Belfast City Marathon - Race Reviews

Start bei einem wunderschönen Schloss. Sehr schöne Strecke, ein bisschen hügelig, aber am Ende bergab, super! Die Wasserstationen waren zu wenig. Erst nach 6 Meilen(!!!)war die erste Wasserstation. Dafür gabs Millionen von Gummibären. Ich glaube aber, beim Marathon ist Wasser wichtiger. Aber sonst war alles super. Und Belfast ist eine sehr schöne Stadt mit sehr freundlichen Menschen. Google Translate (to English): Start at a beautiful castle. Very nice track, a bit hilly, but at the end downhill, great! The water stations were too few. Only after 6 miles (!!!) was the first water station. There were millions of gummi bears for that. But I think water is more important at the marathon. But everything else was great. And Belfast is a very beautiful city with very friendly people.

The route isn't great- it would have been nice to see more of the character of Belfast and less of the motorway, but the start at the Town Hall is nice. The support was sparse along the motorway but you can't expect them to trek out and stand in such a bleak spot, where there was support it was enthusiastic and generous. Special thanks to those who came out with hoses- it was a hot day. The relay is a big problem, some of the changeover points were separated off which helped but for most you have to run through a bottleneck of waiting relayers looking for their teammates. Those only happen every now and again though, the real problem is that (unlike in most races where you are able to settle into a group doing your pace after a few miles) because of the relay the marathon runners are constantly having to pass or be passed. This is slightly annoying in the first half but utter misery after mile 20. The cups of water are impossible to drink from. They trialed two stations with bottles this year which was good, but they used large bottles and I suspect they will conclude there was too much wastage. Small sports cap bottles would be great- it is sponsored by a mineral water company. This was my first marathon so it's hard to compare but overall I think it's a nice enough small city race that could showcase its location a bit better.

This marathon has so much potential but is let down hugely by poor organisation and a dreadful course. The finish line can only be described as a shambles. The last thing I want to do once I finish a marathon is fight my way through an enormous crowd to get my stuff. No designated place to meet family and friends either. Also, relay runners and us proper runners need to be divided at handover points. The relay runners seem to be oblivious to the people who are actually running the whole thing. Medal was very underwhelming too. Support along the route was negligible too sadly. All in all, a very disappointing race. If organisers apply themselves then this could be a great race. It certainly is not at the minute.

Compared to London, the sub 3-hour bunch is small and you get settled quickly into a nice rhythm as a result.

Having completed Dublin seven years ago I was determined to get in a sub four hour time on home turf. Thoroughly enjoyed experience due to family support, but route was poor. Three miles along dual carriageway, four mile incline, followed by one mile STEEP decline which has left me with a serious knee injury I cannot currently run on (I'm only 34!) Three miles along motorway path in driving wind and rain, followed by three miles of industrial estate, including city dump and sewage treatment works. Last three miles of crowd support were superb. Unfortunately this sub four hour run may have left me unable to do another one, primarily due to the steep decline.

Managed a PB despite a pretty tough and not that interesting course. Antrim road section and the industrial park make up about half of the course and its either uphill or nothing much of interest to look at. The route could seriously be improved to up Belfast as a marathon destination, start and finish at Stormont perhaps? The real negative for me was the focus on the relay, I went for many stretches without seeing another marathon runner. Every 6 miles you had another influx of relay runners bursting onto the course and then crashing an burning after a couple of miles which was really distracting. Enjoyed the day but not the course or how it was ran. Unless it's a home marathon , one to avoid.

3200 marathon runners along with 18000 relay runners. No sports drink on route other than that picked up off the ground half drank and handed to me by a policeman. It appeared to me the relay guys took all the drink and anyone coming behind was forgotten. Route could do with some improvements. People who run this should be sent to Dublin to see how to arrange a race. I finished got a medal and within 10 meters I was into a crowd of people waiting for the loo...no space for runners to relax.

