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Philadelphia Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Philadelphia Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 749 [displaying comments 141 to 151]
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Bradford Hammer from Old Tappan, NJ
(11/22/2010)
 "Best as a half or as a marathon PR attempt" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 With 23,000 participants (and growing), this is a big-city marathon - not on the scale of New York or Chicago, but certainly in the next tier. The race start combines full and half-marathon runners, so the field naturally thins out after 13 miles. I had heard mixed reviews on the race: complaints that the first half was more interesting than the second half, that the course wasn't totally flat, and that the start time of 7 a.m. in late November was absurd. But, all in all, this is a fine race. For regional runners who couldn't do NYC, or for half-marathoners looking for a "big league'" experience, Philly certainly fits the bill. And I got to high-five the city mayor at the beginning of the race AND five hours later at the finish, so a tip of the cap to hizzoner. Some logistical notes: If you sign up late, good luck finding housing in Philly. A good option is staying in/around Cherry Hill, NJ. At most, it's a 30-minute drive away. The expo is very good, but parking at the Convention Center is a disaster. I was very concerned about parking near the race, but there are plenty of lots along Vine Street (and, on Sundays, one doesn't need to feed the meters when parking on Vine itself) so these fears were unfounded. Organization of the race is quite good. Easy bag drop-off and pick-up, names on bibs (a nice touch), and staggered group starts based on projected finish times. Seven a.m.? Really guys? It means rising before 5 a.m. to eat and get to the staging area around 6 a.m. If they can close streets for the Phillies, they can route traffic a bit later in the day. Some course notes: No, it's not totally flat. There are a few rolling hills heading up 34th Street (after the turn at Drexel University) and a climb to Fairmont Park. Manayunk has a few rollers, and the art museum is also on elevated ground. But this is about as flat as a city marathon is going to get, and a worthy race for those seeking a PR (I got mine). Yes, the first half of the course is more interesting than the final 13.1, though it's a shame to run through South Street with no one there. It's just too early in the morning. There are "cheer zones" that are completely empty. Nonetheless, passing the historic district is always neat. And it would have been dynamite to incorporate the Philly Zoo in some way. A good portion of the second half is a basic out-and-back that follows the Schuylkill River up to Manayunk. It's a pretty stretch, but there's not much to look at, save runners coming the other way. And there's a weird jog around mile 17 that contributes to the 26.2 distance. Manayunk is awesome, at it comes at just the right time: miles 19 through 21 (and change). So that's a big help. Plus, there's an "unofficial" beer stop along the route, and one completes the turnaround in Manayunk. Unfortunately, leaving that town puts one back on the lonely five-mile stretch south to the city. Too bad. One can see city buildings with two miles left, but it isn't until the last half-mile that crowd energy returns. Speaking of finishing, it seemed to take FOREVER to get to the line. Part of it is every local telling you it's "only a half-mile" for eons (it seemed); the other was that the course sort of takes a left turn before the finish so you can't really see it until 400 feet away. Again, this feels a bit like a well conceived half that has the second 13.1 tacked on. But it does allow for PR attempts and, for those not familiar with the city, a chance to see different sides of Philly. | |
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A. C. from Puerto Rico
(11/22/2010)
 "One of America's BEST Marathons!" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 20th marathon and I can't say enough good stuff about it. For a big-city run, the course was phenomenal! Most city marathons (e.g., Portland, Seattle, Chicago, St. Louis) have a number of miles - often toward the end when it's rough psychologically - through industrial areas or highways. Not Philly. Gorgeous from beginning to end. There weren't lots of fans at the beginning but it was such a lovely run and the fans that were out, especially toward the end, were awesome and made up for that sparsity. Very well organized packet pick-up, hotels, start line, etc. and names on our bibs. PLUS not the usual gel and Gatorade (for those of us who can't stand "too" sweet) and there were folks handing out beer, brownies, pretzels, etc. Definitely a top-notch run. Highly recommended. | |
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S. R. from New York, NY
(11/22/2010)
"Great Race; Phily is a Top Marathon!" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 9th marathon, and the first time I ran Philly. I can see why people like this race so much. From the expo to the finish, it is very well organized. The course is fun; seeing the fastest runners on their way back during the final 13 miles can be a bit tough, but it also provides plenty of motivation. If you are looking to run a marathon, look seriously at this race. | |
