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Apr 19, 2024

Philadelphia Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.3

Organization 3.6

Spectators 3.8

Number of comments: 749 [displaying comments 31 to 41]

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T. G. from New England (11/28/2015) "No complaints about Philly Marathon" (about: 2015) 3 previous marathons \| 2 Philadelphia Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I'm a man in my early 40s and achieved my goal of running under 3:30. It was a cool, windy day, but still the 2015 Philadelphia Marathon met my expectations for a big city marathon. Course: Only one true hill around mile 8 after passing the zoo. There are some gradual grades at mile 6 (into University City), mile 20 (in Manayunk) and mile 25.5 (into finish). These are very manageable. 2 hairpin turns didn't seem like a big deal. I enjoyed the quiet and scenery of the out-and-back along Kelly drive, but some people might be bothered. It's a personal thing. I was able to maintain my pace with minimal weaving by starting in the proper corral, but the course is crowded for the first 6 miles. After that, there is no crowding. I had no trouble getting water at the stations. Organization: The marathon started about 15 minutes late because there was a car accident along the course that needed to be cleared. No big deal. Security checks, bag checks, port-a-potties, pre-race communication, hotel registration, bib pick-up were all smooth. The 'goodie bag' contained nothing of interest. But then, I don't really care. The race shirt is easily the best of the approximately 10 races I've run in recent years - map on the back, good logo on the front, no ads. Sizes run big. Spectators: Almost too many along Chestnut street pushing in on the course and causing one or two bottlenecks. Very enthusiastic: musicians, partying frat boys, beer stands in Manayunk, great signs everywhere. Volunteers were supportive. Finish crowd was wonderful. Advice: Definitely bring some old warm clothes to keep you warm pre-race. Arrival at 6AM will give you enough time for security, bag check, and 20 minute port-a-potty line, with 15 minutes to get settled in your corral. Register early for your hotel, as the less-expensive and closer ones get snatched up.
K. W. from Richmond, IN (11/25/2015) "Onerous Security Cast Pall Over Rest of Race" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 First impressions matter, and, well, Philly just disappointed. I viewed the increased security negatively. There were thousands of people standing in line outside the 'secure' area. It literally went for several blocks and twisted and turned as it did, and that with people standing 4 wide generally. Anyone wanting to wreak mass havoc could easily have done it there and killed or injured hundreds. Beyond that, the race organizers should have specified 'arrive 2 hrs before the race', rather than 'arrive early' which is subjective. We arrived 50 minutes early and got into the corral less than a minute before the race started, which was about 20 minutes delayed, so it took over an hour and ten minutes to get through security. No pre-race port-a-john visits here. There were thousands of people behind us in line. I've done Chicago, NYC, Boston, and Columbus all since 9/11 and this was the only awful pre-race experience I've ever had. People have to put up with ridiculous security at airports because they often have no choice but to fly. Marathon runners however don't have to do Philly, they have lots of other choices. They really need to do better and balance safety with still being welcoming and efficient. Philly was not the city of brotherly love either. We were accosted by panhandlers, some quite aggressive, every time we walked out of our hotel, twice in a half block even, despite being in a group of 6 or more at all times! Again, unlike anything I've encountered in any of the other big cities noted above. Who would ever want to go to Philly again? The course, support, spectators, etc were all fine. The medal, a miniature Liberty Bell that really rings, is the best medal I've ever received.
J. O. from Colorado (11/25/2015) "Security controls need better organization" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 4-5 Philadelphia Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 The race has grown significantly in recent years and the other comments below are accurate about the resultant problems. The biggest problem this year (2015) was the very long line for security at the checkpoint closest to the downtown hotels at 18th and the Parkway. The line snaked around for blocks as the clock ticked down to 7am, inducing a sense of panic among the runners. Two minor changes could have alleviated the problem; a) allow only runners into the secure area till near race time and/or have a different entrance for spectators who really slowed the process since they tended to be carrying a lot of stuff in bags that were searched - and b) for Pete's sake, tell the cops (there were no volunteers visible to direct runners) that the security controls further west along the Parkway had NO LINES at all. Luckily I was near a runner who got a phone call from a friend that the entrance at 23rd and the Parkway had no wait time at all and a bunch of us sprinted there to get to the start on time. I wonder how many runners missed the start.