This was my second Belfast marathon not my best but volunteers at the aid stations were brilliant a good crowd of supporters looking forward for next year

My first marathon. Water was plentiful, and served in cups (not a problem to me). Energy drinks given out in bottles around mile 20, which was nice. Gels given out at various other points, but had my own. The relay didn't cause me any problems, in fact made for a great crowd! Support was superb from spectators. Course itself was hilly with about 700' of climbing according to my Garmin data on Strava. And I felt it. That said, I've finished my first marathon in a great city with excellent cheap flights from the UK and quality inexpensive hotels - which is why I chose it over Edinburgh. Oh, and weather was great too!

First time I have ran this marathon but I loved it despite the terrible weather. First 12 miles is through city and lots of support from people helped. From miles 16-21 was a slog due to wet, windy cold weather, congested narrow footpaths by the lough and lonelinesss of running through an Industrial estate. Once back in the city centre again crowd support carried me through the last stretch. Like most people, couldn't find friends at finish line for 40mins so ended freezing in the rain. Weather was awful, but saw the weather forecast beforehand and prepared myself to 'enjoy' the new experience of running a wet marathon :-). Life is what you make it eh?

Positives first, and there are a few, this is no write off despite all the negativity on here - the expo was excellent, centrally located in the beautiful City Hall, no queues, no hassle. T-shirt and medal were good quality. Crowds were excellent considering the hellish weather on the day. Although the course has some really dull stretches, it also has a lot of downhill parts and there is definitely PB potential. Results were quick and accurate and I prefer a disposible chip. Negatives for me are all about the finish - it was chaotic, no designated meeting areas, no decent refreshments on offer. The pouring rain made it all the worse. There's a huge park area to utilise - how about a marquee, some facilities to make it a bit more welcoming? I would also add that some more energy drinks and bananas at the water stations would be appreciated. The cups issue doesn't bother me too much - I hate seeing mostly full water bottles thrown away. Overall a decent effort, just a few adjustments needed.

OK, weather was terrible. Heavy rain for a lot of the race with a stiff wind in places. Course was also more hilly than I expected, all of which may have coloured my perceptions. However the organisation was not good to say the least. The event was poorly signed at start and finish. No maps were availible to get you and your supporters orientated at start and finish. The finish was disorganised with insufficent marshalls directing runners through the finish area. This resulted in the later marathon runners not being given space blankets or the limited food that was availible. This is inexcusable given the conditions. It seems the poor segregation of relay runners from marathon runners caused significant problems with marathon runners having to fight their way through the scrums at the relay change over points. The course could also do with a bit of tweaking with the run through the industrial estate at approx mile 18, with its smell from the meat processing plant being almost soul destroying. On the plus side support was excellent in places considering the weather. DJs, Cheerleaders together with members of the public offering food, drink and use of their toilets. In conclusion a race with potential ruined by poor organisation. Looking at previous years comments lessons have not been learned.

The pack pick-up is in the very grand City Hall. The course is a bit hilly but the runners are well marshalled and kept away from the traffic (I never felt unsafe, even at traffic crossing points), the medal is nicely detailed and a smart tech T-shirt in the pack. It was a nice touch to list all runners in the race brochure too. But the stand-out memory for me were the hundreds of spectators who came out and encouraged us on a horribly wet and windy day -Well Done to them! I kept thinking to myself, 'If they can stand out in this then I can finish the race'. I would recommend this race and I will do it again.

I have done this one 3 times and the same problems keep coming up. The main ones being the change over points for the relay runners, on a couple of occasions this lead to road being narrowed so much that I injured myself while tryiing to get out of the way of those darting back and forth waiting for runners coming in I almost didnt get round so months of training wasted. Still get water out of standpipes for a race sponsorerd by a bottled water company and the start is still chaotic as alot of the walkers are still going off with the main body of runners and walk arm in arm down the middle of the road in the early stages. This could be a really good race if there were some changes like a couple of barriers to make sure the relay runners stay to one side the walkers are started earlier even 10 minutes so they are spread out alittle more. The potential is there the volunteers do their best especially when the condition were so bad like yesterday.

