This course took us all over Baltimore, from the zoo (the ravens were a nice touch!) to the inner harbor, to tons of random neighborhoods. Prepare for this race by running lots of hills! The second half of this race was tough, especially with the 20+ mph gusts in our faces on the back half. Even though I got a PB, this is not a PB-style course in the least.

The organization was great, except that the half marathon start was staggered 1h45m after the full, and started at the halfway point. Thankfully they didn't merge until mile 15, which eased crowding and was some nice foresight by the event planners. The post-race area was well-organized (easy to get drinks, lines too long to wait for food). Lots of people had trouble finding their families/friends.

Every spectator in the second half of the race swore you were at the top of the last hill. They were always wrong.

There were a lot of hills and wind this year! The food on the course was great. They gave out bananas at least 3 times. There were pretzels, gels and larabars on the course as well.

The Baltimore Marathon was my third. I used to live in Maryland and really did not like the city, but my opinion has been forever changed. The course is absolutely beautiful- it shows you the best and 'worst' parts of the city. In the poor neighborhoods, the spectators are out cheering and kids are lining the streets for high fives. No matter which part of the course you were on, the fans were enthusiastic and excited that you were in their city. I loved running through the zoo, past the harbor, around Lake Montebello, and through the many beautiful and historic neighborhoods of Baltimore. Yes, the course is hilly, but you know that going into it. The organization was great and I knew exactly what to expect and where to go on race day. I had no problem at the finish line. I thought the half marathon merge was smooth - much better than others I have experienced. The expo was on the small side compared to other marathons, but it didn't bother me. I really had a great experience with this race. I am aiming to do a marathon in every state, so I probably won't come back, but if I was ever to repeat a marathon, this would be the one. Thank you Baltimore for a wonderful day!

Wonderful weather and sites but hills at mile 21 to 24 kills any chance of PR. Nice running through part of zoo, lake and stadium.

I run this race every year b/c it's so convenient for me but it has a little room for improvement. The finishing area was a mess and I had to wait about 45 minutes to get out of the runner exiting area and into the community area (where the beer and vendors were). When I finally made it thru, it turns out it was just because the friends/family members were standing in the way blocking the runners from exiting. There needs to be some crowd control. Also, the post race food is weak compared to what the other marathons that I've done offered. A little soup would go a long way but I would settle for pasta or anything warm! Not sure who wants a bag of unhealthy chips during the run but I kept seeing them offered. Also, when I had to go to the bathroom during the race there were always lines full of spectators and relay runners and no one offered to let me go first. Maybe you could designate one or two just for the people actually running the race at that particular time. Otherwise, except for the hills, the race is wonderful. Love being able to use the line-free bathrooms at M&T stadium before the race.

I have completed this race twice now. I love the tour through the city, especially the animals at the zoo!

4 hour pace group leaders were outstanding, kept me with them from start t finish.

But please, please fix the finishing area. It's a mess. Marathon and Half Marathon finishing together does not work. You have way too many people crammed into a small area with lines for food that are very long.

This one was my 10th marathon , so it was special.I was dreaming of getting a top 5 place , but it wasn't to be , went through halfway in 1:10:30 , but I cracked over the last 10 km and ended up in 2:29:01 , the hills took their toll , I could get a personal best but it was awesome. Someday I might come back , all in all , is a nice marathon, especially for someone who wants to try something different from a very flat marathon.

Lots of hills at the start and in the middle, with a slight downhill to finish. No marathons are easy, but this is a tough one. Great event.

This was my 18th marathon. It was a good one, but it had a lot of hills. Also, I was expecting a finish picture for my records with a finish time, but the picture was taken before the finish; so I don't have a finish marathon picture and I've got no certificate of completion at all. I personally won't run this marathon ever again.

The Baltimore Marathon reflects the city's characteristics I love most: grit and charm. The course is no joke (make sure you pack in those hills while training), but the diverse and enthusiastic, cheering spectators more than make up for its challenges. The course offers an honest tour through the city, from gentrified rehabs to marginalized low rents - I believe it is important for visitors to see it all. Finish was chaotic, but who can complain after getting a medal with a crab on it? Geico pacers were spectacular!