Rock 'n' Roll Montreal Marathon - Race Reviews

I'd like to say that the organizer are improving this event but unfortunately not. They corrected last year flaws (no finisher beer, no free bus/metro ticket) but introduced more serious 'bugs': - 50 minute start delay - PA system muted for 5-10 minutes after the elite started - Elite runners had to dodge slower half-marathon runners - boring marathon course (half marathon was ok) - First Aid slow response time - Sub par live entertainment - Frugal post-run snack For all of this, I think I paid too much for what I got in return. Being owned by both Rock'n Roll and Ironman, the whole organization must be a real mess.. Too many cooks spoil the broth. That was my 4th participation to it but it's over - I'm not coming back next year.

There are a few good things about this race. The run through Air Force station and later into the arena with cheerleaders, and the people at the water stations all positive. However the rest very poor. You can't call it a Rock and Roll race with no bands. A few individuals play guitar and or music out of computer? Really? Aids stations with tab water that had such a high chlorine level difficult to drink and Gatorade. One station had half a banana. Started an hour late, great just standing around not knowing what is going on. After 8 Rock and Roll races and 7 Marathons this is by far the worst. Many out there better than this one.

INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:17:35. The Marathon Rock n Roll de Montreal was my forty-first 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: temperature on Pont Jacques-Cartier start was 44 degrees (7 Celsius) with a northerly head wind that certainly provided a wind chill factor equivalent to a temperature in the high-thirties. The course can easily be divided into four parts of similar length, starting with the descent from our bridge that crossed over the Saint Lawrence River onto Ile Sainte-Helene. After descending to the shoreline just after the first kilometer, we were in flat territory for six-plus miles. Our tour around the outer edge of the island included going through La Ronde theme park before crossing over Chena Le Moyne onto Ile Notre-Dame, where our path took us on a Formula 1 race course, perhaps the smoothest and flattest part of a marathon route this side of Berlin. We began our second course segment a little over 10 kilometers into the race, we headed north toward Centre-ville (Downtown), crossing over the Saint Lawrence River on Pont de la Concorde and staying close to the piers as we entered Vieux (Old) Montreal, including traversing the most photographed street in town, Place Jacques-Cartier. After passing by Hotel de Ville (City Hall) on Rue Notre-Dame, with a clear view of the gigantic Molson brewery, we soon turned north, uphill into Ville Marie and later toward Parc La Fontaine, where we would separate from the half marathoners, who outnumbered us by almost four-to-one, just before mile 13. The third part of the course comprised of two out-and-backs, one initially going west on Boulevard Saint-Joseph toward Mont-Royal and one initially going north on commercial Avenue Christophe-Coulomb and returning mostly on residential Rue de la Roche. The roads were of rolling terrain and were mostly straight, thus allowing us not to worry too much about finding the shortest path. Beginning just past mile 20, the fourth and final leg of the course was characterized by a T-shaped out-and-back, toward the east, mostly on Boulevard Saint-Joseph. At mile 23, we were afforded a brief glimpse of the Olympic Stadium before returning toward the finish line at Parc La Fontaine. Finish time temperature was 61 degrees (16 Celsius). ORGANIZATION: Nicely done, with the usual Rock n Roll efficiency. Well organized expo, but with a little less logoed merchandise than your usual Rock n Roll race. Also, unlike the other Rock n Roll expos, marathon tee shirts were not sold at the Rock n RollBrooks booth just after leaving the bib pickup area, but at a separate booth just before departing the convention hall. One unique aspect of this race was both English and metric oriented participants could run in harmony: signs for each mile (in blue) and kilometer (in red) were posted. SPECTATORS: Typical in number for a marathon of this size, enthusiastic in support. Most of the bands were in the front half of the race. CONCLUSION: This race was more subtle than your typical Rock n Roll event; perhaps one may liken it to an acoustic version of the same amped-up tune. Nevertheless, it was a well done affair and worth considering for those who want to do a race in Francophone Canada. Bravo, Montreal.