Seriously, water from standpipes and buckets! Every other race I've run in managed at least clean water. As for the powerade stations, far and few between. If you plan to do this I would recommend that you provide your own water and nutrition supplies. Crowd support was average at best and brilliant idea to have the race pass the local meat processing plant, then for fun make you finish with lots of traffic for the last few miles!! Finish area needs work, how about an area to reunite with family, all it needs are a few boards with alphabetical groups to help us find each other. Post race food...a bottle of water and a bag of crisps! Bus drivers rude, don't yell at me to hurry up when I've just run 26.2 miles, then have me go upstairs on the double decker. If you want to run a relay then it's probably fun, for a full it's pathetic. Never again.

I loved this race - admittedly we got lucky with perfect blue skies which meant there were lots of spectators handing out water, candy, chocolate, biscuits, oranges, even icy poles ! Also the upcoming elections meant that the unionist and nationalist neighbourhoods were very clearly demarcated which was interesting, especially after we passed all the murals and crossed the peace line. There's a fairly long stretch next to the water with no aid stations which a lot of people struggled with on a comparatively hot day, followed by a section through an industrial estate : not the most inspiring scenery. There were a few DJs along the way but no bands or cheerleaders as it seems there were in other years. I enjoyed having the relay runners there for company, but some of the changeover points were messy - team members crowding the course and forcing a bottleneck or relay runners taking the wrong fork and having to double back later to change. The aid stations also had only very limited food (oranges mostly) which the marathoners needed more than the relay runners who sometimes took far more than their fair share. Perhaps they either enough food for everyone, or separate the marathoner and relay aid stations. I don't think it's a particularly hilly course, just a few undulations here and there and a nice downhill last mile or so. No complaints about the technical shirt or medal, but food other than potato crisps at the finish line would have been nice.

I ran this in 2009 and it has improved a lot, starting with the race pack pick up having it in the City Hall gives it a more impressive start. There are still not enough toilets at the start - a lot of people missed the runners start because of this, but its a small problem. The Duncrue section is lonely to run but having the music there helps. My main problem is the section at the end where you go into Ormeau Park close to the finish only to leave it again for another 2miles or so weakens the legs some what. The water issue has improved. On the whole it´s getting better.

This was my first marathon and I had injury problems starting 8 miles in. The crowds kept me going and enabled me to make it around. The worst part is running up the side of the motorway and into the industrial estate, but once through there you know you're going to make it. I will be back next year to try and get a more respectable time. Although drinks were in cups (that didn't bother me at my pace), there were plenty of hydration areas; nutrition stations, however, may not have bothered - pieces of orange and cups of PowerAde!

I don't understand anybody who goes on about the bottled water. Try going to the biggies (New York, Amsterdam etc.).  Guess what? Water in cups... so please be quiet and stop talking nonsense. You get what you pay for. This is one of the cheapest marathons available, with a lovely expo and packet pick-up in City Hall (5-minute queue beats the half-hour wait in New York), tech t-shirts available, ample water stations, good crowds, yes, a few hills (still 26.2 miles), fantastic finish area, and showers free of charge at the finish line. You won't see that anywhere else. NO, it is not New York, or Barcelona, but it is Belfast and if you look closer at it, it's a very good race.

This is an average marathon. Reading through some of the problems from last year, I do think its improving but a lot of work to do. The start was ok; I saw massive queues for the loos, but what's new?! The start did have plenty of slow runners in the 3 - 3.5 areas, and more of an effort should be made here; but to be honest, it got away quite smoothly - I've known a lot worse! I liked having the relay runners mixed in, of which there were hundreds; I think the crowds were very supportive of the full marathon runners in amongst the relays. The mile markers were very good and seem to be guarded. I didn't clock onto how hard the hills would be, and whilst I do like hills, this certainly is not a PB course. I'm of two minds about the course. There was a short section through the Falls Road area, and it was a bit menacing as the local residents were trying to make some lame political point with banners and making a silent protest. Who they thought they were making a point to, I do not know, but in a way, this is Belfast, and I felt like I was running through its recent troubled history. The organizers made an effort on the boring industrial sections, adding a few bands and cheerleaders, which was appreciated. The finish was ok - nice enough medal and a good quality t-shirt, which is a improvement on other comments. BUT, and this is my ONE BIG gripe, WHY, WHY, WHY on a marathon that is sponsored by a water company do they give out plastic cups of water? You CANNOT drink water from a cup when running at 7-minute/mile pace! It goes up your nose and down your front! I suffered extreme cramps from dehydration, as I just couldn't drink the stuff. They even poured PowerAde into cups, which I avoided, as I didn't want that all over my face! Sort that out and you have the beginnings of a nice race!

