. Support is still limited, but Paris now has a race worthy of its standing as one of the world’s great cities. The course: Most European marathons promise a sightseeing tour on foot and then route you through large stretches of industrial wasteland. Paris

Le Marathon de la LibertéMonth JuneLocation Courseulles sur Mer to Caen (Normandy)Distance Marathon (42.2K)Why do it A readily accessible race with an added historic poignancy. This point-to-point marathon runs through the 17 villages and towns

Big Sur Marathon, CaliforniaIf there's a better excuse for a holiday – and a better way to see the sights – than a foreign race, we don't know it. We asked you to tell us about your favourite overseas events, and the results are tantalisingly good

certainly never run a race like this one. It traverses one of the most beautiful bays at low tide, over sand of varying texture, with occasional waves lapping over your laces. The 13 or 14K as the seagull flies will seem more like a half-marathon effort

for the best ‘costumes’.Field 5000 runnersFee €14 (€16 after July 1). No registration on race dayContact Semi-Marathon Marvejols Mende Café de la Paix, BP 93, 48001 Mende Cedex, France; tel 00 33 466 49 30 29; fax 00 33 466 49 36 70; e-mail courir

: 0039 06 40 65 063; e-mail: info@maratonadiroma.it; web: www.maratonadiroma.it Paris Marathon, France2010 Date: April 11Runner's World recently chose this as one of the top 20 races to do before you die. And rightly so. The view from the Champs

oompa loompas from the original Willy Wonka movie. Gavin Harvie - Running Bhoy Age: 37Another sub-2:45 marathon runner, RB knows more about running shoes than anyone else in the world. An ideal Saturday for Gav is to run six miles to the footie

, 4:14, Wads, 4:14, James Hunter, 4:14, Russ4568, 4:15, Higo, 4:15, Slotwin, 4:17, The Red-faced Ancient Marathon runner, 4:18, FrancesShattock, 4:18, Old but slow, 4:18, Heather, 4:19, Mark1, 4:20, BrendanMulgrew, 4:20, WildWill, 4:21, Philip Bosworth