This was my 87th full marathon! The race offered runners free subway passes the day of and that is truly awesome in itself. All marathon finishers received a jacket at the end as well, this in addition to the shirt. My only complaint was the information given during the race expo. I would have preferred receiving a sheet with instructions in both official languages for fans. Parking was very difficult and expensive due to the construction. Not many bands in the second half. Most of course is not shaded and that is why I and may runners had cramps in their lower legs in the last half. The jacket pick up was not intuitive in the finish area and I preferred it be near the finish line.

Note: I ran the half, not the full marathon + Pretty impressive that they are able to handle 30,000+ runners all getting to the starting point with public transit. The one day passes were a great idea and although the Berri-UQAM station was packed, we made it no problem. + Each corral had it's own starting 'gun' - much nicer than having only one start + The course (through an island park, amusement park, Formula 1 racetrack, old section of town, and ending in a park) was very, very scenic - After exiting the subway station closest to the starting area we waited for 40 min for 30 or so portapotties until giving up. Then when we walked to the bridge we found there were maybe 100 or so portapotties there with much shorter lines. It would have been nice if we were made aware of this - maybe at the Expo there could be a big map of the starting area. - There were sections of the course that were packed, for example at mile 11 over the Pont de la Concorde and on the road across from Habitat 67. With this many runners that may just be the price to pay. - After the race we had to run to the airport and were delayed by a big construction project on Hwy 20. It would have been helpful for the race organizers to at least warn runners of this kind of construction over race weekend.

One of the nicest Marathon course. But... What was the course time when I cross the start line ? I didn't know. The same when I did cross 10K,20K, half, and so all the way to finish line 42.2K. I'm thinking will be help full for runners and spectators to have displayed the course time on several places not only 5K and 42K

The Montreal Marathon is a nicely run Rock & Roll Event. There are actually 4 other races at the same time, a half marathon, 10K, 5K, & 1K. The organizers will say over 20,000finishers but only about 3,000 finished the marathon, which is typical for a Rock & Roll event. Course: First half is flat with some great scenery along the 2 smaller islands of Montreal. You start on Jacques Cartier Bridge, run through an amusement park, Biodome, on Grand Prix race track, across another bridge, past Habitat 67, then past some of historic Old Montreal waterfront. This year there was a slight rain at the start causing some major puddles in the flat area in the first 5 miles. The second half had some slight hills (underpasses) but nothing to worry about. It takes you through some nice areas north, and east of the finish area. You actually run by the Olympic Stadium (it would have been better to finish on the stadium like Bruce Jenner (Kardashian) did it 1976. Getting to the start of the race is easy on the Green Metro line but congested do to the amount of runners. Course is littered with bands as usual, some quite interesting, others not. Plenty of water, Gatorade and gels on the course. The start area could have used more toilets. I did not use the baggage, so I cannot comment. There was a slight race waiting on the bride and the first 5 miles. Bring some toss able clothes. Fans: I was quite surprised by the turnout of fan support along the entire course. Way to go Montreal!! Expo and swag: typical but convenient expo, nice runners shirt but no separate shirt for the marathoners. Nice big finishers medal as typical with Rock & Roll with the Biodome as the center piece. Finish: Smooth finish line area with food bags for finishers. A little disappointing though, other Rock & Roll races (DC) had ample food stuffs and chocolate milk. None here, nice post-race festival with free beer for finishers, concert and finishers gear for sale. There were many vendors giving out free samples if you needed more food. Overall this is a nice race to run and a great destination race. The city of Montreal is beautiful to visit in September. Weather overall is cool early fall. I recommend the Botanical Jardin at the Olympic park, it is worth the price of admission

