Marathon Details - Stockholm Marathon

International Marathons > Sweden > Stockholm > Stockholm Marathon

Stockholm Marathon

Stockholm, Sweden

June 1, 2024

https://www.stockholmmarathon.se

More Info:	News
Results:	Top 3 Finishers by Year

Contact

Name:
Address:	Stockholm Marathon Box 10023 SE-100 55 Stockholm Sweden
Phone Number:	+46 8 545 664 40
Fax Number:	+46 8 664 38 22
Email:	Email the organizers



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Reviews

Course 4.5

Organization 4.5

Spectators 4.3

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Number of comments: 71 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > ]

Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (7/24/2019) "An Olympic Finish" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:22:28. The Stockholm Marathon was my fifty-fifth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: overcast with trace precipitation, 18C (64 degF) for the noon start. The two loop course began adjacent to the 1912 Olympic Stadium north of City. The first loop, running counterclockwise, of the moderately undulating course offered us some views of a military academy, originally a castle that was a wedding gift to King Gustav III in 1866; City Hall, where the Nobel Prize festivities are held; the Royal Palace; Parliament; and the Stockholm waterfront. We began the clockwise second loop on the 15th kilometer, where we subsequently passed by fortress United States Embassy; went through three plus kilometers of the Animal Garden, originally a royal hunting ground; Old Town; the Vasterbron bridge over Lake Malaren, which had the steepest ascent on the marathon course; and where upon departure, we retraced most of the final seven kilometers of the first loop back to the Olympic Stadium, where we once again passed by City Hall, the Royal Palace, and the Parliament building. The best part of the marathon was saved for last, where after passing through a tunnel, we ran three-fourths of a lap on the track of the Olympic Stadium, which gave us the rare opportunity of seeing what an Olympic marathoner experiences at the conclusion of his event. After we finished, our name, time, three-letter country code and flag were posted on the Jumbotron. Weather at the finish was overcast, 13C (55 degF). ORGANIZATION: Adequate. Some confusion amongst the participants due to a last-minute change by the organizers as to where the line began; also there was some confusion regarding collecting the Pasta Dinner (held inside the Olympic Stadium) ticket. On the race course, it was clearly evident some of the kilometer markers, which were challenging to locate owing to its small triangular shape and indigo color, were misplaced or perhaps absent. SPECTATORS: Enthusiastic, especially those in the Garmin cheer section. On the other hand, there were many who did not approve of a marathon that disrupted the City activity on their Saturday afternoon; their disapproval was expressed in the manner of crossing the street regardless whether or not they were in front of the marathoner's path! Some bands present on the course, including a military ensemble in front of the Royal Palace. CONCLUSION: One of the most attractive courses for an urban marathon, and with the finish inside the Olympic Stadium, one of the most special. Well worth travelling to. Tack, Stockholm!
S. E. from Seattle (5/3/2018) "Gorgeous race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Ran the last time on the old course. Running through Stockholm is amazing. Just a gorgeous city. I will say coming from America, this was a weird course. Pepsi, coffee, and pickles on the course can make for some sticky and not the best smelling parts of the course, but the city is one of the most amazing in the world. Just watch out for the bridge before the now 35k mark. It's not fun and the fans have signs cursing it as you will going over it. Just enjoy the view.
Yu Wu from San Francisco, USA (7/29/2016) "Unforgettable First Marathon Experience" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I can't imagine a better first marathon experience than this, absolutely unforgettable. Course: Scenic route around the city center that goes through many tourist destinations. It's not particularly hard (given I'm from the hilly San Francisco), although it does have two or three short segments of ascension (climbing a bridge twice). Two-lap course can be a little bit repetitive from sightseeing point of view but also helps runners to prepare for the 2nd half. Last 200 meters in the 1912 Olympics Stadium is awesome, what a place to sprint to finish line. Organization: Water stands throughout the race, even with shower spray to cool runners down in case they get too hot. It was very crowded at the beginning, but after a few miles there is no problem to run at your own pace. Same day race packet pick up is very convenient for out-of-town runners. I missed the pre-race expo but the post-race was fantastic. Lots of food and drink, and very friendly staff. Great medal, looks classic, but the finisher jersey needs better design. Spectators: Wow, are they enthusiastic! Loads of people throughout the course, courteous yet energetic. Definitely motivated me to keep running and giving my best. Other: I think I am lucky that my race day had the perfect weather, cool but not chilly in the shade, warm but not hot in the sun. I can imagine it can get tough if it rains or gets too hot.
