Rome Marathon

11,000 runners from 102 countries made this the biggest race I've done by far. March promises manageable weather and the route passes a lot of the cities highlights. I'd never been to Rome so this made it a nice choice for my first marathon event.

This was also the first marathon in my journey to join the Seven Continents Club.

The Race

We flew out Saturday and one of our first stops was the race expo. Katie was doing the 5K which has the same experience of collecting race packs, t-shirts and wandering through the stalls. I couldn't believe how busy it was and it made me appreciate the sheer number of people. It was a quiet night from there with a nice pizza and lots of water.

I ate breakfast three hours before the start and fit in a little more rest, leaving at 7:15am. My ten minute walk over was surreal, with a constant stream of people flowing around me. The athlete area wraps around the Colosseum and at the end of a long road was the start line, behind which we were divided into our pens. Wave A at 8:30am, Wave B&C at 8:35am and me in Wave D at 8:42am.

The start was packed with people as far as I could see and the atmosphere was great. There were six pacers for every conceivable time goal and they all wore coloured balloons with their planned finish times. I squeezed my way over to the sub 4:00 hour pacers and their silver balloons. They said they'd be holding a consistent 5:35 min/km for the whole race and it was now my goal to stick with them if I could. I looked over at the red 4:10 balloons, unsure if I'd be seeing them out there. The speakers blared music and there was a clear buzz in the air. This soon became cheering and countdowns before suddenly we were moving.

The start was slow with the crowd moving as one, almost shoulder to shoulder. Cobbled streets required concentration and it was a few kilometres before you had space to yourself. I ran with the silver balloons who were a bundle of energy, cheering and chanting non-stop. I felt good so I pushed a few hundred meters ahead where it was quieter and stayed comfortably there. I met three Irish lads who had the same tactic, maintain enough of a lead that if we stop to pee we don't fall behind. It was a first marathon for two of them also.

Heading south, the first 10km was quiet and overcast which was nice. Running along the river was the highlight and we passed some cool statues dotted around. Returning north on the opposite bank there were more sights and the sun came out, bringing them and the people to life. By 15km we were back in the heart of the city and now it was bustling. People everywhere watching and cheering. We passed multiple bands playing music for us, and one DJ playing Jump For My Love filled me with energy.

There was an aid station every 2.5km with bottles of water and sports drinks. I'd always take at least one and got some banana and biscuits at one point. Icy cold, wet sponge stations every 5km were a godsend as the heat cranked up. By the halfway point I felt as fresh as I had that morning, but the heat was definitely rising. Not long after this, we crossed a bridge and ran the long straight road to St. Peter's Basilica. With no tourists or cars on the street it looked fake, like a movie set. To this point it was the most incredible thing I'd seen in Rome.

It was at 25km that myself and the Irish guys started getting caught up to by the silver balloons. It took a push to maintain our slight lead, at times falling in with them. The relentless chants of "Quattro Quattro" were hunting us down. They were incredibly consistent. We were less so, naturally slowing at this point.

I fought until 28km when I finally fell behind. I pushed and stayed with them for a while but eventually saw the silver balloons leave me. I reckon I was after 3.5 litres of water (with salts and electrolytes) and still felt like I could drop with heat stroke. I hugged whatever shade I could find and had to walk for the first time before heading on with a slow jog.

At the next few aid stations I took bottles of water and salts, walking while I drank each. I could feel myself returning to normal as I did, and even though the 4:10 red balloons passed me, I knew I needed it. It was a combined run/walk I did from here and things got a lot tougher.

The sections on the north end of the city were spectacular. By 35km, all clouds had cleared and times in direct sunlight were torturous. My body felt okay, and a gel I had gave me energy, but I still felt dehydrated and light headed. Days of drinking water before seemed to count for nothing as the 4:20 balloons caught me too. I stuck with them until a particularly hot section stopped me.

In the depths I'd run as much as I could with walking in between. Drink as much water as I could stomach and throw the rest over my head. Sponges were used like a shower and I was enjoying every bit of shade the tall buildings granted. There were supporters everywhere, so close that they'd cheer your name because they can read it under your race number. I knew I looked like a zombie, ready to collapse, but I kept pushing.

At 38km I was chatting with anyone around me just to distract myself. I met a nice Irish guy named Joe. First marathon also but he was only here for 48hrs. Like everyone around us, he was shattered.

At 40km I overtook my fellow Irish from before as we went through a tunnel. Sore legs had slowed them and they asked if the 4:30 balloons had passed yet. I said no and we obviously had the same goal now.

The last bend was incredible, facing us towards Piazza Venezia. It looked astonishing and as we went around it revealed the Colosseum and the finish line. I wanted to collapse and puke but managed a wheezy run all the way. There wasn't a bit of extra energy as I stepped over the line.

4hrs 23mins 53s

I was 30 minutes in shade before I finally cooled down and felt okay. Some light stretching had the legs alright, but after at least 6 litres of electrolytes and water I still felt dehydrated. I met Katie who had really enjoyed the 5K and we made our way home via the Colosseum, where I had even more water and some well earned Nutkao and cookies.

The Trip

My Dad advised I do the touristy bits after the race, not before. This turned out to be wise, keeping the legs fresh for the day of. After the Sunday race we stayed until late Wednesday seeing the sights. The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon and Saint Angelo's Castle were all amazing but the Vatican was definitely a highlight for me.

I loved St. Peter's Basilica and especially the view from on top of the dome. The Vatican Museums are probably one of the craziest things I've ever seen and the Sistene Chapel blew my mind. We saw the Pope at his Wednesday audience, and filled the rest of our time with great food and drinks. All in all, a very successful break.

Afterthoughts

I loved the atmosphere of this race and it's easily recommendable. The huge crowds and spectacular scenery make up for any long queues. Although I'm clearly not built for heat, I couldn't fault the aid stations and couldn't have done it without them. The bands, DJ's and drummers are fantastic and I thought the pacers did a great job. They were a never ending bundle of energy for every step.

At 28km I was disappointed to see thoughts of a sub 4hr slip by. In reality, my training hadn't been up to scratch and that was an ambitious goal for now. To date my best marathon had been 5hrs 13mins, so this was a great result. It took everything I had for each step of the last 10km, and that makes me proud to have gotten the time I did.

Stairs were difficult the next day, especially on the way down. We made that a bus tour day and it paid to be flexible in our plans. Another day later I was okay, bar some back pain and a sore blister. Overall I'm very happy with my bodies recovery and excited to go faster next time, hopefully without heat stroke.