This was my 8th consecutive marathon over eight years, second in Canada, but first Rock n' Roll Event. All in all, this event was 'meh'... in my humble opinion. It's an incredible city with friendly people, a decently organized event, but it's another example of a race getting greedy. Here are my specific thoughts: 1) The expo was small and pretty boring, and the volunteers had no energy. The Brooks merchandise was decent but of course pricey. 2) The official race shirt is pretty ugly and short sleeve, which is unacceptable to me. It's an autumn marathon (well, basically) and it's in Montreal! 3) It is evident from the expo on that this event is ALL about the half marathon. I got the overwhelming sense at the start line that I was overcome with half marathon runners, and many first timers amongst them. This was the second race that I've run that had the half end right along side the marathon course and it's an INCREDIBLY disheartening set-up. It messes with your mind! I really think that the course organizers need to reevaluate the course and/or the timing of the events if they want to grow the actual marathon. For this reason alone, I would not run this race again. (Caveat: I have NOTHING against half marathon runners and think it's an incredible running accomplishment!) 4) (These things seem petty but)... Where were the thermal blankets at the end!?! It was cold, windy, damp, and we had been rained on (the first several miles were MISERABLE, but luckily the actual rain stopped)! Also, the medal is decent, but looks kinda cheap. 5) The overall course of the marathon was less scenic than I imagined it would be, but all in all not that bad. The biggest problem was the lack of spectators on the second half (again, because most people were there to cheer for half runners). With all this said, I would rate the event as slightly below average. It's a flat course which allowed me to get a P.R. (the rain and wind might have helped with that) and it was a very fun weekend in a great city. I just think that the event has tried to get to big and that the half marathon overtook the day. And little cutbacks might seem minor but they matter to the runners!

This was my very first marathon, and I was kind of worried about everyone saying it was a hard course. I live near Montreal, so I decided it would be wise to choose an event close by for my first full marathon. The timing in the season, and location were just perfect for me. When you read comments about the course, you can see that many runners say it's a hilly course, and most talk about the Berri street hill. If you've ever ran on a course that is not 100% flat or downhill, you will find the course very flat, and easy. That said, I loved everything about the event, but mostly, the thousands of fans who cheer you up, and shout your name (written on your bib). This is a very nice touch, and really makes a huge difference on the mental state. As others mentionned, there were way to few toilets. The waiting time for a toilet 1 hour before the start was about 3 hours... Like most runners, I simply decided not to go, and see what would happen. There aren't very many toilets after the start either. The bands were really good, and over all, I really loved it. I'll be back next year to beat my 3h32m mark.

This was my first marathon and I it far exceeded my expectation. The course if flat, flat, flat and the first half is very scenic. You start on a bridge, run through an amusement park, across another bridge, on a race track, across another bridge, past Habitat 67, then past some of historic Montreal. The race then splits off at mile 13 when 3/4th of the runners stop at the half marathon. The second half of the course is less scenic and a bit repetitive but the on course Music breaks it up and keeps you entertained. The fans along the course are great and will high-five you and cheer you on, even calling you out by your name which is on your race bib. The course is also great for spectators, my parents saw me at mile 5, 10, 15, 20 and 26! In summary, I think the more popular half-marathon is probably better because of the scenic course, but the full marathon was an amazing experience.

My first marathon in Canada and my first R&R series marathon. While some reviews has mention R&R is not good, I think it is an above average race. The starting area is OK. One comment is not enough toilet area in the starting area. It gets a bit crowded at the start line on the bridge as a lot of spectators blocking some of the road. Corral start help a bit, but it is still quite congested at the beginning, especially with the downhill at the beginning. Weather is great, course is good and beautiful. Running on the F1 course is cool, and the first half along/around the island, the river and the old town is very cool. After the half marathoner left, course is open up. But that is in the residential area and start to get a bit lonely. The long stretch of back and fore is not that encouraging when seeing people running back already. Finish line is good, post race party is great. Bag pick up is still a bit too far, if can move closer to finish line is better. But overall is a very good race. Worth run again if live close by.

