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Midnight Sun Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Midnight Sun Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.1 
Organization 4.4 
Spectators 3.5
Number of comments: 19 [displaying comments 11 to 18]
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A. F. from Zurich, Switzerland
(6/24/2010)
 "Very cold and wet experience" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Midnight Sun Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 It was a very wet and cold experience. For once I didn't get any blisters at my feet. The course was okay and in Tromsö there were a lot of spectators. This year was the first year with chip timing. Bear in mind that Norway is very expensive. | |
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Dirk Aarts from Warsaw
(11/29/2009)
"Primitive, but great expereince" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Midnight Sun Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Nice, small-scale event - approximately 450 runners in the marathon, and more or less the same in the half. Everything in this marathon is small-scale, especially if you are used to the majors. Quite a tough course - more difficult than I expected, with huge and steep bridge that you have to run twice, lots of wind and quite a hilly track. Slightly primitive organization (no chip timing, traffic on the road, etc.), though there was a great atmosphere. Runners from 55 countries were participating. Definitely a must-do! | |
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Donald Barker from Halifax U.K
(1/18/2007)
 "Exhausting but exhilarating" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Midnight Sun Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The name is Donald Barker. At fifty nine years of age, the Midnight Sun was my first and so far only marathon. My aim was to get around without a heart attack. My dream is to complete inside of four hours. In reality, I had to be content with four hours, twenty-seven minutes, and twenty-eight seconds, not too bad for an old 'un. At the finish line I was exhausted, but yet I was exhilarated, an incredible combination of sensations that had me literally sinking to my knees but wanting to leap in the air and yell aloud with sheer joy. I'm a resident of the UK. I traveled to the event by way of a North Sea ferry from Newcastle to Kristians and and then on ever northwards in a self-built camper van, a 1996 High Top Ford Transit that covered the 1279 road miles in just three days. The Norwegian scenery was fantastic; an incredible landscape laced with rivers of a power, of a speed of flow that I'd never witnessed before. However, on the outward journey there was little time for viewing and admiration, that would come on the return journey home. In part this was due to the grueling schedule of driving four hundred-plus miles a day but it was also due to the fact that for two out of the three days on the road it rained incessantly. Hard rain - cold rain that seemed to grow yet harder and colder with every mile traveled north. The rain continued to within two hours of the start of the race, but then cleared, and by 2030, there was a thin rising cloud base with a gentle cooling breeze. Excellent conditions, which continued to improve throughout the run and by my 0100 hours finish, there was glorious, glorious sunshine and the most brilliant cobolt blue sky. Set high in the Arctic Circle Tromso, the capital of Northern Norway is a sparkling gem of a city - small, compact, yet vibrant, throbbing with life, centered on an island, amidst the crystal-clear waters of Tromso Sound. The marathon course took us from the city center start line, out across the fine, almost-half-a-mile-long harbor bridge, to the mainland, along a twelve-mile butterfly wing-loop, back across the bridge to the city center, and then around a second twelve-mile loop, which stuck close to the island's coastline. From the start to the finish, there was tremendous support from the local population. Bands played, kids ran beside us and people yelled support (some had even looked up individual names from the internet matching them with race numbers - not nearly such a difficult thing to achieve as it sounds because the field was relatively small, certainly no more than 500). "Donald," I heard again and again, "Come on, Donald, come on. You're looking good." Such encouragement couldn't help but give tiring legs a boost and again and again, even through the seemingly interminable last five miles I found myself responding by grinning inanely and raising my arms in salute. In conclusion, I have to repeat, the experience was both exhausting and exhilarating, but whilst the exhaustion soon drained away, the exhilaration remains with me, a treasured memory, a joy that will endure for ever. Will I have a go at the race again? Perhaps - I'd certainly like to. Will I have a go at another marathon? You bet. This year it's Tokyo, The Land of The Rising Sun. February 18th. Roll on the day. | |
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Andy Walker from Guernsey
(6/23/2006)
 "A must-do marathon in 24-hour daylight" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Midnight Sun Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 My 2nd time on this run and it didn`t disappoint again. Perfect weather this year, improved water stops with food, but strangely much less support than when I ran it in 2003 (see previous comments by me). More UK runners in the marathon (there is a half and 10K, plus kids' stuff) than any other nation which is odd. I ran my 2nd best time ever for the marathon this year and my previous best was also on this course. Why? I am not sure. Possibly because only 260 runners ran, so there was no congestion but always someone around? The half starts 2 hours after the marathon, so they "suck" you around? Cool conditions? Late start at 8:30 p.m. means no way do you want to stay out too long? Clear air? Nice undulating route that eases the muscles? Some or all of these - I don`t know! Great runner camaraderie! If you wish to do the pasta party, you have to pay extra though. Go for a big trip to do all the touristy stuff. | |
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A. M. from New York
(7/2/2005)
"Sunny nights are a miracle!" (about: 2005)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Midnight Sun Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Yes, I know that it is a normal natural phenomenon, but just to see the sun in the middle of the night is already worth a trip across the globe. The course is not the most exciting, but the spectators, not too many of them, are very enthusiastic, and the organization is just perfect. The food and sport drinks on the course, warm blankets, cheese sandwiches and lots of interesting drinks at the finish line - everything was in place. Really, a job very well done! Thanks! P.S. This year (2005), it was not cold at all. I was running shirtless the entire course. The whole city of Tromso was full of blooming tulips, mayflowers, and more. It was like the second spring for me this year. | |
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Andy Walker from Guernsey
(7/15/2003)
"Arctic Circle challenge!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Fantastic, small marathon. 24-hour daylight an awesome wonder. Scenery stunning. Very friendly. NOTE: Wear warm running kit, can get quite cold!! | |
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K. S. from Reading, UK
(6/12/2003)
"A real novelty one to tick off." (about: 2002)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I've done the half marathon here for a couple of years (the fact I went back gives you a clue). There are only a couple of hundred in the half-marathon (far more entries for the full marathon, I am led to believe), making it a small and friendly race. This is a really interesting one to do, as it starts in the evening and you finish around midnight - in broad daylight. You can walk to the start from most of the hotels. The course is pretty and flat, although it goes back on itself so you repeat some ground. Tromso itself is a beautiful town, although expensive as you would expect for Scandinavia. The bars only stay open until 3 AM, which is a shame, as we wanted to party all night afterwards. Book accomodation and flights early, as these do get booked up months before. | |
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A Runner from New York, USA
(7/10/2001)
"Beautiful marathon - but not for beginners" (General Comments)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 As can be expected in a Nordic country, the organizers and spectators are extremely friendly. Further, the fact that there is light 24 hours a day when the marathon is run and the beauty of the surroundings makes this a great marathon. However, there are extremely few spectators and runners and it can become cold - so would definitely not recommend it for beginners. |
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