Sasha Watson from London (6/13/2016) "Allay your fear of laps - its worth it" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Course: a 2-lapper round the city centre (+ the city parks on lap 2), but the 16k city section is stunning. running mostly along the waterfront, you'll get incredible vantage points of the city's sights. Finishing in the olympic stadium is great - fun finish and next to a metro Organisation: best post-race pack I've had at a marathon. Lots of free food and drinks available, more than enough drinks on route, music at different sections, and corals work well at the start. The post-race area is large, so can meet up with friends easily, and there's no hassle in getting bags. Crowds: apart from the parks section (12k) the streets are mostly a few lines deep at least, and even the parks have spots of crowds. really enthusiastic, lovely people, very friendly. It starts at 12pm - still not sure how I feel about this, because while it seems odd, the sun is up so early and warming the city up that temperature-wise, it makes no difference, and if anything, gives you more time to get a good sleep and proper breakfast. Also means you can murder dinner, having missed lunch.
L. P. from Netherlands (6/8/2016) "Great marathon, not for PR's though!" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon, and it was a great one. The course is quite hilly (however I must admit that from a Dutch perspective everything is a hill) and it can be quite hot as the start is at 12:00. You run two laps: the second lap is slightly longer (25K versus 17K). The course is really nice: you run through the city centre and through parks, lots to see! The race is very well organised as well. Some things that I find noticable: - You get pickles half-way, such a Swedish thing :-) - The bridge that you have to cross twice is quite difficult, especially during the second lap - Great music - Friendly atmosphere, no pushing or anything - Medal is very pretty - The finish in the stadium is great! All in all a great experience that I will cherish forever. Thanks Stockholm!
J. S. from San Francisco, CA (11/3/2014) "Very well-thought out race except late start time" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is the smartest, most well thought out, generously giving race I've ever ran. Only wish they could make the race time earlier... PROS: -the pasta party. Delish and generous portions! -start/finish at the same place -running into the Olympic stadium tracks and having LCD lights flashing your name/results. So special! -a nicely designed, water-filled sports bottle handed to finishers after crossing -smart (although unusual) choices for provisions along the course: gherkins and coffee -spectators allowed to enter the race finish area so it was easy to meet/celebrate with my friend. Spectators were also allowed to partake in post race foods such as beer, hot dogs, etc. CONS: -expo is a little lackluster -start time of noon is too late, was already fully warmed up by Mile 2 and knew it was trouble&. -twice loop in the city
P. P. from Singapore (6/8/2014) "Well done, Stockholm!" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Overall, a great race organization. Pros: - start and finish walking distance from the metro line - start and finish at the same place; so leaving and collecting bags very easy - ample water and sports drinks; also, bananas and gherkins - awesome overall organization - excellent medal (heavy and big) - very good post-race snacks (and beer!) - fairly good expo - stunning crowd support; I high-fived at least 100 kids Cons: - quite cold (for me) - it was 8-10 deg C - crowded field; it did not open up until about 30K mark - tough course - beware of 2 steep climbs Well worth doing if you are not aiming for PR.
P. P. from Singapore (6/7/2014) "Heja Stockholm! Well done!" (about: 2014) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A very well organized event with amazing crowd support. The day was cold (10 deg C) and there was slight drizzle, but it did not put a dampener on the event. The Pros: - very easy to get to (near a metro station) - excellent expo - overall, great organization - start and finish at the same place, so collecting the bags later is very easy - no dearth of porta-potties - amazing spectator support (bands, cheering) throughout the marathon, except maybe for a kilometer just before the half-way mark - 17 refuelling stations with sports drinks, bananans, water in ample supply - excellent post-race snacks and service Cons: - the course is not for PR. There is a steep hill that you need to cross twice (since the marathon is essentially two loops around the city) - it was cold for me (was about 10 deg c) since I live in the tropics, but if you are accustomed to running in the cold, this should not be a problem Thanks, Stockholm, for a great race My time was 3:44.
Rich Holmes from North Carolina, USA (6/6/2013) "A GREAT destination marathon!" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I went on this with the Marathon Tours & Travel group and it was hassle-free and a terrific fast course, with the finish on the track used in the 1912 Olympic Games. Stockholm is a very walkable, enjoyable, pretty city with friendly and supportive residents all fluent in English. The sights were great as a tourist, and the course ran past many of the same sights and along the waterfront and across many of the islands. Beautiful and a great experience!
