Recommendations for where to run my first marathon?

they are all the same distance  And you are gauranteed a PB.  Why not pick a local one and enjoy the race and the easy logisitics.

Good luck

Robin Hood (Nottingham) is my favorite so far - and in September so you would have over 12 months prep. If I was you choose one which is flat (ish) - at mile 17,18, hills are not what you want to see...

Andy

myrunningtips.com

I'm doing my first at Liverpool in October, before booking i researched it & it came down to nottingham, mablethorpe or liverpool with liverpool having more interesting surroundings. Good luck if your ready earlier than next autumn maybe Manchester in the spring. Richie

I'm doing Sussex Marathon next April and is my first. I did the half this year. Its hilly, but you dont feel it, and is all pavement. The organisation is brilliant, and is one of those smaller ones that dont get noticed so much, but is truly a gem of a race. The medal is really nice too.

I'm interested in doing a marathon in the spring next year - have entered ballot for London but doubt I'll get in. Just looking at Sussex - not a lot of info at present - but it states it's hilly and one of the thoughest marathons!!! Is this true???

Jelleybaby wrote (see)

I'm interested in doing a marathon in the spring next year - have entered ballot for London but doubt I'll get in. Just looking at Sussex - not a lot of info at present - but it states it's hilly and one of the thoughest marathons!!! Is this true???

Toughest? Wow! I guess it isnt the easiest one, since yes it is quite hilly, and the hill you go down in the first mile, is the same one you climb again for the half, and twice for the full. It tests you, but the combination of down hill, nice scenery, and very good race officials, makes it a good one too. Definitely not the easiest but as soon as i finished the half, i was wanting to do the full one.

Edinburgh is officially the uks fastest marathon & i ve heard nothing but good things from people who have done it. I ll be there next year all being well.

Does it have to be in the UK?
To an extent it depends what you like in a race.
There is something to be said for autumn marathons. You don't get the problem where race day turns out to be 5-10 degrees hotter than any day in the past three months (Edinburgh & London have both suffered this way on more than one occasion). Nor do you lose training due to lots of colds. Nor do you have to train in the dark and cold on icy paths.

Berlin is easy to enter but has lots of support and is flat. Not as cool as some later races though. Nowadays many big races offer video of runners from the year before, so you can look at that to see what the support and congestion is like.

Re. UK autumn races - have heard good things of Liverpool. Otherwise off the top of my head can't think of any marathons (in the UK in autumn) where support won't be a bit thin on the ground. Of course if you can cope with that even if everything goes Pete Tong in the last 8 miles you have a much wider choice

Pick something close to you because then the logistics are easier if its local. Its up to you but my mind would be fazed if I arranged a first marathon overseas...then didn't finish it!

Each to their own but make sure you plan it ahead and build up the miles slowly and most of all enjoy it and have fun. 

I waited for years for my london place and as much as i loved it - i wish i had started running marathons years ago! What are you looking for in a marathon? flat course? crowd support? scenery? Perhaps then people can offer suggestions based on that.

I've ran Thames Meander (august), Medoc (September) and London and have loved all of them for very different reasons. London was all about the crowd, Thames Meander was about the small field and the other runners and Medoc was about the scenery and atmosphere.

Barcelona in March is a cracker too.

I've done Edinburgh twice. It's my least favourite of all the marathons i've done. Plus points are that it is easy to get to and flat. Negatives are that it's not really in Edinburgh, the route is as dull as you could imagine and what finished me off was the feeling the organisers just wanted your cash.

Nothing but good things about Edinburgh?!!! Well, I think they improved this year, but the reviews of 2010 were terrible. Nottighma is no more - just the half now.

From my personal experience, Brighton is absolutely fantastic: superbly organised, wonderful support. I would also recommend running for the NSPCC: apart from a worthwhile charity, their support round the course, and afterwards (food, drinks and massage) was wonderful. I paid for my own place, and then contacted them, but they do have their own places (though the usual expected money-raising target applies).

Amsterdam - October, easy to get to from a lot of UK, well organised, no ballot, flat(!!), a bit quiet on the out of city bit but otherwise well supported

Out of all the marathons I've done Edinburgh is the worst of them. I agree with the feeling the organisers just want the cash. Average course with awful organisation. The races I'd recommend to anyone are Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam and Disney. All very different races, but all great well organised events.

Paris has the big city event feel to it, an interesting course and based on my experience was very well organised (needs more toilets at the start right enough). It also has a fabulous thread full of great people on this very forum to help you through the training.

Berlin is a great city. One of the big five marathons if that is something you want to check off. Is the course the world record was set on (they year I ran it, not be me though!!), and the finish heading through the Brandenburg Gate is very special.

Amsterdam I probably a bit biased about as I do love the city. The flattest course known to man. If you look up flat in the dictionary it refers you to the Amsterdam marathon profile. If you hate hills you'll love Amsterdam. Starting and finishing in the old Olympic stadium and a nice run out and back along the Amstel river. Smaller in size and feel to the big city races, but very much an international runners race.

Disney marathon in Florida. This was my first in 2007. For a start you can get a holiday out it. The organisation on this race is second to none. They own the land the race is run on and it shows that they have the free reign to host this the way they want in terms of supporting the runners. It's a marathon with plenty to take your mind off the miles in front of you. Run through all four parks, high five a Pixar character on your way around, great support.

The truth is what ever race you pick it'll be special to you, no matter if it's a huge event or a small local event. The first time you step over that finish line and collect your medal knowing you completed a marathon is a truly amazing experience. If you're anything like me it'll take weeks to wipe that smile of your face.

I would recommend whichever one you pick, don't let it be a small one. For your first marathon, you need a big race with lots of runners around you, there is nothing worse than entering a small country race with a couple of hundred starters and ending up running all alone without seeing anybody in front or behind. That has happened to me in the past and it's much harder to crack on and finish than when you have the support of lots of other runners. I love the atmosphere of a big race with 30,000 plus runners. I've run 45 marathons and my favourite by far is Berlin.