I signed up for this marathon on a whim 7 months prior to the race when Competitor offered a Leap Year special on February 29th and I signed up for my hometown RNR Pasadena Half Marathon and threw in Montreal for just $59 just in case I got around to running it. Really, it was out of sight and out of mind for 6.5 months as I had hoped to be able to run a late October marathon in Europe. When Europe was not materializing, however, 10 days before RNR Montreal, I decided to book air and hotels for Montreal & Quebec City and have a go at this race, with neither low expectations nor high expectations. Well, out of my 97 marathons to date, this turned out to be a Top 5 marathon experience for me, a new PR and a race that I would return to run again and again in the future. The course was fantastic, like a mix between NYC/Paris/San Francisco and it was very well organized even with nearly 12,000 half marathoners and marathoners all starting together and running together for the first 12.8 miles or so. Although there were some pretty decent headwinds in parts of the race, the running temperatures were perfect, about 50 degrees at the start and no more than 60 degees at the finish (start time 8:30AM and I finished in 3:41, so right around 12:20pm with the Corral 5 start). I cannot say enough great things about this race but highlights for me were starting with a nice downhill off the Jacques Cartier Bridge, running 3+ miles on the Grand Prix race track, running through Old Montreal and finishing in a nice big park which was perfect for the post race concert. Although I didn't make it to Europe for a fall marathon, I think this marathon experience in French Canada would have been hard to have topped so I am very pleased with how it all turned out and, quite unexpectedly, got a new PR out of it. :)

This was my first run in Montreal. Some tough hills. Didn't enjoy the long straight stretches..great fans!Appreciated km markers and water stations and volunteers. GLad to have participated!

My 39th Marathon! I enjoyed my stay in Montreal and the Delta hotel was first class. I snuck in a free shower in the pool on the fourth floor after the race! Pros: Bands: Very strong selection! t-shirt: Again, for a Canadian race - very good Fitness Expo: Good selection of products and well organized mile and KM markers post race party was good Cons: More toilets needed on course more frequent water stations better marking of fluids (sports drink not good enough) Vaseline sticks would be nice as well

2600 marathoners running in moderately warm weather this year on the streets and boulevards of this international city was as fine a marathon experience as it could be. It seemed to me that this was a much better racing situation than trying to run in a larger city with tens of thousands in the field. There were five 20 meter hills to manage. The first one felt unnoticable. The second and third hills were shorter, higher grade inclines that worked the quads modestly. The fourth and fifth hills were quite long, lower grade inclines that required some energy to meet. The fifth hill was significant because it began just after the 38th kilometer. Any training gaps or injury issue was painfully felt by the runners on this hill. The final ten kilometers of the race was significantly downhill except for the fifth 20 meter hill. For fit runners, this meant a free gallop to the finish. This nuanced city, Quebec people and marathon course provided a very fine cultural experience. Naturally, their course was fast and athletically balanced. I enjoyed this environment so I ran well. The host hotel added to this by their hospitality. Even with the Rock and Roll group as co-sponsor next year, I hope this marathon remains moderately sized, eclectic as the city and adequately athletic. Providing the same or similiar course would be a very good choice.

This was my second Montreal Marathon and again found it to be a tremendous experience. I'm a really slow runner so there were no congestion issues at the finish for me. I must compliment the race organizers for a job well done. Managing a race of 24,000 runners in Montreal - whew what a monumental task! Plenty of water stops and helpful volunteers. I really appreciated all the spectators - very friendly and supportive. On that humid Sunday I probably would never have made it to the finish without the encouragement. Merci Montreal! Great race!

This was my 5th marathon. The course was very scenic! It was a flat course too. There were a few spectators at spread out points. The finish was great! Lots of people cheering runners in. There were showers too, and no line, that was great. And a fun after race celebration. Great medal too (different for full and half, which is important)! One of the best tech shirts from a race I've ever got. Negatives: there was only one gel point, and maybe 3 banana and other food stations, not nearly enough, especially for a super hot day. It was a very crowded course with the 1/2 marathoners starting around the same time and in the same place the full marathoners, so it was crowded from about 25k to the finish.