Having just read the reviews of last year's race, I am pleased to say that many of the problems seem to have been ironed out this year. 1. Bag collection was from City Hall, along with a much improved expo. 2. Mile makers at every mile were clearly evident. 3. Technical t-shirts for marathon runners instead of cotton ones. 4. Pacers were available. 5. Sound system at the start was very clear, with time warning giving a countdown to the start. 6. Supporters were generous, providing sweets, etc. themselves. 7. Plenty of shuttle buses were evident. 8. Better security at bag collection after the race. Ok, so parts of the course are dull and water comes in a cup (think of the environment), but remember: it is about running a marathon across a city that is unique. Open your eyes to the culture and history and "enjoy" the majority of the race that hits the mark.

This was my first marathon and I was a little worried after reading previous posts. I'll start off by saying that the water issue is horrendous! A major water company sponsors this race and you end up drinking mains water out of plastic cups. The worst thing was that the water station between 17 miles and 21 miles had run out of water by the time I passed. This just happens to be one of the most important spans in a marathon and you're left high and literally dry. The crowds from the city to Falls Road and up Antrim Road were fantastic. As a bonus, they did give out a proper running top this year, and the medal wasn't the worst I've seen. Thanks, Belfast!

The explanations below cover pretty much all of the problems with this marathon. The mile markers, the buses, the t-shirts... etc. The only other thing that was ridiculous - although personally I don't care about it - was the medal, which is probably the smallest, cheapest one I have ever seen. This thing needs a lot of work, and I just hope that whoever is in charge is looking at these websites.

This was my first-ever marathon, and I was not expecting a fast time, but most of the water stations had run out before we got there, and a bucket is a dangerous replacement. Then the route through the industrial estate lacked mile makers (or else they were so far up a lamp post as to be a joke). Then, having to dodge traffic at the finish was a pain. It needs a lot of improving.

I can't fathom how the organizers got this so wrong. The start was a mess, and the finish was an even bigger mess. For a marathon to be sponsored by a bottled-water company and give out water in buckets - yes, buckets - is a joke.... I could go on and on.

