The Worst Marathon Aid Stations

We all know how important aid stations are during and after a marathon, but they can also serve up a few nasty surprises. Here are some of the minor mishaps runners have encountered. Aid stations are supposed to be little oases that get you back on your feet. Sometimes, though, they’re more like a trap disguised as a folding table.

Lukewarm water, the great classic

Blazing heat, relentless sun, melting asphalt. Runners dream of an ice-cold drink, but the water has been baking too. Tough luck. It’s been sitting in a tub in the sun for three hours. Lukewarm, maybe even hot. In short, thermal water without the spa. Lukewarm water for everyone, as they say: it’s better than nothing.

The green bananas

A ripe banana is a gift from the heavens. A green banana is a diabolical trap. Floury taste, raw-wood texture, and fibres stuck between your teeth all the way to the finish.

Soup or gazpacho? The suspense!

Hot soup is the Holy Grail at 35K. Ah, soup: that little salty, steaming broth that warms your body, soul and heart when the race has gone on too long and fatigue is setting in. Runners often ask for it: “Do you have any soup?” But if they’re asking, it’s because it’s usually good and hot. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case. So, lukewarm soup or accidental gazpacho? No one knows. Least of all the runners.

The void at 30K

You can already picture your sugary gel, your cup of water and your handful of raisins. Then you reach 30K and find the famous phantom aid station: there’s nothing left. Nada. Cleaned out. Deserted. If you’re lucky, you might get the suspicious dregs of a cup. The marathon wall? No, the empty-fridge wall. Judging by the looks of them, plenty of runners had hit the end of their tether by the time they got here. Stay strong, the next one is 3K away.

Soggy Tuc crackers

A dry, crunchy Tuc is life itself. Let’s stop pretending Tucs are just for drinks and nibbles. They were invented for aid stations. This little salty, crunchy cracker is a runner’s guilty pleasure. It tastes good, it’s salty, it’s solid: everything athletes might need. But there’s nothing worse than a Tuc that’s caught a few drops, puffed up and gone soggy. It quickly becomes the worst thing in the world, and produces a grimace you won’t forget anytime soon.

Sparkling water… gone flat

Sparkling water is the perfect ally for rehydrating and topping up your minerals. It’s a wonderful thing. But sparkling water is only good when it’s actually sparkling, not when there are three bubbles left in the cup after it’s been sitting on the aid-station table for three hours.

A cold-cut platter for everyone… almost

Saucisson, a little ham, pâté… heaven for carnivores. Vegetarians, meanwhile, fight over half a peanut lost at the bottom of the bowl. Well, you should have run faster.

No cup? No aid station

For the sake of the environment, there are no more cups. If you forgot your bottle, tough luck. You need to bring your own container or sit this one out, for goodness’ sake! You can drink from the fountain or carry on, hoping your own breath will hydrate you somehow.

Wait… there’s nothing?

Course map: aid station at 25K. Reality: a volunteer shrugging their shoulders. “Well… that’s strange… it was here earlier.” Oh. Right. Great.

Fancy some rib steak?

Yes, yes, yes. It’s possible. Welcome to the Marathon du Médoc, where one of the aid stations serves rib steak. Don’t worry, it’s cut into small pieces, but getting going again afterwards is another matter…

Aid stations are part of a race’s atmosphere. Whether they’re memorable or disastrous, there’s always something to talk about afterwards, and plenty of great stories to tell. And even if we could sometimes do without them, they make reaching the finish line feel even more deserved. Cheers, preferably chilled!