Melissa R. from Toronto, Canada (8/3/2012) "Stockholm's Very Own Hunger Games" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Hej! Running the 34th ASICS Stockholm Marathon was the most incredible marathon experience to date. Since it was my eighth marathon (including world majors: Berlin, Chicago, Boston, and New York City), my opinion certainly deserves some merit. I was returning to the Motherland to be close to my Viking roots, and had always loved everything about Stockholm, so was especially excited about this race. I knew it would be a Scandinavian Euro-trip I would never forget... But I digress. Memories of my experience are priceless: The pre-race expo was pretty standard compared to others, which is to be expected as Stockholm is not the largest city and only 21,266 runners registered for the event. I was impressed by the ample selection of x-small race gear available, which is always in issue at American expos. Other highlights: seeing Swedish Runners World, international marathon booths, characters in Viking attire, fashionable race gear, and attending the Zeta Pasta Party. The damp, bone-chilling day made it challenging to maximize the experience. However, in better conditions people would have mingled a lot more. I can vividly remember race day. The start time was noon, which is unusual since most marathons begin very early in the morning. During a typical warm, sunny day, I can just imagine that Lidingövägen would have resembled a 'pre-marathon party', with the crowd socializing to burn off nervous energy. It was contained within an actual running track, so there was ample room for socializing, changing, and checking bags/valuables. Thankfully, there were heated tents to provide shelter: men's, women's, massage area (where my friend stayed pre-race surrounded by modern day Nordic Gods. Grrrr!). Before the race, corral 'C' proved memorable to me, as I was surrounded by mainly tall, fit, and IMHO stunning Swedish (& other Nordic) men. They seemed rather social, in direct contrast to the prevailing 'cold and distant' stereotype. This warmed the soul, even though it was freezing and raining outside. The treacherous race conditions - torrential downpour, unseasonal 4°C, and winds of up to 18 meters/second - did nothing to reduce my excitement. This marathon is known for being one of the most scenic marathons in the world, most of it along the city's beautiful waterfront, covering eight different areas of Stockholm. No wonder 79 countries were represented. Runners were treated to such iconic sights as the Royal Palace, City Hall, Parliament Buildings, and charming Gamla Stan. It was essentially two laps of the same route: good as you knew what to expect, bad as you had to tackle the gruelling 600 meter Västerbron bridge twice (Kill Me Now!). Not once did I feel claustrophobic during the race, so bobbing and weaving around slower folk was not necessary. Nor did I get cut off or elbowed in the ribs. Just make sure you're positioned in the correct corral. There was an abundance of water, electrolyte drinks, and food (gels, bananas, etc.). One word of caution: keep an eye on the road in front of you as there are endless curbs, trams, and uneven road to contend with. Every so often, your foot would land in a deep puddle, as the road was uneven. This was comical to me, given the harsh weather conditions, hence my reference to it being the Hunger Games. Most of the time, I was in heaven due to the endless supply of masculine eye candy (74% of runners were men), which provided motivating moving targets. After attempting to break 3:30:00 in the race, frozen to the core at about 25km, I started to slow down. From then on, it was just a matter of survival. Jogga, jogga, jogga, until you reach the finish. I was pleasantly surprised by how many Stockholmers braved the elements and cheered for hours. 'Ai! Ai! Ai!' or 'Heja! Heja! Heja!' Whatever they were yelling, it was amusing and encouraged a faster pace (albeit, temporarily). You've got to love the Swedes. The highlight of the race, which still gives me chills, was entering Stockholms Olympiastadion (built for the 1912 Olympics). With tears in my eyes, surrounded by cheering spectators, I rounded the track, frantically waving my arms, taking in the experience, and crossed the finish line in 3:37:32! Although I was not treated to the usual silver, mylar, marathon blanket, I was awarded the token commemorative medal (without ribbon) which resembles a large coin. It was definitely was The Hunger Games out there, and I survived! For that reason, this race toughened me as a marathoner, and will always have a special place in my heart. After the race, the cruel weather continued to torment the finishers. The 'post-race party' back at the track had so much potential, with an endless supply of drinks, food, and Erdinger Alkoholfrei (L) beer. It would have been amazing on a warmer day, with the sun shining down. Oh, and this was one of the few marathons that actually had shower facilities. Everything about the marathon, beautiful city of Stockholm, and hospitality of the people, was so incredible that I just signed up for the 35th Stockholm Marathon in 2013. I would highly recommend this race to anyone. Don't be dissuaded by my endless references to the weather (after all, it was the coldest race in its 34 year history!). What's the chance this could happen again? Just review the top ratings and extremely favourable comments on this site. Added bonus: Sverige Dag is on June 6th, so what better way to celebrate finishing the marathon than partying with the Swedes! Jag kan inte vänta för att köra det här loppet 2013! Melissa

