europe and Greece) on the expensive side…
Some notes on Marrakesh:
– January in Morocco is usually mild. Day time temperatures are around 18-22’ centigrade but the city is situated in the Dessert and temperatures drop after sunrise (down to 2-4’)
– The airport is very modern. A cab into town is about 20-25 USD.
– Credit cards are wildly accepted
– People are very nice but they live of tourism. In downtown, I never felt unsafe. But I would advise being careful and trust your instincts.
Fast and flat with camels along the way!
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, … MORE
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.
Unique experience
I participated in the 2005 marathon but can’t find the official participant list online again? I know what my time was but they spelled my name wrong and indicated that … MORE
I participated in the 2005 marathon but can’t find the official participant list online again? I know what my time was but they spelled my name wrong and indicated that I was French in the race printout at the time (I am not French). I know this was 19 years ago but wanted to document all my marathons. It was a “unique” experience even if it was my worst time.