Marathon Race Reviews

Updated November 2024

These are our personal marathon race reviews. That means these are marathons that we have personally completed. The marathons with a green title are ones that we have written a review about, while the ones with a blue title have not yet been written.

During the pandemic in 2020 to 2021, all events were cancelled, so there are no races from those years. However, our experiences from previous years may be of interest!

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BUT why write about marathons on a swimrun website? We think the answer is simple. For longer events, say over 5 hours, we believe that the mental and physical endurance developed as a result of training for a marathon is a massive benefit.

Training for a marathon is challenging, inspiring, dramatic and thought-provoking. Running a full marathon race will change you forever!

Here is a list of the marathons that we have personally completed, either individually (Mogsy), and as a couple.

Just click on the marathon listed below to jump to the listing;

New York marathon

New York marathon, New York.

This involves a VERY EARLY start, as you have to be over the bridge and in to the starting area well before the actual start. Mogsy did this race in 2007 as her first marathon. The women's race was won that year by the great Paula Radcliffe. Read our review HERE.

Red gloves featuring the names of the New York boroughs, resting on a timber floor.

Marathon gloves

London marathon

London marathon, England.

One of the BIG marathons in the world, like New York, in terms of the sheer number of runners who take part, AND in terms of the status of the race itself. Mogsy has done this marathon TWICE, and one time even met Sir Richard Branson at the finish line!

You can read Mogsy's review.

London marathon medals

Disney marathon

Disney marathon, Florida.

This is something different, a fun marathon, but there is a special twist. On consecutive days there are 5km, 10km, Half Marathon and Full marathon races. You can elect to do just one race, or 2, or 3, or else all 4 ! If you do all 4, you end up with 6 medals, one for each race plus an additional one for completing the Goofy Race And A Half challenge and and additional one for the Dopey challenge!

Another one that Mogsy did early in her running career. Read our review HERE.

Start of the Disney Marathon

Mogsy's Disney marathon medals

Marathon Race Reviews

Honolulu marathon

Honolulu marathon, Hawai'i.

This is a tropical location with the possibility of rain as well as sunshine. An interesting course that combines Honolulu city views with Diamond Head and the east coast of Oahu. This was Richard's first ever marathon, on his 58th birthday! Definitely one of our favourite races.

Read our review HERE.

A man and a woman finishing the Honolulu marathon

At the finish line!

My finisher's medal

Seville marathon

Seville marathon, Spain.

We did this marathon 8 weeks after Honolulu, and we both set Personal Best times on this flat city course. We started near the back, with only about 30 people behind us, out of a field of 11,000. We finished with positions around 7,000, which means we passed around 4,000 other runners during the race, finishing in the old Olympic Stadium. Epic!

Read our review HERE.

A man in a yellow top running in the Seville Marathon

Richard at Seville Marathon

My finisher's medal

Vienna marathon

Vienna marathon, Austria.

This was a cool, damp race in the year we did it. While there were some great buildings to look at, we were most impressed by the sections through the outskirts of this city. We also booked a leg massage at a hotel spa afterwards, followed by a hot tub - it was greatly appreciated!

Report to come.

My finisher's medal

Stockholm marathon

Stockholm marathon, Sweden.

The Stockholm marathon starts just outside the 1912 Olympic stadium, and finishes inside it, down the home straight, which gives a great feel to crossing the line! The route takes you through various parts of the city and then out through a vast parkland to the east.

Read about our fun weekend in this beautiful and interesting Swedish city at our race report page.

My finisher's medal

Barcelona marathon

Barcelona marathon, Spain.

This marathon starts to the music of Freddie Mercury singing "Barcelona", and goes past a number of city sights, such as the Gaudi House, the Sagrada Familia cathedral (still under construction!), and the Camp Nou football ground. Awesome.

Read our full review here.

La Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona, Spain

La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

My finisher's medal

Big Sur International marathon

Big Sur marathon, California.

Our absolute favorite marathon of all! Stunning views of the Pacific Ocean, a two-mile climb to Hurricane Point, the grand piano on Bixby Bridge, and strawberries at around Mile 24. And so much more. Find out why this iconic marathon is so special.

Read our review HERE.