My first marathon was run in Chicago, and the organization and support were brilliant - especially for a city that could fit our little province into it. I then decided to run my own country's marathon, and was disappointed to say the least. If other cities can get their organization into order, is there any chance of the organizing committee here speaking to other committees and giving themselves a good kick in the butt?! How can I possibly recommend this to runners from other countries?!

There were lots of positives about Belfast '09, but several issues have yet to be dealt with from previous years - namely: the lack of mile markers other than those painted rather discreetly on the road; crowd participation was feeble to be honest (maybe it was the biting wind?); cotton T shirts (I thought these were a thing of the past); extremely cheap plastic cups for water, which broke on contact with hand (though the PowerAde bottles were great); the lack of buses as advertised back to the start from the finish line; the lack of an audible sound system at the start; and the failure to force walkers farther back, apart from one sign suggesting finishing times.

I ran the Belfast Marathon this year (2009) for the first time, having run the Dublin Marathon last year. I'm glad I ran it but the organizers really need to do some more work if they're to attract real marathoners to the event.

1. Having marathoners line up with walkers at the start of the race is a disaster. How are marathoners to get a good start with people stopping in front of them and blocking the way?
2. The route is quite hilly, and at times you are actually running along a footpath or a motorway. In Dublin the roads were closed for marathoners. At one point marathoners were asked to stop to let lorries cross. This is a disgrace.
3. The relay changeover points need to be further improved. It would be better at all changeover points that the route be split in two for marathoners and relay runners. (The relay is an excellent idea and gives everyone a chance to compete.)
4. The mile markers are a joke. I only saw a mile marker for 13 miles, 17 and 25. How are runners supposed to get their splits right?
5. I found it difficult to get to water at some water stations, as I didn't want to stop running to get water. It's also hard to drink out of a polystyrene cup while running. In Dublin they give you a bottle of water with a drinking cap and have plenty of stations with sports energy drinks.
6. The lack of porta-loos is also a serious problem. Luckily a few shops and bars were open and were letting people use their toilet facilities.
7. The lack of organization for handing in your plastic bags with your changing kit at the start of the race was also a disgrace. I was told to hand it in to a white van at the side of the city hall. What I actually saw were people leaving their bags at a bus shelter. There were no officials looking after the bags.
8. While spectators are to be welcomed, the organizers need to take more care to cordon off the route and also the finish line. Once I crossed through the finish line, I was immediately hit with a wall of spectators. I had to ask someone for my medal and get my own water.
9. I felt most sorry for runners who took longer than five hours to complete the marathon. By that stage most of the officials along the route in Ormeau Park had disappeared. Spectators were walking along and the only way runners could work out the route was by arrows on the ground, which were starting to fade because of the weather. This is very disheartening and a total disgrace.
10. I know the route has been changed over the last year but perhaps they'll think about changing it again so runners aren't forced to run along footpaths, towpaths, the side of motorways or stop for traffic and pedestrians.

I've run 5 marathons and Belfast is my favorite. I ran it in 2006 and 2007 was unable to run it this year, but intend to be there in 2009. The marathon is very well organized and the shower facilities at the finish are a big plus. Find the race isn't that well supported outside the city center and the marathon relay runners can be a distraction. I like the course and my fastest times are over the new course. All in all, a well-run show.

I decided to give Belfast one last shot at enticing me back to this race after the chaotic scenes of 2002 when I was pushed out in to the road by members of relay teams and in to the path of an oncoming car. For me, that was the end. However, I became aware that there was a new race committee and therefore thought... ok... I will give it one more go.... My 2008 experience was so much better than any of my previous 5 BCM's... the course was better, the organization was better, the medal was better, the support on the route was better, but much more needs to be done to make this a race it could be.