I have run the Montreal Marathon two years in a row, and the course is beautiful. You start on the La Ronde Island, and you complete one full loop of the Gilles Villeneuve F1 Circuit. Once you are done there, you head over to the Old Port and find your way through the unique neighbourhoods of Montreal. The finish is excellent!!! Unfortunately, the organization could be a lot better. Since the half-marathoners start 2 hours the marathoners, they catch up to you around the 25km mark. As a result, the last 17km of the marathon feels overcrowded and congested. I would suggest to start the Half-Marathon 1 hour after the marathon to avoid this problem. Also, the finish is very congested because there is no 'athletes rest area'...everyone is allowed to come in which makes it chaotic. Overall, the marathon course and fans are fantastic!!!

The Montreal Marathon was my 10th marathon and glad to choose Montreal. Overall, it was enjoyable and scenic marathon, especially Olympic Stadium and first 10km in Gilles Villeneuve Track and La Ronde Island. The day was very hot and humid and the half-marathoners joined us about 25km into the race and it made the race very congested for the last 17km (my time was 3:45) so i didn't enjoy that part. The one issue is that the last sports drink is offered at 35k and a marathoner needs at least another sports drink station as its difficult to run the last 7K with only water. The finish area was a bit disorganized despite finishing at Parc Lafontaine, and minimum rest area for the athletes. Overall, Montreal is a nice city to do a marathon that incorporates much of Montreal landscapes and sights with good enthusiasm from spectators.

A really nice marathon. Great course with lots to look at. Very well organized. Loved the signs telling you that water stations were coming up in 75 meters. Nice, short-sleeved, technical shirt too.

I think this was a lovely event that could have been much better organized. The half marathoners started 2 hours after the full marathoners, so when the full marathoners got to their halfway point, about 2 hours later, the people running the half marathon flooded the already crowded streets and made it more challenging for the full marathoners on the course. The congestion could have been easily avoided if the half marathoners started as the same time as the full marathoners. Also, just when the streets were already congested and the aid stations already crowded beyond belief, the people running the 10K race were allowed on the same course. So just as I was getting to the 20-mile mark, the three different distances merged and the congestion was absolutely unnecessary. They could have started them at the same time as they started the marathon or the half marathon as well. I have no idea why they had to start 1 hour after the half marathoners and 3 hours after the full marathoners. So in effect, as the fast marathoners were entering the Olympic Stadium, so were the slow half marathoners and the even slower 10K runners. Are you kidding me? Who thought this was a good idea? All in all, a lovely city, a lovely course, good crowd support and a spectacular finish at the stadium sans the congestion. It was worth the trip.

Montreal was a great city to run through. Starting on the Jacques Cartier Bridge, running on the F1 track and finishing in Olympic Stadium make this race great. They have to fix the organization at the end of the race though (for example, few information booths, slow posting of finishing times, etc.). Organizers failed to post my time some 40 minutes after I finished. I also could not find the booth where my medal could be engraved. Also, the finisher's area was heavily congested, making it hard to get around.

This event is by far my favorite one of the year for its high energy, international participants and its turnout. While the course is challenging, with its hills and straightaways, it is well balanced. All in all, it makes for a great run for all levels of athletes.

Even if you're finishing at around five hours, there are still plenty of locals to cheer you on. The energy from the crowds improved my morale and shaved a bit off my time. It was a wonderful event!

The only thing I have to complain about was the fact that I could count the number of porta-johns throughout the race on one hand - no joke. People were going in the middle of downtown Montreal, and if you weren't brave enough to do that, you had to stop and wait in line at one the few gas stations you'd pass.

