Lausanne Marathon - Race Reviews

Leave it to the Swiss to organise an efficient, smooth race! Lausanne is the epitome of Swiss mentality! Bib pick-up is simple - the location of the expo incredible easy to find and in a great spot (very close to the finish as well). The expo is small, and the goody bag consists of a saline nose spray! The race starts at the odd time of 10:10... no idea why, but hey! The weather this year was not the greatest, temperatures hovered around 10C, and for the first 90 minutes it rained. The course is an Out-And-Back: 21 km towards Vevey, and then after turning in the middle of the town, straight back. The course does not contain steep climbs but is also not flat. The road undulates/ovulates continuously and it does wear you down... but the toughest part of the race was the strong head-on wind once you turned in Vevey! 21km straight into the wind! Being 6'3 (1.93m) I found myself leading a train of runners all using me to shield from the wind! Knowing the area I know there are some stunning views - however, in this edition most of those were obscured by the clouds, rain and fog! The aid stations are terrific - already from the first one there is ample water, isotonic drinks, oranges, bananas and gels! The volunteers are extremely helpful and friendly - and judging by how you were handed your cups you can tell they were experienced! Not a lot of spectators along the course - given the weather this wasn't a big surprise... although seeing a small group of people having a cheese fondue in their vineyard did give things a sense of comfort! In Vevey there were no crowds: the half marathon starts from there a few hours after the marathon comes through. Great medal and a good long sleeved tech shirt (albeit in an awfully visible grapefruit colour!). Loads of refreshments at the finish - and the finish video which was on-line almost immediately was a great touch! All in all, an excellent race, not an easy one, which suffered a little due to the weather. Lausanne itself is the capital of sports (the IOC seats there, and has a fabulous museum) and is within easy reach of all the Western European countries through the Zurich and Geneva airports...

Back after 4 years, and it's still a neat little race. Breathtaking scenery (even though the skies were heavy this year), and really well supplied refreshments: Copious gels, PowerBars, fruit and glucose tablets every 5K. I must say that I really do not think this is as hilly as others have commented. What is wonderful is the small field, the efficient organization and the traffic-free lakeside course. You will not be disappointed.

I only do a couple of marathons a year and this turned out to be a great choice for an autumn marathon. The course is hilly, so this wasn't a fast one for me; but it was very scenic. The crowds and bands in the towns along the way were great. The organization at the expo and along the course was efficient. The finish line video was a nice addition afterward. Running along the lake edge a few days prior to the race was very pleasant as well. There were plenty of other distances offered in addition to the marathon, which worked out well for my wife (who did the 10 KM walk). A few things were a little disappointing: no runner-specific race photos afterward, a very misleading course profile on the race website, so-so shirts, and almost no race-related merchandise for sale at the expo. These points were minor, and I'd definitely recommend this to anyone looking for an international marathon in an interesting town on a well organized and scenic course.

I was on vacation with my family. My son could also take part in the 4.2K race for children. The course is scenic but slightly hilly. The inclines are gradual but long. There are adequate aid stations and the turn-around point (it's an out-and-back route) has a really lively atmosphere. There are superb bands playing along the route and it helps to hear some good music. The finish area has a lot of food and drink carts, and the family can really enjoy themselves whilst they wait for you to finish. Lausanne itself is a beautiful place. My recommendation? Go for it!!

I was traveling to the Lausanne area with my family to visit friends and decided to run the Lausanne Marathon. I found everything about this race to be first-class. The packet pickup was well organized and the race start was like a festival, with music, dancers on a stage trying to "pump you up" and plenty of washroom facilities. The course was as scenic as advertised, with Lake Geneva and the Alps on the right and terraced hillside vineyards on the left. The road was fully closed to allow you to fully enjoy the sights. Crowd support was strong in the numerous villages we ran through and at the turnaround in Vevey. Their were bands and local cheering groups to give support. The aid stations were further apart than in North American races (5 KM's), but were well stocked with drinks, fruit and gels. The course was flat for Switzerland, but the rolling hills did eventually drain my legs. I would recommend extra hill work. The finish was also like a festival with solid crowds to encourage a strong finish. There was adequate food and drink. This race provided an amazing running experience and I felt privileged to have had the opportunity to participate. I would recommend this race both to runners looking for a marathon vacation or those living in the vicinity. Special thanks to my Swiss friends who drove my family to various spots to provide me support.

I ran the 2008 edition (full marathon). I thought that the organization was superb, from the pasta party, to the start area, to the numerous refreshment points. The course follows a truly scenic route alongside Lake Leman. Downside for me was the lack of crowd support at the end, probably due to the low number of entrants for the full distance (approximately 1,300). Half-marathon started later in the day and was much better represented. The course is quite difficult, with long inclines, so not ideal for running a PB. Water and energy drinks were provided in paper cups.

