The pellet heather is burning, while the rain is beating against the windows. Making it hard to look outside. My legs are resting on the sofa, after yesterday’s hard workout. In other words; perfect conditions to look for a spring marathon.
I have to admit, I’m having fun racing on the roads again. I didn’t expect it. I mean, nothing beats running in the forest. Where I live, I can run in the forest or on the road. We have hundreds of kilometres of paved cycle paths weaving through the woods. So preparing for a road marathon isn’t so bad.
It’s funny how, where you live, changes your perception of running. I remember my days in Tilburg, the Netherlands. I was at the beginning of my twenties. Penniless. Working during the day, studying in the evening. Hard times. Fun times.
I used to run when I lived in Rotterdam. Being in Tilburg, I wanted to pick it up again. But where to go? No green in sight. Only rows and rows of concrete houses. Uninspiring. Demotivating. To get to the closest park took me five kilometres. Two kilometres later, I had done the whole park. My ankle back then – an old football injury – was giving me problems. The doctors advised me to try a different sport. Since my surroundings weren’t motivating, I stopped running.
The trails got me back into running a couple of years ago. But now I’m struggling with another injury. Torn ligaments prevent me from running off-road. Luckily – if I take it easy – I can still run. On the road. So, I am preparing for the Antwerp Half Marathon.
RELATED: Antwerp Marathon will be half the fun
Earlier this year, I ran the Rotterdam Marathon. I never succeeded in breaking the four-hour barrier when I was young, so I gave it a go. Thirty years older, thirty years wiser. A running coach now, myself. I succeeded. Big time. Breaking my personal best by almost twenty minutes.
That success rekindled my love for the road. I like to push myself. But even more than that, I like to try out new things. New methods of training. See what works (for me) and what doesn’t.
At the same time, I still hope to return to the trail ultras next year. So, if I do something on the road, it has to be a marathon. That’s why I’m looking for a Spring marathon.
I could do the Rotterdam Marathon again, but I’ve run that one three times now. Twice in the past and last year. That’s enough. Besides, it was too busy. Not enough space to run properly. I know, for a lot of people it’s the more the merrier. Not for me. I run a marathon to run. The crowds are fun, but can be overwhelming at the same time. Especially when you’re highly sensitive.
RELATED: Outrunning myself in the Marathon Rotterdam
So what are the spring options in Europe? And with spring, I mean March and April. February is too soon, as I haven’t even started my off-season yet. May is too late. It can get pretty hot in May. I like fresh days to run.
There are more marathons out there, but these are the marathons I found with a clear website and bibs available when I wrote this.
Also no London, Paris or Rotterdam. They are or already sold out, or just very hard to get into.
So now the only thing is; which one to choose?