From the registration process to getting the official results online, this race was handled perfectly. Any and all information was readily available and I got quick answers to questions that I asked. We stayed in a hotel recommended by the marathon organization and it was great, perfectly situated. The race course was beautiful, giving us runners a great opportunity to see this beautiful city and the spectators were phenomenal, lining the course to cheer us on and encourage us to keep going. "Ne lachez pas" ("don't give up") was the phrase of the day. The water and feed stations were plentiful and adequately manned and it was just a pleasure to be running that day. The finish in the Olympic Arena was spectacular and the post-race food was a well thought out, with a well balanced blend of protein, carbs, dairy and juices. Seeing your picture on the huge Jumbotron as you entered the stadium was so great, and hearing your name called as you approached the finish line was incredible. The results were posted quickly and efficiently, and the medals and certificates given to all runners are a great reminder of such a wonderful race. I recommend this race to anyone considering running a marathon.

I chose Montreal to be my 50th marathon, and I was very glad I did. Hands down, the highlight was the course. I won't go into details of it, but it was varied in terrain and sights, and it was one of my favorites to date. I loved the start on the bridge, the run around the antiquated amusement park, the run to the island with the formula race track, then the run to Montreal Island and through the city streets and neighborhoods, complete with an amazing finish in Olympic Stadium. Sure, there are sections that were, shall I say, boring, but to be honest, there is only one marathon I have ever run where you never have a dull stretch (London Marathon). Spectator support was minimal, especially when compared to other "city" marathons, but the course helped bridge that deficit. The support, when it was there, was very enthusiastic. It appeared like most spectators were family of the runners rather than city people coming out to cheer the event on, such as what happens at the big-city marathons. The sport drink on the course isn't nearly as bad as some claim. It was very much like Gatorade. If you have a troublesome stomach, you probably need to start drinking different stuff on your long runs. It'll harden the stomach for anything. The finish in Olympic Stadium was amazing. Period. The stadium seats weren't filled, but the vibe was amazing, especially considering that runners from all the other events were there waiting for marathon finishers. If you are a three-hour marathoner, you will be running by yourself from about 15K on. But you're probably used to that already. The expo was very small. They could improve that. But again, run enough of these and you realize that it is only the big-city marathons that have big expos. Montreal is getting to be a big-city marathon, but it's not there yet. Which is actually why I like it. Because it retains a homey, lower-key feel to it. It would have been nice for the adjoining half-marathon to go off before the marathon. The half was delayed by 15 minutes, which meant the marathon was delayed even more. Most marathoners wanted to get going. And I don't blame them. The finish area in the stadium was good, but it would have been far less crowded and easier to walk around if bikes weren't allowed in the area. Bikes were there because of the adjoining 40K TT bike race that was a part of the events. Post-race food was lame. But you know what? I don't really care much about that. I always go out for a burger and beer after a marathon. Post-race food, in my estimation, is just to tide you over. If you have run a handful of marathons, this is not a PR course. It isn't a killer course. But the hills - long, gradual ones (not short ones, or long and steep ones) come alive after halfway. And it can be windy. So if you're racing marathons, rather than pacing to finish, and if you've done a number of them, you will not get your PR here. But don't turn away from this course because of it. It's really a very nice, varied course. One of my favorites. In all, Montreal puts on a great event. It is not perfect, and it is growing bigger and bigger, but the course is a sure highlight. Maybe in a few years this will become a big-city marathon, and at that time we can talk about the expo and spectators and such. But it's not there yet. So you can't expect it.