Well, ladies and gents, the title says it all. I have run this marathon 3 times now - 2005, 2008 (see '08 review) and this year. I gave it the benefit of the doubt in other years and hoped that someone would get their act together and finally make this marathon into the event it could be, but sadly, not this year, again. The organization fell flat again, plus the calls for small improvements seem to have fallen on deaf ears. To mirror one previous post, I have run such marathons as Boston, Amsterdam, Dublin, Barcelona, and comparing Belfast to these really shows it's shortcomings. I'll begin: The bag collection: Bag collection was in a lovely big park, about 6 miles out of the city center. Nice, if you wanted to go for a picnic, but personally, I think this could have been situated more conveniently nearer the city center, considering all that it consisted off was a small marquee containing the race bags and one stall from a local running shop. The expo was non-existent. Bag-drop: Again, the bag drop was into the back of a single transit-type van. But at least this year, they had it identified as an official marathon vehicle. But for anyone who was a stranger to the city, it would have been very difficult to find, as I found out last year. Also, a point to note: when the bags are laid out at the complex at the finish line, there did not appear to be any sort of supervision or security. At the end of the race, I was able to wander freely through all of the bags and search for my own. I know bags are left at your own risk, but at least one person to check that the bag taken matches your race number wouldn't be out of the question, would it...? Start line: Again, absolutely no effort was made to separate runners of varying times/abilities. A general free-for-all. They had a few placards on the street lamps designating the general area for the different finish times, but these may as well not have been there. Marathon runners, relay runners, and walkers were all in the mix. So it took the usual 3-4 miles before it all got sorted out. The mile markers: This one was a big bone of contention for me last year. The majority were missing last year, but I did notice a slight improvement this year, with about ONLY 7 or 8 markers missing, especially in the latter stages. But I would take their accuracy with a pinch of salt, as I did mile 16-17 in 5:55 - not bad, considering I was running at 7:30 pace. Just by pure coincidence, a runner who was running at the same pace as me and my friend was wearing a GPS, so we gave up even trying to work of the mile markers and ran too his watch instead. But it did become the running joke through the rest of the race to spot the next mile marker and guess how far it was out. The course: A) Long, boring stretches of dual-carriage after 3 miles from the start with no support. B) That terrible, narrow cycle path from mile 16 until about 19 mile, again with zero support - which then leads you into that soul-destroying industrial estate, full of interesting smells and aromas. Funnily enough, there's not much in the way of support there either. It isn't until the relay changeover point near Mile 21 that you start to see much in the way of support again. T-shirts: Every other marathon I have run in the past 3 years has given out a high-quality, wicking, running top/t-shirt. Belfast still gives out a run-of-the-mill, white, cotton t-shirt, with a screen print on the front. Also, I was given the wrong size this year. An expensive t-shirt at £30 plus.... Water stations: I can't fault the number of water stations; there were plenty of them, and there were also energy drinks. But it strikes me as bizarre how a marathon, sponsored by Deep River Rock Water, gave out all of its water in those miserable plastic cups, filled from buckets that were filled (in turn) from fire hydrant stand pipes...! You don't see a bottle of Deep River Rock Water until you cross the finish line. No lovely screw-top bottles here, folks. So there you go - all off of my chest. I only hope that someone can take charge and turn this event around. This event has so much to offer. The crowds, although scarce at times, are full of enthusiasm. When running through the relay changeover points, they would really cheer the full distance runners on, which was one of the things I always looked forward too during this marathon. But sadly, it's still not an event that I would encourage any serious marathoner to aim for. It's good for a family day out, or if you only ever intend to do one marathon and leave it at that. For a marathon that advertises over 16,000 participants (when actually it is nearer to 2,500 marathon runners, with the rest made up of relay teams and walkers), I think they still have a lot to do - really, a lot to do.

My first marathon was run in Chicago, and the organization and support were brilliant - especially for a city that could fit our little province into it. I then decided to run my own country's marathon, and was disappointed to say the least. If other cities can get their organization into order, is there any chance of the organizing committee here speaking to other committees and giving themselves a good kick in the butt?! How can I possibly recommend this to runners from other countries?!

There were lots of positives about Belfast '09, but several issues have yet to be dealt with from previous years - namely: the lack of mile markers other than those painted rather discreetly on the road; crowd participation was feeble to be honest (maybe it was the biting wind?); cotton T shirts (I thought these were a thing of the past); extremely cheap plastic cups for water, which broke on contact with hand (though the PowerAde bottles were great); the lack of buses as advertised back to the start from the finish line; the lack of an audible sound system at the start; and the failure to force walkers farther back, apart from one sign suggesting finishing times.