Living in Lausanne, I had assumed that the marathon would have been a lot better organized. The biggest problem I had was with the water stations (I ended up getting dehydrated later on in the race). Their website states that "The official refreshment posts take place at KM 5 - 10 - 15 - 20 - 25 - 30 - 35 and 40." What they don't say is that half of these were merely buckets of water for you to dip your hands, hat, etc. into. If you do this marathon next year, I would advise you to bring your own water belt. I will definitely not be joining you there, though.

Beautiful out-and-back course with rolling hills throughout. The is one of the most scenic races I have ever run. Great views of Lake Léman and vineyards terraced on the mountain side. Not many spectators except in the few small villages. Well supported aid stations. Course was completely closed to traffic. Pasta party was a little lame because they were skimpy with the pasta. I am sure that saved a lot of francs. Post-race support was excellent. Expo was very good too. If coming from the States, buy a Swiss Rail Pass before your trip so you can see the country without any hassle. Take the opportunity to hike in the Alps after the race and before it snows.

Great setting along Lac Leman makes this one of the most beautiful and scenic marathons I have run. The previous comment by Mike says it is fairly flat, but I thought it really undulated to sap you, especially as it was warm this year and there is little shade. Totally traffic-free, and well-marshaled, but having cups instead of bottles was a drag. Nice tented expo near the lakeside finish. The out-and-back course is okay, as you see things from a different perspective on the return (better than loops!). Excellent transport links on Swiss rail help you to get to the city with ease. A great, mid-sized, European marathon.

Lausanne was my first marathon abroad and I enjoyed every kilometer of the race. Beautiful course and decent fan support. Best parts were running along the huge lake, running through narrow, winding streets, and the halfway turnaround point in Vevey with lots of fans. Bands playing music every 3-4 miles, good aid stations, fairly flat... you really couldn't ask for better. The only minor drawback may be the course being an out-and-back one, but it does vary a bit on the way back, and the whole thing is along the lake... can't go wrong there. Try this one if you are in Suisse in October!

What scenery to compliment this well organised well run marathon. Fairly flat traffic free superbly marshalled route along Lake Geneva to Vevy and back. Excellent start and finish and apart from water in cups lots of power drink fruit etc. Fab finish on shores of lake right by the espo tent and all the hotel . Good air links cheap accommoddation make this a little gem. Support could be better

I enjoyed the 2004 edition of this marathon. The landscape around Lake Léman is wonderful. You will find enthusiastic supporters along the whole circuit. In my opinion the only 'but' is that it is a return course, which I found mentally tiring.

I would highly recommend this race. Hills galore throughout, but that's expected in Switzerland. The scenery is beautiful, all the townspeople are out cheering on the runners and the roads are all closed for the race - no traffic to contend with. Music all along the course was a nice touch. Water bottles used was a nice change from the cups typically used in a marathon. Kilometer markers very visible and at every 1K point. A few negatives - water stops only every 5K or so. Sport drink on the course tasted nasty and wasn't available until the halfway point. Post-race food consisted of a banana and an apple. Overall great race with some challenging hills.

This is a very well organized race. Lausanne is a 30 min train ride from Geneva, so the participants are a very international group. The course runs along the lake - the view is beautiful! There are no significant hills, but the entire course is made up of rolling hills - this began to wear on me and other runners in the last 10k. The aid stations are plentiful and well stocked with water (in small bottles!), sports drink and fruit. There was very good fan support at various points along the route. The weather was great - cool air a slight breeze, and the sun was shining the entire time. Very cold after the finish, however, so be ready to bundle up.

For my first, I intentionally picked this one. I knew it would be well organized and nice to run. And it was. City welcomes competitors. Everybody knows about race and everybody wishes you all the best. Race day was cool and sunny with some clouds. Very nice: that first 2.5 kilometers are downhill and you don't have to climb them on way back. Plenty of refreshments (bottled water, energy gel, fruit...) and even local people bring their support. While running you can enjoy scenery: Alps heights covered with snow, calm lake, vineyards. If interested to see French part of Switzerland and have a nice race, try the Lausanne Marathon.

I ran this one in 2001 and already registered for 2002. This is a relatively flat course along Lake Geneva with a turning-point. The pavement is very good and the roads are very wide. You cross several small villages and it looks like the local bands are having a competition going on. Even though there are not so many spectators, the ones who are there really kick butt! The food-supply is exceptionally good: you´ll find isotonics, water, fruits, powerbars, powergel. Everything you like. The water is handed out in bottles, which I find easier to drink. And the organization is outstanding too. I´ll run this one every year! Give it a try...

Nice organization, nice ambiance (bands playing music throughout the race), some scenic views. Overall I recommend this marathon and I'll definitely run it again in 2002.

This was my first marathon. The organization was great and support was well sustained even for us tail of the packers. Scenery was outstanding even on a rainy day as you wander through several villages along the lake. Will do again someday

Course is relatively flat, except some crossings, 50 metres downhill. Very nice course above Lake Geneva. I can fully recommend this race.