This was my first marathon. I selected this city because it was in the same time-zone, at sea-level and has a cooler climate than Puerto Rico. With all the information I was sent online, I had no problems getting around and finding everything I needed at the expo. I was not impressed with the clothes for sale. I expected to spend hundreds and just walked away with a shirt that I wasn't thrilled with. The clothes were all for winter climates and not very feminine. Arriving at the race was easy. The other marathoners were friendly and in good spirits. Having trained in Puerto Rico, I considered it to be cold, but the weather was perfect once we got going. My fingertips were still cold at the halfway-mark. I really recommend this race for anyone from the Caribbean or from southern states. After a summer of training, this will be a breeze. The city was beautiful and the course took us by lots of water, through parks and quaint neighborhoods. The hills were not steep but long. The woman who gave me my medal at the finish line gave me the most sincere congratulations in French. The food at the end consisted of yogurt, a banana, juices, water, bagel with peanut butter and some other things. There was no yoga class after, as advertised. That was a disappointment. There was no massage after, as advertised. Another disappointment. The subway station was right at the finish, so it was easy to get back to my hotel. The coolest thing about this marathon was that it was in Montreal. I was traveling with my four-year-old daughter and we had an amazing vacation afterward. There are so many things to do. The city has an amusement park, the botanical garden, biodome and biosphere, all of which are great for children. We had so much fun. The tourist area is very easy to get around. We did at least two things for kids per day. Most things are free for four-year-olds. Do the marathon and vacation with your family. We had a blast! What a cool city!

It's not the largest race, and not the most organized... but it's very charming. Since 2003, the race organizers have managed to improve the quality of this race every year. The course is scenic (it takes you through historic Old Montreal) and challenging, with a major climb at 26K. The race also attracts a large number of Europeans, which gives the event an international flavor. Most importantly, the race is lined with many, many beautiful Quebec women who enthusiastically cheer for all runners. An ideal race for Americans who want to run an international race without the high cost of air travel to Europe.

The course overall was OK, with the start and finish being the exceptions. My main complaints are the expo and lack of support from the city itself. The expo was very disappointing. This was my son's first marathon and we could not find any merchandise worth buying for him as a souvenir. If you go to the website they still don't list anything, and just refer you to the expo. Also, the city doesn't show much support. There were few spectators, and they could learn a lesson from Boston and let runners ride the metro free on race day. That's a nice show of support from the City of Boston.

They said attendance was up 60%(!) this year and it is easy to see why: beautiful course, early fall season, mostly flat terrain, very organized. To the other posts I would add that some are being stingy about the course. Between multiple cityscape vistas, the section on the race track, long stretches along the river, the part through Old Montreal, and the finish at the Olympic Stadium, I think you'd be hard-pressed to beat this course for scenic beauty. Another pro is the sponge stations. I believe there were more than at the other two marathons I've done, and they were very much appreciated. Finally, when there were fans, they were very supportive - a few sections of the course were good and noisy. ;-) I'd guess that fans are increasing with the number of runners. As an American, there was something very cool about being cheered along in French for just a couple-hour car ride. The major con I'd emphasize is the "sport drink." OASIS is the premier sponsor, hence their orange drink at the aid stations. But as they're owned by Coke, you'd think a PowerAde option would be easy enough. I've never suffered from cramping before, but I did here, starting at mile 16. My hunch is that it was due to a lack of sodium/electrolytes in the course-supplied hydration.

This is a good marathon. The course had MINIMAL hills and closed streets to cars. The end is downhill. The weather was great so there were spectators out. The number of runners was great - it was not too crowded, but I never felt alone. A decent number of water stations with ample water, food, sports drink (called "juice" by most volunteers, but it was a Gatorade-like drink), and sponges. I did not have to wait for anything (picked up race packet on Saturday afternoon). The shirt did run small. The hotel was adequately priced and close to the metro. The race did start late, so it was hard for my family members to know if they missed me or if I hadn't passed yet. The only con was that the wheelchair race and bike started AFTER the marathon. I felt pummeled by the bikes. And it was hard to get around slower people at the beginning of the race, but the narrowness did not last long.

