Page 1/2 Maratona
di Roma, Rome Marathon 2012/2013
If you’re looking for the ideal combination of athletic challenges and a nice weekend
of sight-seeing, Rome Marathon is the place to go. Held annually in March, when
nice days exceed hot days and the herds of tourists haven’t arrived yet, Rome Marathon
attracts more and more runners each year. On March 20 2011, when the last version
of Rome Marathon – or to be exact, Maratona di Roma – took place, a record number
of 12,596 runners finished the race with Kenyan Dickson Chumba Kiptolo crossing
the finish line first.
Your next chance for a long run through this romantic and historic city is March
18, 2012 (date to be confirmed).
In 2010, winner Siraj Gena of Ethiopia finished the race barefoot to honour his
countryman Abebe Bikila who won the Olympic marathon in Rome exactly 50 years earlier.
As a participant in the Rome Marathon, you get to drink in the city’s historic atmosphere
right from the beginning. The start line is placed in front of the 2,000 year old
Coliseum, and from here the course is a veritable festival of magnificent sights.
Among other things, you will run past Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Trevi Fountain,
Piazza Navona, the Spanish Steps and through a lot of picturesque, narrow streets
in the old part of the city. So, remember your camera but leave your PB aspirations
at home – you need time to appreciate all the breathtaking landmarks and to conquer
the cobblestones, that cover about half the route. The course is surprisingly flat
for a city built on seven hills, but the sometimes uneven cobblestone streets, which
in the narrowest places can feel quite crowded, may add a few extra minutes to your
finish time.
Throughout the years, Rome Marathon has been making good use of its unique status
as the capital of the catholic church. For example, the turn of the millenium was
celebrated by moving the start area to Saint Peter’s Square and having the pope
himself wish all the runners good luck before the run. And even though the start
line is now back in the gladiatorial ambience of the Coliseum, the word has it that
priests and cardinals are among the cheering crowds when the runners pass Saint
Peter’s Church. And if you need more than spiritual nourishment for finishing a
marathon, just arrive a day or two early and feast on the many temptations in a
city where it is almost impossible not to carb load.
And the best news is that you – or maybe your less marathon-passionate travel partner
– don’t have to cover 42 km of narrow, Roman streets to experience the special atmosphere
on marathon day. According to tradition, 15 minutes after the bold marathoners are
sent on their way, 85,000 children, adults and seniors head out for the non-competitive
Stracittadina Fun Run. The 4 km course shares its start line at the Coliseum with
the marathon and cruises around the ancient city’s streets before finishing outside
of Domus Aurea – the ruins of emperor Nero’s Golden House.
For more info and registration please visit the Rome Marathon official website
here.
Rome Marathon Course
Check out a course that offers nice river views, ancient sights and maybe a close
encounter with the pope
here. You can also view the course on
Google Maps
here.
Find out much more at the next page:
Rome Marathon Results and Information
2012/2013