How do the world marathons arrange water stations?

Berlin Marathon (belonging to a series of 6 largest running events on the planet) has two types of water stations. The first type is only filtered water. The second type is a station that includes water, tea and fruit. The distance between stations is gradually reduced. In the first half of the race, these stations are quite sparse, but later on, they become more and more dense.

Water-only stations are located at kilometers 5, 12, 17.5, 22.5, 27.5, 32.5, 34.5, 38 and 40. Meanwhile, mixed stations are interspersed between water stations. at kilometers 9, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 36. There are 15 support stations in total. This layout is scientifically commented by the runner as the first part requires little water. Once halfway through the race, the runner's stamina declines and the runner speeds up, making them need more support. In the last 10 kilometers, every 1.5 to 2 kilometers on average, there will be a support station.

Chicago Marathon - a tournament with more than 40,000 participants, the arrangement of support stations has many similarities with Berlin. This tournament has 20 mixed stations including water, energy gels, medical and toilets. The distance between points is relatively uniform. In the first half, there will be a station about every two miles (about 3.2 km). Towards the end, this distance shortens to 1 - 1.5 miles (1.6 - 2.5 km).

A special feature at the Chicago Marathon is that the tournament always arranges the order of utilities at the stations, respectively, which are medical tents, portable toilets, energy gel tables, and water tables. In addition, at certain milestones additional bananas will be provided. The relief zone is only available at the 21.2 mile mark. The unified arrangement helps the runner always know the necessary utility location and get to the right area.

In Southeast Asia, the Singapore Marathon is a major event with 50,000 athletes participating. According to the announcement of the organizers, along the racetrack there are 20 support stations, arranged at a distance of 2 - 2.5 km. Due to the large number of athletes, many times the tournament complained about the difficulty of getting water. Nearby, a major Thai marathon, the Bangkok Midnight Marathon, arranges support stations with water, electrolytes, and fruit at a distance of exactly 2 km. In total, the track has 20 stations.

In Vietnam, MetaSports Marathon is a tournament where hydration is emphasized. For example, at the MetaSports Marathon Amazing Ha Long on September 10, the full marathon runner had up to 25 watering stations, including one-way and two-way stations. Every 1.5 to 2 km on average, there will be a water station with full TH True Water, Revive electrolyte, watermelon, banana, sponge, ice.

The tournament also has a clear identity for athletes to distinguish. In it, the table is white, the white cup is water. Blue table, green cup is electrolyte. Bananas and watermelons are kept in separate areas. In particular, to support athletes competing for the championship, the tournament has its own water table for high-achieving runners. This table is covered with a red cloth, serving bottles instead of cups. The red water table is for athletes running before the 3:30 pacer for the full marathon and before the 1:45 pacer for the half marathon.

According to the organizers, the dense system of water stations, medical stations, and restrooms are factors that help athletes feel comfortable when conquering the race. In case the athlete skips a station, there is no need to move too far to get to the next area. The racetrack also has more than 300 volunteers to support, ensuring athletes can easily get water and electrolytes.

Mr. Kim Vivian - AIMS International Marathon Association expert, who has directly measured the running routes for all MetaSports Marathons, assessed that the tournament's water supply system is superior to many tournaments. "The frequency and quality of VM's water and medical stations are the best among the races I have participated in around the world," Mr. Kim commented when participating in MetaSports Marathon Nha Trang in August.

The free post-race relaxation function area of ​​the Tiger Balm brand is also the highlight that continues to be deployed at the MetaSports Marathon Amazing Ha Long 2023. The brand of massage oil from Singapore combined with the course of treatment. Physical therapy, reducing muscle pain and fatigue during sports activities. Besides helping athletes recover, experts offer many tips to help athletes reduce fatigue, supplement nutrition after running.

MetaSports Marathon Amazing Ha Long is the 5th tournament in 2023 of the MetaSports Marathon system after Ho Chi Minh City, Hue, Quy Nhon, Nha Trang. The tournament has 11,000 athletes participating. The full marathon distance starts at 3am at the earliest, runs through the seashore routes, the view embraces the whole Ha Long Bay such as Tran Quoc Nghien, Bai Chay bridge, Ky Quan street, the way to Tuan Chau island.