I ran the Belfast Marathon this year (2009) for the first time, having run the Dublin Marathon last year. I'm glad I ran it but the organizers really need to do some more work if they're to attract real marathoners to the event. 1. Having marathoners line up with walkers at the start of the race is a disaster. How are marathoners to get a good start with people stopping in front of them and blocking the way? 2. The route is quite hilly, and at times you are actually running along a footpath or a motorway. In Dublin the roads were closed for marathoners. At one point marathoners were asked to stop to let lorries cross. This is a disgrace. 3. The relay changeover points need to be further improved. It would be better at all changeover points that the route be split in two for marathoners and relay runners. (The relay is an excellent idea and gives everyone a chance to compete.) 4. The mile markers are a joke. I only saw a mile marker for 13 miles, 17 and 25. How are runners supposed to get their splits right? 5. I found it difficult to get to water at some water stations, as I didn't want to stop running to get water. It's also hard to drink out of a polystyrene cup while running. In Dublin they give you a bottle of water with a drinking cap and have plenty of stations with sports energy drinks. 6. The lack of porta-loos is also a serious problem. Luckily a few shops and bars were open and were letting people use their toilet facilities. 7. The lack of organization for handing in your plastic bags with your changing kit at the start of the race was also a disgrace. I was told to hand it in to a white van at the side of the city hall. What I actually saw were people leaving their bags at a bus shelter. There were no officials looking after the bags. 8. While spectators are to be welcomed, the organizers need to take more care to cordon off the route and also the finish line. Once I crossed through the finish line, I was immediately hit with a wall of spectators. I had to ask someone for my medal and get my own water. 9. I felt most sorry for runners who took longer than five hours to complete the marathon. By that stage most of the officials along the route in Ormeau Park had disappeared. Spectators were walking along and the only way runners could work out the route was by arrows on the ground, which were starting to fade because of the weather. This is very disheartening and a total disgrace. 10. I know the route has been changed over the last year but perhaps they'll think about changing it again so runners aren't forced to run along footpaths, towpaths, the side of motorways or stop for traffic and pedestrians.

I've run 5 marathons and Belfast is my favorite. I ran it in 2006 and 2007 was unable to run it this year, but intend to be there in 2009. The marathon is very well organized and the shower facilities at the finish are a big plus. Find the race isn't that well supported outside the city center and the marathon relay runners can be a distraction. I like the course and my fastest times are over the new course. All in all, a well-run show.

I decided to give Belfast one last shot at enticing me back to this race after the chaotic scenes of 2002 when I was pushed out in to the road by members of relay teams and in to the path of an oncoming car. For me, that was the end. However, I became aware that there was a new race committee and therefore thought... ok... I will give it one more go.... My 2008 experience was so much better than any of my previous 5 BCM's... the course was better, the organization was better, the medal was better, the support on the route was better, but much more needs to be done to make this a race it could be. We'll start with registration - a marquee some miles outside Belfast city center. As it was raining, some people had to wait outside in the rain for some time before getting their numbers (luckily I was early and was in and out in 2 minutes). There is no expo of any sort, so dragging competitors out here was for what reason? The people at registration couldn't have been more helpful - encouraging and polite (huge change for the better here); the race package had number in it, race program, and a few fliers; the t-shirt was ok, but have had far superior quality t-shirts for much smaller events.... As far as I could see, there was little to no support from "sponsors" - a great shame. BCM allows you the option of buying a fleece - coming into the summer months?? A waterproof jacket would be far more enticing, and any sort of merchandise with BCM logo would be better than absolutely nothing! The start was, as I expected - chaotic... so, I decided to start at the back, out of trouble and let the walkers block the runners farther up in the field. This is due to lack of marshaling time corrals, which were attached to lamp posts. Having been in this situation before, I can say: start at the back. The course was challenging but pleasant, and much improved from previous experiences. The people of Belfast were incredibly kind and supportive. My main gripe was that there were no static clocks along the course, as there was no timing on the course. How could the elite-to-fun runners check on their split times? There should be static clocks at the 10K half and 20 mile markers. I did get one gulp of sports drink this year, which was good; however, the main sponsor could be more prevalent (a water company). We had the use of standpipes for water. I noticed as the miles ticked by that there were fewer and fewer cups left at water stations, and the last one had run out. I thought of those people still on the course in the heat 3 hours after me with no water... again.... Over the finish line I received my medal from a very pleasant volunteer and a bottle of water (wow) - nothing else. They have improved the relay changeover points so that they do not interfere with marathon runners, but if BCM wants to get recognition of being a MARATHON, they should really reconsider the relays. Yes, there was more emphasis on marathon runners this year (a good change), but the organizers boast 16,000 competitors, leading people to believe that all are completing 26.2 miles (when in reality, it's 4,000 - at most). It's debatable whether I will do this again next year. Instead of relays, they should hold a 10K and half on the day, and there should be better controls at the start line (with stricter time bands enforced). Yes, there have been improvements, but there are better marathons out there to be tried and tested. It's a shame, as this could be a good marathon; unfortunately it still needs simple issues to be addressed. Do it if you want to. The people of Belfast are VERY WELCOMING. I am just not a fan of relay legs!!!!!!!

