Eight hours tramping the streets of Rome was probably not ideal preparation for running 26 miles around the same city the following day. But there’s so much to see in Rome and our time there was so limited that it would have been a shame not to go a-tourin’.     

                                                                                                                                                                                                    

My race plan for this month’s marathon had been to fall in behind the 3:45 pacemakers (the guys with the purple balloons) and follow them to the finish and thus set a new PB. Simple plans are always best.

The first flaws in this plan began to become apparent as we started to line up for the race. As I only sauntered up to the start at about ten minutes to nine I found myself herded towards the back with the walkers with not a purple balloon to be seen. Not to worry. I resigned myself to catching up with those purple balloons as soon as the gun went off and decided to enjoy my surroundings for the start of the race.     

                                                                                                                                                                                      

As far as a backdrops for race starts go, Rome easily ranks among the most spectacular. We lined up with the magnificent Colosseum at our backs, the Imperial Forum to our left and the crowds looking down on us from the hill up to our right. It was a far cry from the midnight run on an anonymous track in Zurich back in January.     

                                                                                                                                 

Further flaws in my plan began to reveal themselves in the opening kilometres of the race. The sheer volume of runners and the narrowness of the roads made it near impossible to pass anyone out for the first 6 or 7 km. My purple balloons had long disappeared into the distance at this stage. The route started to open up around 8 or 9 km and I started to pick up the pace a bit.  At around 13km I met Danielle who was surprised to see me so far back as I had told her I would be running with the purple balloon boys.  I ran well  until around the 30 km mark at which stage I was just under 2hrs 50mins.        

       

At this stage I felt myself beginning to tire. Usually at this point in a marathon my legs are starting to scream and my mind is starting to consider death as a viable alternative to enduring any more of this torture. On this occasion however none of the above occurs. We run back into the centre of Rome where I spot Danielle on the side of the road. I stop to give her a kiss and she gives out to me for stopping. Later I pass her again by the Trevi fountain. At this stage my time has again drifted to shite (see Zurich & Valencia blogs for previous instances of this phenomenon). The last 6 or 7 kilometres are along the cobbled streets of Rome which is very tough on the soles of the feet. I will later use this as a lame excuse for my poor time.      

                                                                  

The last few kms are to be savoured rather than suffered. We come past the Vittorio Emanuelle Monument, run past by the Circus Maximus, the scene of Ben Hur’s greatest hour, and finish on the Via Fori Imperiale in the shadow of the mighty Colusseum. 4hrs 14mins. Pretty disappointing but it’s another one down. I meet Alan and Danielle shortly afterwards. Alan has knocked 3 minutes off his Valencia time and the fact that he is improving while I’m going backwards makes me even more depressed. Still, a few beers later and all is well with the world again. Connemara is in three weeks time. I’m thinking of giving the legs a complete holiday ’till then. Well it certainly can’t make me much slower!

Rome Race Info

Marathon Type:  Road running through city. Some cobbled streets.

Temperature: 19 degrees

Conditions: Overcast/Sunny spells

No. of  Participants: 14,000

Entry Fee: 47 euro