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D. G. from New Jersey
(11/22/2010)
"A marathon definitely to do!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 The course itself was scenic and overall flat with some gradual hills at several points that were doable. The support from spectators was awesome and putting our names on our bibs was a great idea; to hear your name chanted at different points throughout the marathon was motivating! I wish the corral locations would have been easier to find, but overall, the marathon was a great first one to do! | |
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M. B. from Albany, NY
(11/22/2010)
"awesome race!" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my 3rd marathon and 1st Philly. I found almost everything enjoyable and well done. I was able to find my corral easily, and the start was on time. There was never a time when I wasn't able to run freely without congestion. The course traverses a nice variety of neighborhoods. The course has a couple of hills but they are inconsequential compared to other races I have done. The crowd support was excellent, with a few sparse areas. Fluid stops were frequent, well-stocked, and organized. Crossing the Schuylkill River and going around the cone and back was a little weird. But generally I like being able to see the fast runners on their way back, even if they have fewer than 5 miles left and I still have 10 or so. | |
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L. B. from Wilmington DE
(11/22/2010)
"Awesome race; some watchers there over 5 hours." (about: 2010)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A great run with only one real hill. A good first race with a ton of crowd enthusiasm. | |
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L. L. from Washington, DC
(11/22/2010)
"Great spectators, fair organization" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 The race itself was great with really fantastic spectators. Water/Gatorade stations were plentiful throughout the course and there were two GU stations. There were also lots of spectators handing out food (soft pretzels, cookies, brownies, gummy bears, beer). I only really had three problems with the race: 1. They ran out of tech shirts at the expo and are supposedly mailing them to those that didn't receive one. 2. The color-coded corrals in the beginning of the race were not clearly marked and it was nearly impossible to figure out where to line up. 3. There was absolutely zero water or Gatorade at the end of the race. I ran the marathon in about 4:30 and they were completely out. I heard this was a problem last year too, so it's disappointing that they didn't fix the issue this time around. | |
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c. b. from Glen Burnie, MD
(11/22/2010)
"Overall great experience for my 1st full marathon" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 At the corral line-up, it was hard to see the colors that marked where to start. The port-o-johns ran out of toilet paper. And the finish line ran out of bottled water. Other than that, yay, Philadelphia! What a great experience. I loved the scenic course, all of the cheering people, and the energy in the air! Thank you! | |
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J. R. from Haverhill, MA
(11/22/2010)
 "Not quite as good as last year, but still decent" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Philadelphia Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I went back to Philadelphia because I feel that it is a fast course. There is a short hill at mile 7, a quarter-mile-long hill at mile 9, and a gradual climb at Manayunk, but it is generally a flat course. Thanks to construction this year, they added an extra out-and-back section that didn't do much for me. That made for 3 around-the-cone turnarounds altogether on the course. Overall, though, it's a decent course. I've been fortunate to qualify for Boston last year and break 3 hours for the first time in '10. The race is fairly well organized, but the finishing area got a bit clogged with a lot of the half-marathon finishers - at least when I finished. That's a small issue. Overall I am pleased, though! I think I will take a break from Philly in '10, but will definitely be back at some point. | |
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W. B. from Fairfield, CT
(11/21/2010)
"So close to being great" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Philadelphia Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I really do like this event. It is my hometown marathon and it has great course and nice scope for a big-city marathon. But every year there is one major gaffe that makes me scratch my head and say, "Who thought this was a good idea." This year it was their pasta dinner - held at a large restaurant where runners were mixed with the Saturday night family crowd. Runners were asked to pair-up at tables and offered a two mendu choices of dull pasta platers for $20. This had nothing to do with the event and was held in a neighborhood outside of center city. Huh? Maybe a small thing but seems like lack understanding or respect for out-of-towners coming for the event. I really hope that in the near future the event will be turned over to a professional management group and finally make Philly big-time. It deserves it. |
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