The organization was great and the course exciting. It seemed a fairly flat and manageable course for just my second marathon. The weather was great. The back and forth through the large park got to be a bit long between the fun city parts.

Organization only 4 stars, due to the missing pace-makers for the different finishing times.

This was a truly memorable experience and a great run through Vienna.

The start was incredibly well organized. Their (stated) policy of adding 10 minutes to the time of anyone who didn't start in the right corral made a big difference. I don't know if they actually did this or not (as I certainly started in the right corral!)

Congestion was light until km 7, and then non-existent. What little congestion there was seemed to come from runners doing shorter distances (15km and a 6.8km fun run) that started with the marathoners.

The marathon course is memorable, taking you past all the great sights of a great city. I especially enjoyed the excursion through the 'Pratter' amusement park somewhere around km 28.

From km 30 to 40, the course goes through a park with three short 'out and backs'. I'm never fond of doubling back, but the park roads were broad, well-maintained, and shaded. Crowds were significantly less in the park, too, but most were supportive.

The finish was incredible at the aptly named 'Heldenplatz' ('Hero's Plaza'). Crowds were strong and loud for every runner. The finisher's medal is very cool, too.

Run this marathon. The Austrians will make you feel immediately at home and you'll want to come back again. Ah... to be in Vienna in the Spring...!!!

General Euro Marathon tip: Ditch the car at the hotel or city outskirts when going to the expo or start. All the major european cities have excellent tram/subway/bus systems that will get you where you need to go with no muss or fuss. I tried driving to the expo and almost overheated my engine with the endless starts and stops of city traffic. These cities were not designed with cars in mind.

I am a 4-hour marathoner and Vienna has been the fourth 42.2k of my life (London, Stockholm and Florence previously); it is the cleanest and tidiest city I have ever visited and its marathon reflects that. The course is almost perfect: wide roads, great tarmac (not 1 pot hole in 42kms), very few turns and terribly flat.

The refreshment stations are very well organized: loads of glasses filled with nice cool water and tons of chopped bananas, no pushing around (only the first one at 5k was a bit too crowded). The weather in 2004 was good for running a pleasant race but for a big runner like me (6'3", 14 stones) it got a bit too warm in the last 75-90 minutess (from noon onwards) and I paid the consequences (felt very sick in the last km and lost the chance of beating the 4-hour wall).

I call this a tourist marathon more than a PB marathon, go with your wife (as I did) and enjoy the holiday in a beautiful city which also has great tradition for food and beer! The only drawback of the race is the relay marathon, I hate that: you get these fresh runners sprinting and overtaking you in the last 10k of the race; organizers should look for a different way to raise more cash out of the event!

Ran this in 2004. Very impressed by the organization - which is functional rather than fantastic - as well as the route. Really is a city marathon, unlike many capital city events that basically have you run 13 miles away from, and then 13 miles back to, the real focus of the original attraction.

Starts on a dual carriageway, with about 6,000 marathoners and 15,000 halvers. Head off on a great cross-loop of the city. Flat, well-paved roads in the first half, and wooded parkland in the second half. Water, isotonic and bananas every 5k or so. Well marshalled. Finish is impressive as you enter the Hofburg Palace courtyard. No fancy goody-back, or multitude of drinks, etc. at the end. Effectively reflects my impression of the race; addresses all the things that matter to real runners, such as flat, wide and uncongested roads, reasonable cost and no-frills mentality. Functional rather than faddy.

So, if you want a good PB course in event designed for (and by?) real runners, rather than tourist officials, give this one a try.

Vienna is a beautiful city and I enjoyed every single one of the 42.195 kilometers.

Not the most imaginative course. It is traffic-free, and partly runs though the historic center, but much of the course consists of out-and-back loops in the woods, which are a slog. Sparse crowds did their best. I liked the bananas, and the friendly people.

A very scenic and diverse course, running by many of the major touristy sites in the heart of city, as well as in parks. The course is flat, so it is easy to run when temperatures are normal.

Very easy to get to the resgistration site and starting area. The end at the Hofburg Palace - through a monumental door - was great.

The only flaw was the lack of water at the first stop (KM 5), probably due to the extreme heat (between 23 and 32 degrees centigrade). Organizers allowed runners to go over the time limit. This was a nice touch, in light of the tough temperatures.

Not many spectators, but the advantage was that it was easy to spot family and friends!

Vienna, being one of the most beautiful cities in Europe, alone makes this run a must, and this incredible course gives you ample opportunity to take in the fantastic scenery! The race is very well organized, and while the crowds are a little sparse, they are still pleasant and very supportive.

Vienna City Marathon is like running through history! I was fascinated by all those well preserved buildings and the ambiance this Marathon is offering. I had an unforgettable run there!