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 > ]

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Wayne Wright from Palmdale, California USA (7/24/2019) "An Olympic Finish" (about: 2019) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 INTRODUCTION: I am a race-walker with a median marathon completion time of 5:22:28. The Stockholm Marathon was my fifty-fifth 26.2-miler accomplished. COURSE: It was a great day for a marathon: overcast with trace precipitation, 18C (64 degF) for the noon start. The two loop course began adjacent to the 1912 Olympic Stadium north of City. The first loop, running counterclockwise, of the moderately undulating course offered us some views of a military academy, originally a castle that was a wedding gift to King Gustav III in 1866; City Hall, where the Nobel Prize festivities are held; the Royal Palace; Parliament; and the Stockholm waterfront. We began the clockwise second loop on the 15th kilometer, where we subsequently passed by fortress United States Embassy; went through three plus kilometers of the Animal Garden, originally a royal hunting ground; Old Town; the Vasterbron bridge over Lake Malaren, which had the steepest ascent on the marathon course; and where upon departure, we retraced most of the final seven kilometers of the first loop back to the Olympic Stadium, where we once again passed by City Hall, the Royal Palace, and the Parliament building. The best part of the marathon was saved for last, where after passing through a tunnel, we ran three-fourths of a lap on the track of the Olympic Stadium, which gave us the rare opportunity of seeing what an Olympic marathoner experiences at the conclusion of his event. After we finished, our name, time, three-letter country code and flag were posted on the Jumbotron. Weather at the finish was overcast, 13C (55 degF). ORGANIZATION: Adequate. Some confusion amongst the participants due to a last-minute change by the organizers as to where the line began; also there was some confusion regarding collecting the Pasta Dinner (held inside the Olympic Stadium) ticket. On the race course, it was clearly evident some of the kilometer markers, which were challenging to locate owing to its small triangular shape and indigo color, were misplaced or perhaps absent. SPECTATORS: Enthusiastic, especially those in the Garmin cheer section. On the other hand, there were many who did not approve of a marathon that disrupted the City activity on their Saturday afternoon; their disapproval was expressed in the manner of crossing the street regardless whether or not they were in front of the marathoner's path! Some bands present on the course, including a military ensemble in front of the Royal Palace. CONCLUSION: One of the most attractive courses for an urban marathon, and with the finish inside the Olympic Stadium, one of the most special. Well worth travelling to. Tack, Stockholm!
S. E. from Seattle (5/3/2018) "Gorgeous race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Ran the last time on the old course. Running through Stockholm is amazing. Just a gorgeous city. I will say coming from America, this was a weird course. Pepsi, coffee, and pickles on the course can make for some sticky and not the best smelling parts of the course, but the city is one of the most amazing in the world. Just watch out for the bridge before the now 35k mark. It's not fun and the fans have signs cursing it as you will going over it. Just enjoy the view.
Yu Wu from San Francisco, USA (7/29/2016) "Unforgettable First Marathon Experience" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I can't imagine a better first marathon experience than this, absolutely unforgettable. Course: Scenic route around the city center that goes through many tourist destinations. It's not particularly hard (given I'm from the hilly San Francisco), although it does have two or three short segments of ascension (climbing a bridge twice). Two-lap course can be a little bit repetitive from sightseeing point of view but also helps runners to prepare for the 2nd half. Last 200 meters in the 1912 Olympics Stadium is awesome, what a place to sprint to finish line. Organization: Water stands throughout the race, even with shower spray to cool runners down in case they get too hot. It was very crowded at the beginning, but after a few miles there is no problem to run at your own pace. Same day race packet pick up is very convenient for out-of-town runners. I missed the pre-race expo but the post-race was fantastic. Lots of food and drink, and very friendly staff. Great medal, looks classic, but the finisher jersey needs better design. Spectators: Wow, are they enthusiastic! Loads of people throughout the course, courteous yet energetic. Definitely motivated me to keep running and giving my best. Other: I think I am lucky that my race day had the perfect weather, cool but not chilly in the shade, warm but not hot in the sun. I can imagine it can get tough if it rains or gets too hot.
