1 week before the 10th edition of the Verona Marathon (and half marathon)

From the website of the Verona Marathon, you can find an interesting article describing why it is interesting to run the Verona Marathon next week, Sunday February 20th. This is one of the first important running event and more than 7,000 runners will participate, either to the marathon (expected 2,000 runners at the finish line) or to the Half Marathon (expected 4,000 runners). Both events are in the top 10 in Italy, with the half marathon in the podium (the website indicates in 2010 the Giulietta & Romeo half Marathon was second after the Rome-Ostia, but they were closer with StraMilano). If you are competing in Verona next week, you can take a look at the Verona marathon course or at the Verona Half marathon course. Due to the number of runners, there will be corrals at the starting line, with 4 different colors (yellow for top runners, orange for the first grid, green for the second and light-blue for the last one). The organization has foreseen refreshements every 5km, starting at km 15th, with 6 different tables, the first for the top runners, in the second one runners can find still waters, in the third one Gatorade, in the fourth one hot tea, in the fifth one bananas, in the last one biscuits. There will be pacemakers from 2h45, every 15 minutes till 5h, plus the 6h pacemakers. The Marathon will start at 9am, while the half marathon at 10:15am.
If you are interested to understand how the marathon looks like, you can read the Verona Marathon live experience.

‘O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?’ is undoubtedly one of the most renowned Shakespearean lines. Thanks to the major British poet, the city of Verona has become the city of love and passion, where the most famous love affair of all time was set. However, since 2001 Verona is also the place every runner loves. In the last ten years, in fact, Verona has been hosting the Verona Marathon, an amazing and exciting international running event across the old city centre and the city’s suburbs. The 10th edition of the 42,195 km running race is taking place on 20th February, 2011 and it will kick off and close beside the Verona Arena, the Roman amphitheatre worldwide known for the large-scale opera, music and theatre performances hosted there since ancient times. The 2011 Verona Marathon event comprises also the Romeo and Juliet Half Marathon, along a stunning course that touches some of the most beautiful corners in the heart of Verona. Both races are IAAF (International Association Athletics Federation), AIMS (Association of International Marathons and Distance Races) and FIDAL (Italian Federation of Athletics) officially recognised races. Last year’s Romeo and Juliet Half Marathon ranked third among Italy’s most popular half marathons with almost 4.000 participants.For those who aim to take part in the 2011 Verona Marathon event in a funnier and more relaxed way, the Family Run non competitive race brings together youngsters and families on a 13, 7 or 4 km course, exploring the beauty of Verona.Registrations to the 2011 Verona Marathon and the Romeo and Juliet Half Marathon are already closed. Entries for the Family Run event will be open until Sunday 20 February (fees: €5,00 – free children under 10 years of age).In 2000 Verona was listed as a World Heritage site by the UNESCO Committee and for the tenth time next February it’ll be invaded by runners of every level and nationality. Last year, over 6.500 people took part in the event. One of the targets for this year’s competition is to break this record, and the organizing committee led by Verona Marathon GAAC 2007 ASD along with the Verona Municipal Sports Bureau, is confident to welcome to their city a huge number of competitors and running lovers next month. Because Verona has always been the perfect place for every kind of …lovers.