7. Rotterdam MarathonRotterdam is not high on anyone’s list of must-visit European cities. But every spring, thousands of runners flock to this modern, industrial port and city to take part in its marathon. They are drawn by a pancake-flat course

Rotterdam Marathon, April [Getty Images] You’ll have to run a long way to find a hill in a Dutch race, which makes the Netherlands the perfect location if you’re looking to run your first or fastest race. The country boasts some of the world

Weight 298gEvaluation For a brand that has such good road-racing shoes, it’s a surprise that Adidas hasn’t been able to make one of the top performance trainers as well. The Rotterdam will elevate the company to that upper level. It’s a lighter

141 33 15 68 2; fax: 0033 141 33 15 69; e-mail: info@parismarathon.com; web: www.parismarathon.comRotterdam Marathon, Netherlands2010 Date: April 11Europe’s largest port city isn't exactly picturesque, but you’ll hardly have time to notice

. London Marathon, April2. Berlin Marathon, September3= New York City Marathon, November3= Chicago Marathon, October5. Boston Marathon, April6. Stockholm Marathon, June7. Rotterdam Marathon, April8. Paris Marathon, April9. Honolulu Marathon

If you don’t fancy 26 miles, or you feel it will cramp your enjoyment of the city, you can still enjoy some of the world’s best spring events. Here are five to whet your appetite.Lisbon Half-Marathon Month: MarchOne of the world’s best half-marathons

're great for speed sessions, short races, steady runs and even marathon racing. In fact, find the right pair of performance trainers and you might just have found the running shoe for all occasions. Here are eight of the best.Adidas Climacool Rotterdam

Marathon (France) Race Website | RW PreviewHamburg Marathon (Germany) Race Website | RW PreviewStramilano Half and 15K (Italy) Race Website | RW PreviewTurin Marathon (Italy) Race Website | RW PreviewEnschede Marathon (Netherlands) Race Website | RW PreviewRotterdam

in adidas's Rotterdam Climacool, swap to the Supernova Competition and your marathon time could drop by up to 39 seconds.Asics Gel DS Racer – £75Weight 252gMost pure racing shoes are stripped of cushioning, support and technology. Not the Gel DS Racer

will conjure up images of Amsterdam, while the runner will think Rotterdam. You probably won’t give The Hague a second’s thought, but if so you’re missing out on an interesting city and a great race. The City-Pier-City Half-Marathon, in Holland’s administrative