m. k. from NYC (11/25/2015) "The City of Brotherly Love" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Philadelphia Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 The Philadelphia Marathon is a wonderful experience for a big city marathon. There are about 30,000 runners with about 10,000 for the full and the rest for the half and 8k. Expo: Centrally located in the Philadelphia Convention Center. Easy packet pickup with many vendors and items to purchase. Many vendors had free giveaways which runners love. Security: Security was tight this year due to the incident in Paris a week before. I stayed at the Sheraton hotel and the entrance to security was viewable from my window. By 6 am the line was long. I waited for about 45 minutes and got in at 7am. Due to this, the start of the race was delayed for 15 minutes. Since the weather was not cold it was no problem. Course: The full marathon and the half both starts together which makes the first few miles a little congested. This was relieved this year with wave starts are minute apart. The course is very scenic. The first few miles run through the old city, waterfront area and the main shopping district. Passing by the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, and Constitution Center. The crowds on the shopping district were loud and very supportive. From there we crossed into the University area, where some fraternities were out in full force even with the early morning start. From there we transverse along the Schuylkill river to the Philadelphia Zoo and then back to the Museum of Art where the half marathoners left. The only slight hills were around mile 7 in the university area and at mile 10. After the split the full went north along the river with a slight stiff headwind for about 5 miles until we reached the town of Manayunk. Which I like to anoint the best little small town for a marathon. This town is wonderful with great enthusiastic people. Fans line the street handing out beer and brownies. An intoxicating combination that I ever had. For the last 5 miles we head back to the Philadelphia Art Museum and finish Ben Franklin Parkway. Finish Area: After completing your journey you are giving one of the most beautiful medals I have ever received in 35 marathons. Not super large or too tiny. It has a replica 3-D Liberty Bell in the center that clanks when moving. This makes it easy to tell who ran the race the next day. Heat wraps were available. The post-race food was plentiful. Chicken Broth, Soft Pretzels for dipping in the broth. Fruit, Rice Chips, OJ, Water, and more. Take all you want as you are given a bag for transport Swag: Long Sleeves Runners shirt, black with a course map. Beautiful finisher medal. Weather: pleasant in the 40s with brisk north headwind wind in the second half. Weather can be tricky this time of the year. Overall: One of the best large city marathons around. Not too big or too small. A must do Flat and fast course allows for PRs and BQ
M. S. from Ohio (11/23/2015) "Flat, fast course in need of a few improvements" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 PROs: course was fairly flat with 'rolling' hills but no real hills like the Pittsburgh or Cincinnati marathons; well organized for out of town runners - downtown Marriott was very welcoming to runners and permitted late check out, expo was very efficient; Race start had higher security which was appreciated; very nice medal. CONs: a large portion of the course is along the river on a highway with no fan support; no visible signs indicating water stations so you couldn't position accordingly making every station challenging; food at finish was very disappointing - famous Philly soft pretzels that were hard as a rock, frozen OJ, etc. I didn't eat anything and just walked straight to my hotel; race organizers underestimated the additional time for increased security so the race started 20 minutes late. Overall, the Philly marathon is a good race, especially if you are trying for a PR or just want to squeeze in a marathon before the winter.
K. M. from Philadelphia Suburbs, PA (10/2/2015) "The best experience of my running career" (about: 2015) 3 previous marathons \| 2 Philadelphia Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the Philadelphia Marathon in both 2013 & 2014, 2013 being my first full. If you're looking for a mostly flat, scenic course, with amazing energy and outstanding crowd support, you can't do much better than the Philly Marathon. I am actually shocked people haven't commented more on the spectators! They are AMAZING, so much fun, and superbly motivating! I didn't attend the expo either year, as I had friends pick up my packet/bib, but I will say the shirt from 2014 is one of my all time favorites (and I'm a graphic designer with discerning taste)! Also, I love that Philly has a tradition of putting the course map on the back of the shirt, it's such a unique touch. I was a bit disappointed by the 2014 medal (there was no difference between the full and half medals in 2013 the medal for the full was HUGE and gold/whereas half marathoners got silver). I truly lucked out and got spectacular weather both years. I would recommend buying a cheap fleece and gloves at Walmart or Target you can ditch during the race. Seeing as you get there in the wee hours of the morning in November, it is pretty cold. Once you start running though, it feels perfect. The comments about congestion in the first part of the race are accurate...another reviewer mentioned seeing runners up on the sidewalks, that would be me! Though inconvenient, I'm not sure it affected my time a great deal, and it certainly wasn't a big enough issue (at least for me) that I wouldn't recommend the race over it. There's really only one hill that stands out in my mind, somewhere around the Philadelphia Zoo...though substantial, it's not the kind that will knock you out flat. The streets for the first 13.1 are almost perpetually lined with cheering spectators, and you need to be mentally prepared for the fact that the crowds will drop off significantly after