We'll start with registration - a marquee some miles outside Belfast city center. As it was raining, some people had to wait outside in the rain for some time before getting their numbers (luckily I was early and was in and out in 2 minutes). There is no expo of any sort, so dragging competitors out here was for what reason? The people at registration couldn't have been more helpful - encouraging and polite (huge change for the better here); the race package had number in it, race program, and a few fliers; the t-shirt was ok, but have had far superior quality t-shirts for much smaller events.... As far as I could see, there was little to no support from "sponsors" - a great shame. BCM allows you the option of buying a fleece - coming into the summer months?? A waterproof jacket would be far more enticing, and any sort of merchandise with BCM logo would be better than absolutely nothing!

The start was, as I expected - chaotic... so, I decided to start at the back, out of trouble and let the walkers block the runners farther up in the field. This is due to lack of marshaling time corrals, which were attached to lamp posts. Having been in this situation before, I can say: start at the back. The course was challenging but pleasant, and much improved from previous experiences. The people of Belfast were incredibly kind and supportive.

My main gripe was that there were no static clocks along the course, as there was no timing on the course. How could the elite-to-fun runners check on their split times? There should be static clocks at the 10K half and 20 mile markers. I did get one gulp of sports drink this year, which was good; however, the main sponsor could be more prevalent (a water company). We had the use of standpipes for water. I noticed as the miles ticked by that there were fewer and fewer cups left at water stations, and the last one had run out. I thought of those people still on the course in the heat 3 hours after me with no water... again....

Over the finish line I received my medal from a very pleasant volunteer and a bottle of water (wow) - nothing else. They have improved the relay changeover points so that they do not interfere with marathon runners, but if BCM wants to get recognition of being a MARATHON, they should really reconsider the relays. Yes, there was more emphasis on marathon runners this year (a good change), but the organizers boast 16,000 competitors, leading people to believe that all are completing 26.2 miles (when in reality, it's 4,000 - at most).

It's debatable whether I will do this again next year. Instead of relays, they should hold a 10K and half on the day, and there should be better controls at the start line (with stricter time bands enforced). Yes, there have been improvements, but there are better marathons out there to be tried and tested. It's a shame, as this could be a good marathon; unfortunately it still needs simple issues to be addressed. Do it if you want to. The people of Belfast are VERY WELCOMING. I am just not a fan of relay legs!!!!!!!

This was my first marathon experience; I ran the first leg of the relay, and whilst we thoroughly enjoyed our day out and raised a lot of money for our charity, the actual race didn't feel professional at all. I will summarize:

* Not enough loos at the start - runners seemed to have to start and nip behind various walls a few yards up the road.
* Couldn't hear a single word the starter had to say.
* Mile markers could have been a little bigger and I understand that some of the later markers were written in chalk on the road/path. I'm not too sure how accurate they were. Perhaps someone else can confirm.
* Water stop after about 1 mile and then about 2.5 and then none until after I finished my 6 miles. There should have been water stations at 2 and 4 miles.
* Impossible to drink from plastic cups whilst running. I skipped the first water station as I couldn't get near it without having to stop. What about some Deep River Rock squeeze bottles? I understand that the Dublin Marathon has 250 ML bottles of Ballygowan at each of 9 drinking stations.
* I may be wrong, but was there just water station on one side of road.
* First part of the marathon went out along Sydenham bypass - long and boring, sparse/no support and fumes from lorries and cars along the way.
* Helpers at relay checkpoints didn't seem to know anything about bags, etc.
* Can't believe walkers started with runners.
* Felt embarrassed to watch walkers coming strolling over the same finish line as the marathon runners. Watching the leading men and women giving it their all and having the walkers "stealing their glory" just wasn't right to me. (No offense to the walkers - they should have had a different start and finish.)
* Walkers got crisps, bottles of water and a medal when they crossed the finish, but relay runners (other than the final runner) got nothing.
* Having spoken to a girl who ran the marathon, I understand that the changeover points were total chaos for them to get through. Running a marathon needs total concentration, and to be disrupted in this way is inexcusable. There have to be lanes at changeover points to keep relay runners away from marathoners.
* Can't believe that the marathon runners (other than perhaps the frontrunners) had to dodge traffic. Can a route not be found where roads can be closed for a few hours?
* Surely a route can also be found that doesn't involve running along motorways or deserted docks, etc. It was a real pleasure to be cheered on by the public, but it seemed the route chosen wasn't spectator-friendly.

