Run away on holiday

GO MARATHON: Get on your running shoes and see the sights from the course of one of the world's great marathons, writes SHEILA RYAN

IF YOU’RE one of the 13,000 people running the Dublin Marathon on Monday, chances are you’re already looking for the next challenge.

Participating in a marathon is a unique way to experience a city; if you like running, you’ll love tearing down a traffic-free Champs-Élysées in Paris or New York’s Fifth Avenue. If completing a marathon remains an unfulfilled ambition, sign up for an overseas race, book and pay for the travel, and watch your motivation soar as the date approaches.

You could tour Europe, and beyond, running marathons in each capital city, but five major races have become known as the “big five”, and enthusiastic runners dedicate years of planning and training to ticking them off. The big five marathons are: London, Berlin, Boston, New York and Chicago, and it’s not just the punters who aspire to rack up the full house. The races have joined to form the World Marathon Majors series, awarding points to the top five men and women finishers in each of the five races over two years and offering a total purse of $1 million (€723,000) to the male and female champions.

For the average runner just completing each of the five races is achievement enough, and even getting to the start line is a challenge in itself. All five races regularly sell out, with London, New York and Boston massively oversubscribed.

Inaugurated in 1897, the Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon. It’s the classy big brother to the New York Marathon, which has only been around since 1970. Added to its pedigree, Boston has retained an elite status by asking runners to qualify by running a marathon below a certain time, depending on gender and age.

The London Marathon attracts around 150,000 applicants each year, but fewer than 50,000 are admitted. Hopeful runners don’t even book a place, just an entry in the ballot, and even that is already closed for the 2011 race.

New York also grants places by lottery but, like London, allocates slots to a range of charities to dispense to runners willing to raise an agreed amount of money for the charity. For all five races there’s an easier way: book a full travel and race package with a tour company and your place at the start line is guaranteed.

Martin Joyce, who established Sports Travel International in 1988, explains the unique appeal of marathon running: “It’s the most democratic of sports because you’re not competing against anybody except yourself.”

He says that at prestigious races the average punter can line up in the same event as the top people in the sport.

Mr Joyce compares the big five marathons to the golf majors. “They are the top five in importance, prestige, participation,” he says. Marathon travel also has a big social side too, says Joyce: “At the big events – like London, New York or Berlin – the craic is just fantastic. People have made so many friends out of running, and sometimes lifetime partners.”

Sports Travel International offers travel and accommodation packages, including guaranteed entries to all the major marathons. Each year up to 500 Irish people take this route to the New York Marathon. While this isn’t the cheapest way to get your marathon fix, Joyce cites the benefit of the group dynamic, a welcoming face at the end of the race and a celebration dinner on the last night of the trip. He also checks in with each runner after the event to ensure everybody is safe.

Joyce’s tips for aspiring marathon athletes are to pick an event based on what they want to achieve and, since marathon running is considered a hazardous activity, to check that their insurance covers race participation.

With less than six months to go to the spring, now’s the time to start training for your holiday.

* sportstravelinternational.com

* worldmarathonmajors.com

Fast marathon

Of the tens of thousands of runners who line up at a typical international marathon, only a handful have a shot at the winners’ podium. The rest are racing against themselves, often with the goal of a “personal best” time, or PB. To shave a few minutes, or even seconds, off their best marathon is their gold medal.

But not every race has PB potential; hills, heat, uneven surfaces and jostling crowds all have an impact on runners’ finishing times. Seasoned marathon runners in single-minded pursuit of the elusive PB pick and choose their races and think nothing of travelling to hit their target.

The Rotterdam marathon is making a claim to be the fastest in the world, and its website proudly displays pages of statistics showing world records and elite athletes who scored PBs in Rotterdam.

This year 22,000 runners lined up to emulate their success and if you want to follow in their footsteps, this could be the race for you. Rotterdam might not top the bill of European cities to visit, but the marathon makes up for its lack of iconic sights with a multicultural music festival along the course, with 32 bands. The official Rotterdam Marathon hotel is the Novotel Rotterdam Brainpark.

* Rotterdam Marathon, April 10th, 2011. See abnamromarathonrotterdam.com

* accorhotels.com

Scenic marathon

If you want to get away from the big cities, there are alternatives, and a new addition to the marathon calendar is the Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes. The course hugs the French Riviera all the way to Cannes, passing through towns such as Antibes and Juan-les-Pins.

What it lacks in iconic landmarks it makes up for with sunshine, palm trees and snow-capped Alpine peaks in the background. Now in its third year, the race attracted 10,000 runners in 2009 and is already the second most popular marathon in France.

If you’re sold on running the Riviera this year but haven’t done the training, there’s an option to run the marathon as a team of six.

Heat and marathon running don’t mix, but in November the temperature on the Riviera is expected to be 12-14 degrees and the race begins at 8am to avoid the warmest part of the day. This early start time could also help settle the decision on whether to stay in Nice or Cannes.

For a stress-free start to a race it’s always good to stay close to the start line. The Radisson Blu overlooks the Promenade des Anglais in Nice where the race begins and its rooftop restaurant and pool will give non-runners a view of the fun. Guests also enjoy privileged access to the hotel’s private beach – a bonus in Nice where public beach space is scarce and stony.

* Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes, November 14th, 2010. marathon06.com

* radissonblu.com

Novelty marathon

Not all marathons take themselves seriously. The Marathon du Médoc bills itself as “the longest marathon in the world”. It’s the standard 26.2 miles, but the course winds its way through 50 vineyards including Châteaux La Tour and Lynch-Bages, many of which offer tastings of their produce.

Wine and endurance running are not obvious bedfellows but the French runners are convinced drinking their way around a marathon can do no harm.

The Médoc is decidedly not PB territory. Better to enjoy the wine, and perhaps some pâtisserie, an oyster or some steak from one of the food stands.

Fancy dress is more or less mandatory, with a theme selected every year, and more than 90 per cent of runners comply. Even the elite runners at the front generally have some token bit of costume. Getting the outfit right could be as big a challenge as training for the race; the costume that seems comfortable enough at the start line could be torture after 26 miles on the hot, dusty paths through the vines.

There’s a carnival atmosphere in the village of Pauillac, where the race begins and ends, with food and drink stalls and bands playing into the night, rounded off by a fireworks display. For those who can still move the next day, there’s a recovery walk through some of the châteaux of the race with, of course, more wine tasting.

The Marathon du Médoc is limited to 8,500 runners and is always massively oversubscribed so watch the website for the opening of registration. Accommodation in Pauillac, about 40km from Bordeaux, is also at a premium.

Hotel Château Cordeillan-Bages in Pauillac offers a sauna and pool to soothe the post-race pain. With a highly regarded restaurant and its own vineyard, re-fuelling after the race should be more than usually pleasant.

* Marathon du Médoc, September 10th, 2011. marathondumedoc.com

* cordeillanbages.com

MARATHONS: The Big five

NEW YORK: November 7th, 2010. nycmarathon.org.

LONDON: April 17th, 2011. virginlondonmarathon.com.

BOSTON: April 18th, 2011. bostonmarathon.org.

BERLIN: September 25th, 2011. real-berlin-marathon.com.

CHICAGO: October 9th, 2011. www.chicagomarathon.com.