Major pros of this marathon: The city (beautiful to visit and run through). The volunteers (thanks). The start (on the bridge) and the finish (at the Olympic stadium; it's wonderful to run the same finish as the 1976 Olympic marathon). Major cons: Registration (lineups!!!) - It was the first time that I've seen anything like it. I was not pleased to be standing and waiting the day before a marathon. They had a water station halfway up the largest hill - a terrible location for it - and there were far too few portable toilets at the start. Perhaps they could have some school buses to get the runners closer to the start from the metro. That would have helped. I was not happy to walk close to 2 kilometers merely to get to the start. They used a surprisingly small exhibit hall, given the number of runners; why wasn't there more activity? The weather was too warm - up above 20 degrees Celsius at the finish - which often happens in early September in Montreal. That's about it. The pros definitely outweighed the cons, and the city and course are quite spectacular. It also gives you a wonderful taste of the unique culture of French Canada.

I had been told that this marathon was relatively flat, which is not true. Most of it is flat, but there are at least five regions of climb, three of which are quite steep. I will say that the water stations were well placed, and running into the Olympic stadium at the end was great. The overall organization needed a boost as well; the marathon was scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m., but they had to push back the start time due to there being too many participants in the half-marathon. Overall okay, not great. I wouldn't go again, but I don't regret going.

The start on Jacques-Cartier Bridge was amazing. Montrealers, spectators and fellow runners are very friendly. There were many fans at the starting line, a lots of fans along the course, and an amazing crowd at the arrival. I actually felt like an Olympic champion when I crossed the finish line, with the loud and continued cheering and applause. There were lots of service stations, with gel, water, bananas, sponges, medical support, port-o-potties and sport drink. I picked-up my bag at the expo on Saturday afternoon and didn't have to wait at all. There was a nice, blue tech-shirt, a beautiful medal, and a perfect post-race recovery lunch. However, the line-up at the lunch pick-up area in the stadium was definitely too long! But the race in general was so well organized that it was worth it. I will be back next year. The arrival in the Olympic stadium makes it one of the best I've ever run.

This race was my second marathon, and I have run plenty of other races, including a few half-marathons. The Montreal Marathon could be a wonderful, nearly-perfect race with a few improvements. Here are my pros and cons: PROS: -The start on the Jacques-Cartier Bridge and finish in the Olympic Stadium were both unique and spectacular. -The course could be better but it is very varied. It includes the formula 1 circuit, bridges, downtown Montreal, parks, etc. -Bag check is efficient, considering the distance between the start and finish. -Metro makes the travel to the start and from the finish quite easy, although a 1K walk is required to the start (the price to pay for the bridge!). -The aid stations are not as plentiful as at other marathons, but they are well spaced - 3-4 with sponges, 1 with gels, 2-3 with bananas (I prefer oranges...), etc.. -Spectators were great in the last few miles of the course. CONS: - There was a very long line at the expo for the race kit pick-up. Considering that they are getting a very important increase of the number of participants, the extra money should be used to correct this. -Some parts of the course are extremely boring, with a few badly maintained streets. A few improvements would be great. -Spectators were not too cheerful inside of the stadium. :( THE WORST: -They use a local "kind of copy" of the Gatorade formula not available to try before the race. It is citrus flavor - not too good and sweeter than Gatorade. I had a hard time with my digestion. I prefer the lime Gatorade used in most races... and everybody is used to it. -The food in the finish area was a little cheap, considering the size of the event. I got a peanut butter bagel with a small yogurt, juice, a mini-pack of almonds, one apple, one banana, and a mini-mini piece of cheese. There is huge room for improvement on this score. Overall, a nice marathon, and a good experience worth a try.... but my first race, elsewhere, ranks well above this one.

I live in Montreal, but have never run the half-marathon until this year. Positives: 1. Nice course 2. Great volunteers 3. Water/gel/banana stations were well spaced and easily accessible (except the one hill on Berri) 4. Bag pick-up: shortest line Negatives: 1. Race kit pickup took 45 minutes, with many people wondering where the actual line was. Signs could have been clearer, and more space was needed 2. Post-race: More ridiculous lines. After a 30-minute wait, I was still so far away that I left. 3. There was a lack of medical staff at the finish, and it was very crowded. Conclusion: I think that they have too many events taking place and cannot handle the sheer number of participants. On a smaller scale, it would be great.