Ran this marathon two weeks after running the Longford Marathon in Ireland.

Course: Race was supposed to start at 0830, but ended up starting at 0910. It was insanely hot by then and by 1200 I had salt crystals forming on my arms. Course is uphill for the first 5K, downhill till 25K, and then uphill till 42K. The uphill part corresponds to when it was hot as anything and I was regretting going so fast on the downhill portion. Course is on asphalt roads, and cars are allowed on the road.

Weather: HOT! This race should have started much earlier than 0900. The sun was blazing by 0900, and by noon it was unbearable.

Water Stations: Had water stations, but not as frequent as sponge stations. I am not a fan of sponges so I recommend having someone on a bike as your support team next to you (allowed) with water and snacks. This lack of fluid, hot weather, and uphill course made it a tough marathon in the end.

Goodies: Registration was around 30 euros. I got a long-sleeve shirt, short-sleeve shirt, a 3L (huge) red wine bottle with marathon name on it, pasta, and Gatorade. For getting 17th place, I also got 100 euro ($133), and a flower pot-type thing with the marathon name on it. Pretty cool stuff. Expo also had a pre-race music party the night prior, with a band.

Recommendations: More water stations (or bring your own support crew on bike), paper cups instead of plastic ones, and start earlier in the day. Overall, it was an interesting marathon, but one I would debate returning to if there are nearby races the week before or the week after.