Marathon Deutsch Weinstrasse

I arrived at Bockenheim Kindenheim train station on a gloomy & wet afternoon before the marathon, a week after running Rotterdam. I was unable to hail or call a cab in Bockenheim as it was raining very heavily. Thankfully the owner of the hotel in Zellertal came to pick us up. Earlier, I tried to book a hotel in Bockenheim but the nearest ones were 5km away in Zellertal & Grunstadt. Later I found out that most of the runners were locals, & who rented or drove cars! I collected my marathon bib, timing chip & running shirt 10 minutes before the run thanks to the very efficient organisation & two incredibly helpful, young men who showed us the way. Luggage deposit was also quick & hassle free. The marathon started promptly at 10am with fantastic crowd support & beautiful weather. It was clear blue skies abt 20C. I ran the 21km which brought us to the town of Grunstadt where everyone came out to cheer enthusiastically, including shopkeepers & church goers. The course was challenging but scenic & beautiful. It brought us through several vineyards & hills. At 9km, routes diverge. Full & duo marathoners turned right whilst half marathoners ran left to loop back to Grunstadt. We then passed Asselheim to return to Bockenheim. Hydration stations were long, well stocked & at regular intervals. An abundance of water, apple juice, ISO drinks, white wine, cut bananas & apples. One station also had red wine & chocolates. Runners can sip Riesling wine from yellow sponges offered. These were specially cut out in the shape of a bunch of grapes. And finishers were each given a 750mls bottle of Riesling wine. The Expo, which sold running items, food & drinks, was near the start & finish area, & there were tents for luggage, first aid, muscle massage area & toilet with bathing facilities for me to clean up before dragging my luggage to the station for my train to Frankfurt after the run. Foreigners who want to run here should ideally rent a car from a bigger town like Worms or Mainz. There was no car rental company in Bockenheim or Zellertal. Take a hotel in a bigger town like Grunstadt where transportation is easier. Full marathon should start earlier at 8am when it is cooler because this year it was hot & >25C at noon. I saw a runner being wheeled on a trolley with a drip from an ambulance. The half marathon can start an hour later.

One con: Marathoners and half marathoners starting at the same time. Big drawback. Pros: fantastic spectators throughout, free bottle of wine and lots of tastings during the race, the food offered during the race was spot on and wonderful. I ran with a group of friends and we loved every minute of it! Not a PR race but the funnest one I had ever ran. Didn't hurt that the weather was gorgeous and not a cloud in the sky! The tents for our luggage, drinks, and bags were well organized and easy to get to despite the crowds.

I was extremely impressed by how the event was organized, and by how many details were covered. No wonder that it's only offered every other year! Check in was easy. I also appreciated that there was a covered place to check in valuables, as well as a place to shower after the race. The course was beautiful and challenging (there are a handful of lengthy hills), and the crowds were extremely supportive. The aid stands provided a variety of waters, apple juice, hot tea, chopped bananas and apples. I brought my own gels, so I failed to look at what was served. My only complaint about the entire race would be that I wish that the half-marathon wouldn't have been started at the same time as the marathon. Great performance T-shirt and the entry fee included a complementary sports bag, which contained a bottle of the local Riesling. I plan to do this race again in the future.