I have completed several marathons and half-marathons and did not enjoy Milan at all. I do not enjoy being in fear that I may be hit by an outraged motorist who was not informed of the race. There is no support for this race by the locals. I ran Florence last year and will go back there instead of Milan; the course is a bit slower with more cobblestone, but the people were great and it felt more like a carnival.

This was my very first marathon. Granted, it was not my first choice, but having wanted to do a marathon before the end of 2007, I thought I'd give it a go. It was a good course that went all the way around Milan. Unfortunately, the only interesting part of the run was the first 10 KM; after that it was very very boring, ugly and disappointing. I was filled with pride for making the whole of Milan a standstill while drivers beeped their horns with impatience. Apparently the city was unaware that there was a marathon. The event would have been that much better had the Milanese been out on the streets cheering than in their cars attempting to run over the runners in their way at certain intersections. Even at the end, there were very few people cheering. In fact, the organizers need to move the end to a better position, the 2007 finish was quite anti-climatic. Despite the very rude Milanese and their dislike of the marathon, the organizers did a great job. Great water stations, toilets, etc.... The goodie bag was cool with a very bright orange yet functional running shirt. Could have made the expo bigger. If you are searching for a fast course to make a PB, then this is for you, but if you are searching for a scenic run, or fantastic spectators, then this is not for you. I will not be back again to run this marathon. Next time I'll head to Rome, Florence, Venice etc.... As a first-time marathon runner, I felt very pleased with myself and I am now planning a new year with more to come.

It was my first marathon abroad, so I took it as an adventure with my wife. There was a strike on Friday, which canceled our flight, so we had to do all sightseeing and shopping on Saturday and Sunday; but that's life. Organization was great, though there wasn't a big enough shirt for me (only L), so my wife got both nice shirts. The course was fantastic, flat, and we saw many fabulous places - but also "normal" city as well as new city - while running. We didn't mind about the cars; it was entertaining to hear horns and watch "negotiations" between police and drivers. Italian runners were also shouting back at the drivers - funny! There wasn't a huge crowd, but the few there were nice and supportive. It was a fine 5,000-runner, city marathon!

Despite hitting "the wall" shortly after halfway, my first marathon was a fantastic experience and has hooked me. I arrived in Milan not really knowing what to expect, but was really pleased to see that the event was well organized and full of perks that I didn't expect, i.e., all the freebies. The registration process was very straightforward, although they denied receiving my payment. The instructions were well documented, the volunteers all spoke good English and there was a positive buzz around the whole place. The course itself was good. Milan wasn't as pretty as I expected but the course showed us all the elements of the city - ugly, pretty, industrial and chic. The support was sporadic, but wherever they were found, they offered words of encouragement such as "Di" and "Forza" - both of which helped push me on to the end.

The only negative point I could find relates to the pace makers. At the 32-KM point, the 5-hour pacemakers passed me and raced off into the distance never to be seen again. I don't know what time they came in, but I finished in 4:58 and was way behind them. The finish was welcome! Nice quality medal and volunteers to assist with chip return, etc. Replenishment was provided - tasted foul but was apparently full of carbs, and was semi-raw rice, for the same reason. All in all, a good race to run if you want to make a weekend of it and take in the city at the same time.

A great, fast, flat course, though such a contrast with the scenery of Rome. Well organized and marshaled, with an excellent goody bag. However, poor facilities at the start and finish, and a long walk to them. Main problem was aggressive motorists blaring their horns, and even breaking through the police controls. Having to avoid a car heading for you at 23 miles is no fun at all. Spots of spectators, but a lot of barren areas too. Recommend it for a fast, flat course and lots of commitment from the city.

This marathon was a good one... but I have the following comments.

Course: Course was great. It was very flat with a couple overpasses, but given that people run sub-2:10's on it, it is possible to PR on the course. Very flat.

Water points: Definitely an abundance of water and sponges.

Spectators: They were there at critical junctions and throughout the race.

Post-race: Given no finisher's medal... sort of a bummer. Cool t-shirt, but post-race refreshments sort of... no, they do suck. You finish, you get a bag, in the bag is one orange, one banana, and two half-liter waters... and they send you on your way sans medal.

Course again: In the city... the air is definitely nasty from cars. They do a great job stopping cars, but the air is disgusting.

Weather: Starts at 0930. It was cool, but by the end of the race I was appreciating the shade on the course.

Good marathon. Glad I did it, but next time I will try another one. I am jokingly, but also seriously, bitter about the lack of medal (that is like standard operating procedure for marathons, and the lack of post-race support).

I ran the 2005 Maratona di Milano. A cold and foggy day. A very flat and fast course. Did a personal best of 3:18. About half the race was outside Milano on roads. Spectacular finish by the magnificent cathedral at Piazza Duomo. Generous bags before and after the race. Friendly personnel. Super-cool race shirt! Only grave minus is that I was not able to find the showers; someone directed me here, another one there. WHERE WERE THE BUSES? Changed quickly, dirty and unshowered in a hotel bathroom. Had checked out from my hotel. Second minus was that the water had outside temperature (which was just above freezing).

This was my 7th marathon and definitely the one with the least spectators but definitely one of the best to run. (I did Berlin, R'dam....) The weather was cold, but the course was fine; the organization was very good. Few spectators but maybe due to the bad and cold weather. Congratulations Italians!

It was my first marathon, so I had an unforgettable experience. Flat course, good organization and spectacular finish line in front of the Duomo Cathedral. I do think that the organization members have no responsibility for the people who got angry because of the traffic problems cause by the marathon. I prefer to remember the thousands of spectators giving support and shouting 'bravi, bravi' to the runners during the race!!!!

I very much enjoyed the 2004 edition of the Milan Marathon due to the flat course and, for my experience, rather smooth organization with well-equipped refreshment stands. The main thing to be improved for next year is the finish area which becomes very crowded... it's difficult to see how to get in line for refreshments, massage, etc. During the course: It seemed like a lot of Italian car drivers use their horns when they have to wait because runners are passing by ;-) whatever that means or does/helps, I hardly know Italian language or culture ;-) probably support for the runners ;-)