These are the feelings that I have. Like I said, we had a fantastic time and I would definitely go back to raise some money and do another relay next year, but unless there are drastic improvements, I am not going to pick Belfast for my first marathon.

I ran the 2005 marathon, and I have similar feelings about that one and this one. First of all, at the start, I don't know why they put walkers in front of the runners. When I was jogging down the road, I had to dodge lines of walkers all walking together. Surely, the organizers should put the walkers behind the runners at the start. That would just make sense!

I ran the course in 2005, and whilst I am happy that that 2005 route has been changed, they still have kept the narrow tow-path by the M5/M2, leading into Duncrue Estate. I thought the smells around this estate were very unpleasant. When I was looking at the map before the race, I was looking forward to an energy station at 22 miles - but there were no energy drinks there! What a letdown! I am going to run the Great North Run and the Dublin Marathon this year and see how they compare in organization. I will probably run Belfast again, after all of these negative comments! But they have some work to do.

I enjoyed running the marathon, as I thought it was very challenging. However, there was a serious lack of water stations and I hated those stupid cups, as I find it very hard to run and drink from them at the same time. I also had to ask for a medal! I loved the support from the bands and spectators though. :)

I have to disagree with the previous posters. All credit to the organizers for putting on a great race. Tough but interesting course. Plenty of water stations. Good vocal (though sporadic) support.

This is the email I have sent the organisers:

Having run in this year's marathon, I wanted to provide my thoughts on the race (based on 20+ years involvement in athletics), which I hope you accept in the spirit of supporting the development of this event:

1. Pre-race:
Number collection: Why could this have not been held in Donegal Square itself as part of a running expo (that could be used as means to raise funds to support the event) rather than in a tent miles away from any part of the course?
Toilet facilities: given that there were 4,000 runners (plus spectators) at the start, the number of portable toilets was wholly inadequate.
Bag drop-off: I felt nervous about giving my bag to a man standing inside an unmarked white van - there should have been signs displaying the fact that this was the official baggage transfer.

2. Race:
Course route:
Antrim Road: If you want to encourage fast time, then why have a 3-mile uphill section in the race? Surely an alternative route could be found that excludes this part of Belfast, especially as the support was fairly minimal? As a suggestion, why not have a 2-lap course around the centre of Belfast, such that you can offer a half-marathon race as well as the full one?
Industrial estate: Similar to above: This was a soul-destroying part of the course with minimal support.
Last 3 miles: This was very poorly marshalled with little space given over to runners vs. pedestrians (who seemed quite content to walk in front / across competitors) and vehicles. A number of the marshals were simply sitting on garden walls when I passed them whilst cars tried to come out onto the road across the runners.
Mile markers: I don't know if someone had stolen them, but the mile signs seemed to be non-existent after the first 10 miles or so. As a suggestion, why not try and get companies to sponsor individual mile sections so that more visible mile banners can be displayed (if you were concerned by the costs of having proper markers)?
Half-way point: As a morale-booster, it would have been very pleasing to pass a banner highlighting the halfway point.
Energy stations: As a positive, it was very good that there were more than the advertised number of energy drink stations.
Medical support: With the exception of the relay changeover points, I saw very little first-aid support on the course, especially in the last few miles when there is a greater need for such aid.

3. Post-race:
Finish area:
Space: The space around the finish line was simply too small, especially given the size of the park
Medal: The woman standing with the medals seemed completely disinterested in actually handing me a medal when I was walking passed her and there was certainly no smile or "congratulations."
Leaving the finish area: Having to squeeze between two metal fences is not a positive way to leave the Belfast Marathon.
Physio / Massage:
Opening times: Why did the physio area open at 11am, i.e., before the first marathon runner cross the line and then close before the last 200 runners had finished? As a suggestion, it would make far more sense to open a little later and finish later, if it's not possible to get more physios.