Serpie Planner - event reports
Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes (09 Nov 2008)
This was the inaugural running of this event. A well organised point to point marathon from Nice to Cannes, with a capacity field of 9000 runners taking part and return by train. First half was flat and the second had some hills in spots, (most seemed to think second half was tougher than first) but a great course none the less, hugging the coast and providing some great views.
Report by Angus Searcy
Marathon des Alpes-Maritimes (04 Nov 2012)
At least 10 Serpies took part in the fifth Nice marathon under overcast skies on Sunday 4th November 2012. First Serpie home was James O'Shea in 2:46, with fine performances from Ally Watson (2:56); Alexander Bernigaud (3:04), Scott Johnston (3:10), Paul Pulze (3:17), Gavin Edmonds (3:18), Shona Thomson (3:47), Dorothy Boggs (3:50) and Simon Clark (4:20). Someone had to be the last Serpie and that was me (4:58).
It would not have been the same without Richella Doyle, Pamela Taylor and Fliss Berridge who formed an eye-catching cheerleader squad in their Serpie shirts on the ramparts of Antibes at km 24, where they provided support to all 11,000 runners, including the very-focussed Kenyans at the front, and the Mayor of Nice (3:59), and specially to the Serpies, fortified by the loudhailer thoughtfully brought along by Fliss.
For an Autumn marathon the Nice to Cannes race has much to offer. It is an attractive and almost-flat route against the spectacular backdrop of the Alps and the ritzy Cote d'Azur. Organisation was generally good with only the usual gripes about the number of loos at the start and rather constricted area for the finish. The water /feeding stations were well organised, with water every 2.5k. The threatened torrential rain only started after the race and the days before and after were warm and sunny, tempting some Serpies to recover on the beach. Local support along the route was good, even from motorists caught up in the resulting traffic jams in Cannes. The trains back from Cannes weren't running because of poorly-timed engineering works but the organisers had laid on shuttle buses instead.