After 23 marathons, I urge you all to travel and participate in this grand marathon. It is fun!!! And a combination of Mardi Gras, Woodstock, and Halloween on running shoes. Oh yeah, you also run through the breathtaking French countryside and can drink to your hearts content. Leave the watch behind and simply CELEBRATE LIFE. :-)

Unlike any other marathon. Red wine flows before, during and after. You will not have your fastest time, but you'll have the greatest time. The circus atmosphere begins at the start when the runners congregate in costume. Many costumes are elaborate and include a 'float' that is dragged the entire course. This year's theme was western so they started by singing Oh Susanna and Take Me Home, Country roads. A violoinst accompanied hanging from a trapeze. You run from one incredible Chateau to the next and Bordeaux wine is served with plenty of water every 2 KM. Near the finish food is served every Km. First Jambon (ham) then oysters with champagne, then buffallo and finally sorbet. When you reach the finish you receive a medal, a bottle of wine and a knapsack. The wine continues in the post race tent.

The following day a 9 Km walk is held to help in recoperation( Balade de récupération) and again wine is served at each Chateau. It was a very rememberable experience and a great deal of fun.

This was the first marathon I have entered, which I was doing for pure enjoyment and not against the clock - it's the only way to approach it or you will miss out. Running through the vineyards and the all the magnificent chateaus is fantastic and great wine was drunk at all the water/wine stations along the route - 23 in total and most in glasses, as opposed to paper cups. If you prefer the slick organization of a large corporate machine marathon, this one isn't for you; for instance, there were no toilets en route but if you make the effort to dress up and get into the swing of it, you will be rewarded with one of the most enjoyable running experiences you can have. The crowds along the route treat it like the carnival day - which it is - and are very vocal, and Bordeaux itself is a wonderful city to stay in for a few days afterwards. There are so many marathons in the world to try but this one I will do again!

I hemmed and hawed about entering this marathon for a long time, but I'm delighted I did it! Even though we left the entry until too late, and ended up booking via a travel agent, it was worth the hassle.

The race starts and finishes in the small town of Paulliac, which is on the south banks of the Gironde River about 20-minute drive from Bordeaux. We flew into Bordeaux and drove to a chateau we were staying just outside Paulliac - the drive through the Medoc region is fantastic and you can't wait to get running! We missed the expo, etc. having booked via a travel agent, but there was a relaxed atmosphere in the town the night before.... The morning of the race was a real eye opener... from every direction people in fancy dress descended on the main promenade and the atmosphere was fantastic... it was just great fun seeing the effort people had put in and we didn't feel at all foolish in our berets and fake moustaches (make the effort!!!). The funniest sight had to be about a dozen 'senior' men dressed up as Charlie Chaplins with walking sticks, bow ties and bowler hats....

The organizers had special trapeeze acts dangling from cranes over the waiting runners as we all stood open-mouthed staring towards the sky before the start - what a great idea!! The start was slow - at some stages the narrow streets caused the race to grind to a complete stop... but with great local cheering and so much camaraderie amongst the runners no one was too bothered... it was through these first streets you could get the whiff of red wine that had been uncorked and many people were offered (and indulging!) in a drop of vino... not for me - but that again added to the atmosphere....

Out on the roads the course was point-to-point, or more accurately, chateau-to-chateau! The course wound its way through or past about 50 of these Chateaux, and if driving along them was great, running through them and through their vineyards was unforgettable.... My own favorite was Beychevelle, which had fields of grapes rolling down to the Gironde and a magnificent chateau which had loud classical music playing in the grounds.... Fab!

Running through vineyards has it drawbacks: The course was very hilly, at least that was the impression I got... and a lot of it was over dirt or gravel tracks... but the open fields and support at each chateau compensated more than enough. A lot of the bigger wineries had glasses and bottles out and a lot of runners were stopping to sample some tipple. I really couldn't face this but was such good fun to see people running up, grabbing a glass of Medoc's finest, downing it in one, and running on.... No throwing of glasses on the ground here!!

Other notable additions were buckets filled with water and sponges in the later stages, a lot of live music on route, a lot of fruit and raisins at the ahateaux, and not forgetting oysters and beef around 38KMs!

The finish in Paulliac was very nicely done with the last 100M on a red carpet and plenty of support! A really nice touch was a bottle of wine in a wooden case for all finishers!

So - impossible to properly justify how much fun and enjoyment this race was... but suffice it to say I hope to make it an annual trip!

Great marathon! Gently rolling hills, wonderful sights, and plenty of partying! Don't plan on a personal record on this one - it can be very crowded for the first several km and of course there's the wine, costumes, entertainment, and snack tables. Wonderful spectators, quite a place to sightsee - and that's just the other runners! Costumes and contraptions can get in your way, but everyone seems to take it in stride. Great medal, lots of goodies at the end, but they're pretty serious about closing down the finish line close to 6:30 hours!! Once they close the gate, you'll have a devil of a time trying to talk them out of your medal, bag, wine and other stuff. So, don't play so long that you miss the finish!

I can recommend this marathon to everybody who likes a pleasant day out and sightseeing plenty of 'chateaux'. The organizers and the crowd were very friendly, and there was more than enough water and wine on the whole course.

This race (one must use this term VERY loosely when speaking of Medoc)is absolutely the most fun you can have at a marathon. It's just one giant party for 26.2 miles. The start is the most fun because you see everyone in costume and not yet exhausted or drunk or both. We didn't drink during the race (OK maybe a couple of sips) but to see people at mile 20 sipping red wine, laughing and not worrying about the clock was an amazing sight. The French people were wonderful (even after they learned we were American). Go if you can but be warned that you'll never do another marathon that will even come close in entertainment value.

-dh

Not a place to go hunting for a PR or if you don't like red wine (even if you don't plan to drink any during the race itself). The thing is just one big mobile party. The spectators, staff, and other runners are great. Plenty of wine and water stops along the way. Course is pretty darned flat.

Hola!!! This is Alejandra. I'm from Nuevo Laredo, Mexico. Last year I ran this marathon. I ran my best time - 4:45 hrs!! But, I also danced, ate some oysters for energy and, of course, drank wine and more wine in many chateaus. It was a great experience that I will never forget. I recommend this marathon 100%.

Regards,
Ale
The Runner

When I describe my experience at this marathon the first thought that comes to mind is how incredibly hospitable and warm the people were - from the organizers to the spectators. Then my thoughts turn to the focus on everyone having an outrageously good time. What a party, I can't wait to run it again.