This was my first marathon experience; I ran the first leg of the relay, and whilst we thoroughly enjoyed our day out and raised a lot of money for our charity, the actual race didn't feel professional at all. I will summarize: * Not enough loos at the start - runners seemed to have to start and nip behind various walls a few yards up the road. * Couldn't hear a single word the starter had to say. * Mile markers could have been a little bigger and I understand that some of the later markers were written in chalk on the road/path. I'm not too sure how accurate they were. Perhaps someone else can confirm. * Water stop after about 1 mile and then about 2.5 and then none until after I finished my 6 miles. There should have been water stations at 2 and 4 miles. * Impossible to drink from plastic cups whilst running. I skipped the first water station as I couldn't get near it without having to stop. What about some Deep River Rock squeeze bottles? I understand that the Dublin Marathon has 250 ML bottles of Ballygowan at each of 9 drinking stations. * I may be wrong, but was there just water station on one side of road. * First part of the marathon went out along Sydenham bypass - long and boring, sparse/no support and fumes from lorries and cars along the way. * Helpers at relay checkpoints didn't seem to know anything about bags, etc. * Can't believe walkers started with runners. * Felt embarrassed to watch walkers coming strolling over the same finish line as the marathon runners. Watching the leading men and women giving it their all and having the walkers "stealing their glory" just wasn't right to me. (No offense to the walkers - they should have had a different start and finish.) * Walkers got crisps, bottles of water and a medal when they crossed the finish, but relay runners (other than the final runner) got nothing. * Having spoken to a girl who ran the marathon, I understand that the changeover points were total chaos for them to get through. Running a marathon needs total concentration, and to be disrupted in this way is inexcusable. There have to be lanes at changeover points to keep relay runners away from marathoners. * Can't believe that the marathon runners (other than perhaps the frontrunners) had to dodge traffic. Can a route not be found where roads can be closed for a few hours? * Surely a route can also be found that doesn't involve running along motorways or deserted docks, etc. It was a real pleasure to be cheered on by the public, but it seemed the route chosen wasn't spectator-friendly. These are the feelings that I have. Like I said, we had a fantastic time and I would definitely go back to raise some money and do another relay next year, but unless there are drastic improvements, I am not going to pick Belfast for my first marathon.

I ran the 2005 marathon, and I have similar feelings about that one and this one. First of all, at the start, I don't know why they put walkers in front of the runners. When I was jogging down the road, I had to dodge lines of walkers all walking together. Surely, the organizers should put the walkers behind the runners at the start. That would just make sense! I ran the course in 2005, and whilst I am happy that that 2005 route has been changed, they still have kept the narrow tow-path by the M5/M2, leading into Duncrue Estate. I thought the smells around this estate were very unpleasant. When I was looking at the map before the race, I was looking forward to an energy station at 22 miles - but there were no energy drinks there! What a letdown! I am going to run the Great North Run and the Dublin Marathon this year and see how they compare in organization. I will probably run Belfast again, after all of these negative comments! But they have some work to do.

I enjoyed running the marathon, as I thought it was very challenging. However, there was a serious lack of water stations and I hated those stupid cups, as I find it very hard to run and drink from them at the same time. I also had to ask for a medal! I loved the support from the bands and spectators though. :)

I have to disagree with the previous posters. All credit to the organizers for putting on a great race. Tough but interesting course. Plenty of water stations. Good vocal (though sporadic) support.

