Having run predominantly 'big city' marathons such as Berlin, London, Paris, Barcelona, I wasn't sure how this would fair. A complimentary train ride up to the start in Vittorio Veneto was a nice touch; a quaint town at the foot of the dolomites (I think!). The towns folk were out in forces. Very vocal. Between towns there are parts that are unsupported, but that is fine with me. Water, sponge and energy drink stations were every 5km and always stocked. Very flat and fast. Massive pb for me. A perfect 15 degrees c too. Nice finish in Treviso round the town. A little twisty and winding for the final km, but a good finish. Nice medal, t-shirt and bottle of prosecco too. Plus all the snacks... great value and a great race.

I have run Treviso 2 times now. I just finished 4th in 2:27. The course is VERY fast, flat and point to point. The weather in early March is always perfect in Treviso. The start is at Vitorio Veneto, one of the most beautiful towns in the world. The Treviso Marathon is one of the Hidden Gems of the marathon world. I *HIGHLY* RECOMMEND IT.

The Treviso Marathon has all of the requirements to allow you to hit a personal best. The course is typical of ancient Roman roads: long and straight, with very few bends and curves. Only once you enter the medieval town of Treviso do you wind through the old center. However, the place is such a delight that even after 40K it's a joy to run!

The race is a marathon only - no 10K run, no half-marathon. The organization is good - the buses take you from Treviso to the outskirts of Vittorio Veneto, where the start is. Ample buses, arriving every 5 minutes or so. It's a shame that the start is outside Vittorio - there's little atmosphere and few spectators. The course goes through the countryside and includes a number of picturesque medieval towns. Ample refreshments along the way.

Unfortunately, the 2009 edition took place in some of the worst spring weather you could imagine: rain, rain, rain and rain! It was obvious that the organization had not been fully prepared for this - there was little shelter at the start, and at the finish the runners had to wade through puddles to get to the tent to change. The baggage drop was perfect - well organized and bags were retrieved very efficiently and quickly.

Due to the rain there were few spectators - only in the towns were there people lining the street, but in comparatively few numbers. This isn't the organization's fault. The 2008 edition had people lined almost all along the course and the towns were packed! Of course it was well above 24 degrees C then!

The runners themselves were very fit and determined. Running is big in Italy and the general level was high. With a time of 3:15, I finished just shy of the average! And that too in those conditions!

All in all, a great race: under normal conditions a perfect course, with beautiful surroundings, and good and efficient organization!