Saint Anthony Marathon - Race Reviews

I love small marathons more than big ones. This is the second time I took part in it.The last comment is also mine, made 3 years ago. The course is not beautiful, but easy, running through rural areas. There was heavy rain in the middle, the spectators still came out cheering the runners up, holding and umbrella. Water and drink stops every 5 km, water, tea, biscuit and other fruits were provided. The last 2 km is in city area. This path is in cobbles and might be more difficult. I made my PB this time, 3:57. Three years ago, it was 6:13. This marathon has the biggest goody bag I have ever had. I can't upload a pic here. I just can't count how many things I get. This year a very beautiful book about the history and culture of the starting point, Camposardego, is given. The quality of the Nike T-shirt is also one of the best I have. It is a race you can enjoy and make your record.Highly recommended.

This is my first marathon in Europe. The weather this year was fine - not hot at all but too much sunshine. I think there were around 1,000-2,000 people participating in the full marathon. I felt very lonely after 30K. Sometimes I couldn't see anyone else. There was one porta-potty at each water stop. The spectators were enthusiastic and they clapped when they saw you. The course is generally fine; you run along the countryside. There is a water stop every 5K, which I think is not enough. It's better to have one every 2.5K. There were lots of gifts for full marathon runner; I just couldn't count how many things I got. You could have pasta free after the race, but I didn't, as I didn't want to eat anything after the race.

I really enjoyed the race. It was a much quieter race most big-city marathons, but there was a very good atmosphere and everyone was very friendly.

Far too hot on the cobbles; fancy and endless, and thanks to the Italians for loving the girls, especially the guy at the petrol station who hosed me down. But why were there no race photos? Not a PB but I beat the four-legged entrant!

This was my fourth marathon - my third for Europe - and I had fun! Everything was well marked to include water stations and porta-potties. Entertainment along the way and they even had two areas that had sprinklers for runners to run through. The tough part was the last 2 miles or so... on cobblestone... in between the buildings. It was high 70's but when you got on the cobblestone and ran between the buildings, it was about 80+ degrees. I was completely exhausted and even passed out after the finish line. The medical facilities were good, even for an American. I would recommend this run for everyone!

Very nice, flat and fast course, most of it on the country side along small and picturesqe villages with supportive crowd, very well orgenized with plenty of water and sponge, clear signs for each Km, in two words great experience!!!

I ran this course barefoot and found it to be a barefoot marathoner's dream. The road surfaces are smooth except for the last 2.5 miles where the course winds through the narrow, medieval, cobblestone streets of old Padova. After 24 miles the cobblestones are a bit troublesome, particularly since there is no where to go to get relief. I noticed quite a few of my shoed friends experiencing pain over this portion of the race. In fact, I think the barefoot division had it easier on the cobblestones than those running in conventional footwear. Still the course is ultra flat and the scenery is fantastic. Crowds were small except in Padova and Castlefranco. The race was very well organized with a free shuttle from the train station in Padova to the start in Vedelago. The walk from the shuttle point of disembark to the start of the race, some 1 kilometer or so was a bit long, but understandable given the crowd and the narrow streets. There was plenty of water, and sufficient sponge stations and spray stations during the race. This was most welcome since temps at the start hovered at 62 and rose to almost 80 by the end. There is an extreme shortage of porta-potties during the race, inviting the question as to what the female racers did during the race. I had to stop once and there was only 1 potty at the water stop, necessitating a 10-minute wait. I noticed that the runners, of whom there were about 5,000, were predominantly older males. I did not see that many female runners and certainly no other barefooters. Almost all runners wore spandex rather than the American-favored running shorts. Average age in my area of the race had to be in excess of 35-40. Most runners ran as members of a running club, decked out in their club apparel. Still as a smaller, 5,000-runner race, this was a nice experience. The finish in the Prata Del Valle plaza was very nicely put together. If you are in the area and like small marathons, St. Anthony's would suit you just fine. If you are xenophobic and need to be around other English-speaking runners, however, I would stay away. I saw no other Anglos during the race and had a fabulous time.

My first time running a marathon on mainland Europe, and also my first time running a marathon marked in KMs. I only found this very difficult because 42 is a long way to count up to, compared to 26. I know it's all in the mind, but it does make a difference. By the finish, weather was very warm (26 degrees C); they could do with an earlier start. But all in all, this was an excellent marathon to run even though I suffered badly on the last 5 KM. I tried to break 3 hours, but finished in 3:08. I will have another go next year.

This is a great race to experience real northern Italy - not the tourist traps like Venice. This year there were over 10,000 runners. Even so there were several places where there were no spectators and no other runners. Definitely need music. Also, plan on hot weather. I was figuring spring weather and it was much hotter, in the 70's and 80's the whole race. A fuel belt would be a good idea too because of the heat. This would be a great marathon to do with a friend.

While I have to comment on how well organized the marathon was set-up: water stations were well equipped, especially with toilets at every stop. Sponging stations were excellent and also the registration tent was set right by the start, which was easy to find. The race course was not exactly the most incredible one. You run through smaller towns and by farm roads. There isn't much of a view through the entire course. Also, the heat was utterly disgusting during the race. The temperature was at 80, but running on the road made it felt around 90. I wouldn't recommend this course for beginners.

This is one very organized marathon for a small scale. The people of Padova are very friendly, and even try to talk to me in Italian... even if I look very Asian. With the hand gestures, one can understand and if you listen carefully, you can get some words. Overall, it was a wonderful experience. The rain made it a little difficult because the roads were slippery and my shoes got a little heavy. This is a point-to-point marathon, where you run through about 9 little towns. Oh, and if you're not used to running on cobblestone, you better practice running on some. I wanted to sprint to the finish, but that was impossible because it was cobblestone till almost the finish line. The crowd was great, too. When you enter most of the little towns, they have a crowd of people screaming for you. An announcer on a microphone even called out my name! On the long countryside roads, though, if you're a slow runner, you better have some music with you because you might find yourself alone, unless you try to catch up to the person in front of you... It was an awesome experience for me. I would definitely recommend this to someone who wants to experience running an international marathon.

I ran this race as my first marathon ('03) and it was an exceptional experience. Running in Italian countryside through small towns with screaming fans was my favorite part. It's important to read the info online before you go if you don't have it mailed to you. It's well organized and some runners initated conversation during the race, even though I'm clearly a blond, non-Italian. Great memories and a true Italian experience! (And you're only a short (15 min?) train ride from Venice.)

Adding 4300+ participants to the 2005 edition is a big increase over prior year. Nevertheless organization handled it reasonably well. This is a marathon that takes you from the village of Vedelago, to the beautiful center of Padua. The road is closed to the traffic. You cross a few villages, where they turned the marathon into a community party, with bands playing music and people cheering. The rain on the last 10k made running on the stone pavement of Padua City city somehow painful. But once you are there, you know you've made it.

If you are looking for a marathon on a smaller scale with a flat course and great organization, this is the one for you. Approximately 2500 runners participated in this event. Rest stops were set up every 5km with sponge stations in between. The cost was right at Euro 35 (approximately $40)and you get Euro 5 back after you turn in your computer chip. Traffic was blocked for the duration of the race along the entire course for 8 hours. The course winds through 9 cities, some with beautiful sites and several with large screaming crowds. The marathon finishes in the largest square (piazza) in Europe, and is lined with incredible statues and buildings. I would recommend this run and gladly run it again.