that. True, you will run through Manayunk in the latter half of the race, and the residents there pull out ALL the stops! Talk about an energy boost! But a good portion of the latter half (which is an out and back) is along the river, and pretty quiet. If you have friends and family coming to cheer you on, I'd recommend asking them to find a spot after the half breaks off (maybe around 14)...you will see them twice, and at crucial moments in the race! The half mile or so leading up to the finish is PACKED, in fact thinking of it now makes me pretty emotional. There is no feeling in the world like it. The cheering, the spectators who read your name off your bib and give you encouragement, the energy, it's simply the best. I beat my 2013 time in 2014 by 16 minutes, and unbeknownst to myself at the time even narrowly missed a BQ. I'm not sure if that was due to improvements in training, knowing what to expect from the course, or maybe a little of both. Either way, I wholeheartedly endorse this race. I cannot say enough wonderful things about it, and it remains my favorite experience of my running career thus far. I aimed to go back this year to hopefully achieve a BQ, but sadly was sidelined due to injury. Despite the large field, it would certainly be a reasonable expectation to PR and/or BQ on this course. I look forward to returning to the Philly Marathon!
M. T. from Eagan, MN (6/30/2015) "Good, fast course - one major hill" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Philadelphia Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 It's a pretty fast course, and I PR'd - so no complaints there. Organizationally, however, the issue is that the half starts at the same time as the full and the roads are narrow. Thus it's rather tight and I missed the Gatorade at the first stop since they only had it on one side of street. Also, most useless stuff given out of the 13 marathons I have run. Aside of shirt, we only received a goretex liner in shape of glove which could have been used to keep hands warm at start of race, but for the fact only one was given out (the other was plastic). No candy bar, biofreeze packets... Ironically, recycling was a major theme at the expo.
E. C. from Vienna, Virgina (12/14/2014) "Nice Race" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first Philly Marathon. The Expo was filled with a nice selection of vendors, wide aisles and easy to navigate. The bib and race bag area was spacious and easy to get through. Swag bag could have been better, but the bag itself was nice. Seeing Bill Rodgers was a plus. Bought a book which he autographed. I even sat in on his seminar and one about the course. On race day, getting through security was smooth. I didn't need to leave as early as I did. The energy of the people moving to the start was great. The weather was perfect. I have heard people say that it would be too cold. This was not the case at all. The shirt was nice with the course on the back. However, the slogan left much to be desired. Brotherly Run and Sisterly Endurance? Brotherly Run would have been enough. The medal was okay. Not as nice as my friend's 2013 medal. That was bling. The Start was fairly crowded, but I was in the last corral, not running to qualify for anything. I enjoyed the sights as I ran the course. The hills I took nice and easy. Post race food could have been better. Overall I had an enjoyable experience. I may come back for a real visit at some point. Good job!
R. S. from Swampscott, MA (12/7/2014) "PR & BQ" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I surprised myself by PR'g and BQ'g at the 2014 running of the Philadelphia Marathon, which colors my impressions of it. The surprising aspect to me about this race was how the large field didn't prevent me from getting off to my preferred pace for the first hour. I ran the Twin Cities Marathon a few weeks prior to this; it has a similarly large field and I wasn't able to get up to pace because the field was too crowded. In Philadelphia the roads were wider, and the corrals must have been better organized because I was among others running my pace over the first four miles. The course's two major hills are manageable. The hills I was expecting over miles 18-21 per the elevation chart didn't seem daunting. The psychological aspect of looking for that turn-around at mile 20 and not seeing it because of the hills was tougher than the actual hills. Other things: Bib pickup was fast, the swag bag was underwhelming, the shirt was better than average - thumbs up to it being sponsor/ad-free, the post-race refueling left something to be desired - oranges not sliced or peeled, for instance, the race finish area isn't very close to the city center hotels. It is what it is, but the 1.4 mile walk to my hotel afterwards was a bummer. All in all, Philadelphia is a good marathon you can approach with PR/BQ aspirations despite the huge field.
R. F. from USA (11/30/2014) "Boston qualified first marathon in 27 years" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I was a 2:35 marathon runner in the 1980s and ran 10 from 2:35-2:57 . I took off 27 years and at the halfway point running with the 3:35 pacer I knew for 2016 ill be 55 on boston patriots day and good enough to get in . It was great day for the event and perfect weather . Ran easy 8 min pace and on 40 miles of training knew I was taking a chance on low mileage . Never hit wall as Used fuels during race . I'm going back to boston and it was worth the effort . Reccomend the Philly race only issue as used alot of energy working thru the first half too many people as mixed in with half.The second half was out and back and was better than I thought it would be.

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