This was the second time I ran "Amsterdam." It has gone through a marked improvement. The number of runners completing the marathon has doubled in recent years to 10,000+, but more importantly the number of spectators has hugely increased. Amsterdam always had a reputation for being a race devoid of spectators, but no more... the crowds were out and very enthusiastic. This made the race very pleasurable to run. The course is flat, fast and comes past some choice spots.

On the negative side: no goody bag, and as others have noted, very few refreshments at the finish - just a single bottle, some pieces of banana and orange parts....

This race was excellent! The course is great, flat and fast, through a large and pretty part of the city itself, and then along the rivers and parks, past two old windmills. The spectators were very enthusiastic and cheerful. The expo was quite a decent size, and in general, I enjoyed the race very much.

Unfortunately, there are a couple of negative comments about the organization. At the start I could not easily figure out where to deposit my bag and ended up asking some Japanese support group to keep it with them for me. Also, at the finish I would expect more food and drinks. I was given a small bottle of the sport drink and when I asked for the second one I was given a dirty look instead. It is OK, so I drank more water.

Great to be able to run in Amsterdam at last. We had perfect weather: 10C, very bright sun, and a small breeze from the coast. The course took us through Vondel Park, headed south down alongside the Amstel River. The barges going up and down the river blasting out music were great fun, even if I had my head down for a fast time.

Generally, running congestion was never bad. I didn't like the paper cups at the drinks station, but I found that by stopping to drink I got more water in me than over me; I didn't cough and splutter, and I only lost 10 meters on the people in front. All in all, OK.

The stadium finish was brilliant, and the photo and video service was quick and comprehensive. After-race food and drink was limited to be honest. But I PB'd by 13 minutes and broke 3 hours for the first time. I loved this race. Hartelijk bedankt naar de Nederlanders!

Hard to find fault with this race. It was extremely well organized, the course is very flat, and although spectators are sparse, they make their presence felt. Getting to and from the race by tram was very easy. Finish line to hotel room in the city center took fewer than 35 minutes. The stadium finish was very inspiring. Easy to find space to run right from the gun.

I've done the full marathon once and the half marathon course once as well. This is a nice race through a beautiful, flat city. The full marathon and half marathon start at different times but end at the same time (that is, the slowest marathoners will finish about the same time as the slowest half marathoners). Vondelpark is beautiful, and the city supports the race well. And you can't beat Amsterdam for post-race fun!

Great expo. The start and finish at the Olympic Stadium were great. I would have liked to have started earlier. Race began at 10:30 a.m. The weather was great. The Amstel River part of the marathon was beautiful, with farm animals and beautiful Dutch Estates. It's a great, great city and a wonderful marathon. I wouldn't suggest this marathon for first-timers. It moves at quite a fast pace. I finished 4:56 and was in the back of the pack. A lot of runners never finished because they ran too fast in the beginning and hit the wall. The volunteers, water supply, Gatorade, sponges, and fruit were very plentiful. The field was mostly men. Highly recommend this marathon.

Whilst the riverside section was a little depressing (if only because it was a bit quiet, and the farther you ran out, you knew you had to come back!), the course is a good, flat one. The finish in the Olympic Stadium is great, and the whole thing was pretty well organized. Add in the fact that Amsterdam is a great city to visit, and I'd certainly recommend it.

Fantastic atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium, both at the start and the finish - great sensation.

Good trick with the first loop through the park, so you know how long you have left the second time around.

Beautiful course (and weather), at least for the first 25K - especially along the Amstel, with the cheering boats.

It was very well organized, with good transportation, secure bag-check, and depots every 5K.

Only my own preparation could have made it a better experience.

This was my 9th marathon, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It's a nice, flat course, and to be honest, it was more scenic than some of the other city marathons done. Although the fans were lacking in numbers, they made up for it in enthusiasm; finishing in the Olympic Stadium was a great buzz. I had no problem with transportation; I simply took the Metro form Central Station on race-day, as I was staying in the city center. I had a great weekend, enjoyed the city and got a PB as well. What more can you ask for? I'll definitely do this one again.

This was a great race. It was very well organized and is a mostly scenic course through Vondel Park, parts of Amsterdam and along the Amstel River in what seems like the countryside. Fans were not that numerous and were sporadic, but where present, they were very enthusiastic. This is a large race with close to 8,000 runners, and it has some very exciting elites with close to world record times. The course is very flat, making for good times all around.

The marathon expo was a little smaller than other big marathons, but unexpectedly, I found some really good deals.

This was my fifth marathon and one I enjoyed tremendously. From a North American perspective, this race had a very international feel to it, with runners I met from GB, Finland, the US, South Africa and Canada.

Overall, a great race, a great day, and my second best marathon time. I would love to run this one again if I had the chance.