This is the email I have sent the organisers: Having run in this year's marathon, I wanted to provide my thoughts on the race (based on 20+ years involvement in athletics), which I hope you accept in the spirit of supporting the development of this event: 1. Pre-race: Number collection: Why could this have not been held in Donegal Square itself as part of a running expo (that could be used as means to raise funds to support the event) rather than in a tent miles away from any part of the course? Toilet facilities: given that there were 4,000 runners (plus spectators) at the start, the number of portable toilets was wholly inadequate. Bag drop-off: I felt nervous about giving my bag to a man standing inside an unmarked white van - there should have been signs displaying the fact that this was the official baggage transfer. 2. Race: Course route: Antrim Road: If you want to encourage fast time, then why have a 3-mile uphill section in the race? Surely an alternative route could be found that excludes this part of Belfast, especially as the support was fairly minimal? As a suggestion, why not have a 2-lap course around the centre of Belfast, such that you can offer a half-marathon race as well as the full one? Industrial estate: Similar to above: This was a soul-destroying part of the course with minimal support. Last 3 miles: This was very poorly marshalled with little space given over to runners vs. pedestrians (who seemed quite content to walk in front / across competitors) and vehicles. A number of the marshals were simply sitting on garden walls when I passed them whilst cars tried to come out onto the road across the runners. Mile markers: I don't know if someone had stolen them, but the mile signs seemed to be non-existent after the first 10 miles or so. As a suggestion, why not try and get companies to sponsor individual mile sections so that more visible mile banners can be displayed (if you were concerned by the costs of having proper markers)? Half-way point: As a morale-booster, it would have been very pleasing to pass a banner highlighting the halfway point. Energy stations: As a positive, it was very good that there were more than the advertised number of energy drink stations. Medical support: With the exception of the relay changeover points, I saw very little first-aid support on the course, especially in the last few miles when there is a greater need for such aid. 3. Post-race: Finish area: Space: The space around the finish line was simply too small, especially given the size of the park Medal: The woman standing with the medals seemed completely disinterested in actually handing me a medal when I was walking passed her and there was certainly no smile or "congratulations." Leaving the finish area: Having to squeeze between two metal fences is not a positive way to leave the Belfast Marathon. Physio / Massage: Opening times: Why did the physio area open at 11am, i.e., before the first marathon runner cross the line and then close before the last 200 runners had finished? As a suggestion, it would make far more sense to open a little later and finish later, if it's not possible to get more physios.

I ran this marathon in 2005 and promised myself never to do it again due to the bad course, little support, lack of mile markers and energy drink stations. But after much pleading from a friend, I decided to give it a second chance. To be fair, there have been some improvements: the course has improved and there aren't as many industrial estates/car parks/back streets from what I remember. The spectators can be few and far between in places, but they are enthusiastic. Plus the showers at the end were great. Now for the bad points: firstly, the bag drop at the start point; There was nothing in the way of signs or directions to help direct you to it, and I ended up having to ask other runners for help. Granted, there was a street name given in the race pack instructions but no map, which is alright if you know Belfast, but for a stranger it was one more problem. It turned out to be a single open- backed van with nothing to say it was the bag drop. Again, the mile markers were a bit of a lottery, right from the start. I reckon about a third were missing. I gave up trying to find them after 20 miles. It was a nightmare if you were trying to pace yourself. There was also no halfway split or marker. Thankfully, there were plenty of water stations, but with plastic cups being filled by buckets from fire hydrants. This was a bit surprised considering the main sponsor is Deep River Rock water; maybe I've just been spoiled in Dublin were all water is in 250ml screwtop bottles. Also, after you cross the line, I think something more than a bag of crisps would not be out of the question, based on what I've experienced with other marathons. But I did enjoy my day, and the support from other runners and relay runners was good. But to sum up, it is not an "International Marathon" by any means, and I would not recommend it to a serious runner looking for PB. It is more of a big relay race; marathon comes second. This is sad because there is potential there. Here's hoping...!