Sasha Watson from London (6/13/2016) "Allay your fear of laps - its worth it" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Course: a 2-lapper round the city centre (+ the city parks on lap 2), but the 16k city section is stunning. running mostly along the waterfront, you'll get incredible vantage points of the city's sights. Finishing in the olympic stadium is great - fun finish and next to a metro Organisation: best post-race pack I've had at a marathon. Lots of free food and drinks available, more than enough drinks on route, music at different sections, and corals work well at the start. The post-race area is large, so can meet up with friends easily, and there's no hassle in getting bags. Crowds: apart from the parks section (12k) the streets are mostly a few lines deep at least, and even the parks have spots of crowds. really enthusiastic, lovely people, very friendly. It starts at 12pm - still not sure how I feel about this, because while it seems odd, the sun is up so early and warming the city up that temperature-wise, it makes no difference, and if anything, gives you more time to get a good sleep and proper breakfast. Also means you can murder dinner, having missed lunch.
L. P. from Netherlands (6/8/2016) "Great marathon, not for PR's though!" (about: 2016) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my first marathon, and it was a great one. The course is quite hilly (however I must admit that from a Dutch perspective everything is a hill) and it can be quite hot as the start is at 12:00. You run two laps: the second lap is slightly longer (25K versus 17K). The course is really nice: you run through the city centre and through parks, lots to see! The race is very well organised as well. Some things that I find noticable: - You get pickles half-way, such a Swedish thing :-) - The bridge that you have to cross twice is quite difficult, especially during the second lap - Great music - Friendly atmosphere, no pushing or anything - Medal is very pretty - The finish in the stadium is great! All in all a great experience that I will cherish forever. Thanks Stockholm!
J. S. from San Francisco, CA (11/3/2014) "Very well-thought out race except late start time" (about: 2014) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is the smartest, most well thought out, generously giving race I've ever ran. Only wish they could make the race time earlier... PROS: -the pasta party. Delish and generous portions! -start/finish at the same place -running into the Olympic stadium tracks and having LCD lights flashing your name/results. So special! -a nicely designed, water-filled sports bottle handed to finishers after crossing -smart (although unusual) choices for provisions along the course: gherkins and coffee -spectators allowed to enter the race finish area so it was easy to meet/celebrate with my friend. Spectators were also allowed to partake in post race foods such as beer, hot dogs, etc. CONS: -expo is a little lackluster -start time of noon is too late, was already fully warmed up by Mile 2 and knew it was trouble&. -twice loop in the city
P. P. from Singapore (6/8/2014) "Well done, Stockholm!" (about: 2014) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Overall, a great race organization. Pros: - start and finish walking distance from the metro line - start and finish at the same place; so leaving and collecting bags very easy - ample water and sports drinks; also, bananas and gherkins - awesome overall organization - excellent medal (heavy and big) - very good post-race snacks (and beer!) - fairly good expo - stunning crowd support; I high-fived at least 100 kids Cons: - quite cold (for me) - it was 8-10 deg C - crowded field; it did not open up until about 30K mark - tough course - beware of 2 steep climbs Well worth doing if you are not aiming for PR.
P. P. from Singapore (6/7/2014) "Heja Stockholm! Well done!" (about: 2014) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A very well organized event with amazing crowd support. The day was cold (10 deg C) and there was slight drizzle, but it did not put a dampener on the event. The Pros: - very easy to get to (near a metro station) - excellent expo - overall, great organization - start and finish at the same place, so collecting the bags later is very easy - no dearth of porta-potties - amazing spectator support (bands, cheering) throughout the marathon, except maybe for a kilometer just before the half-way mark - 17 refuelling stations with sports drinks, bananans, water in ample supply - excellent post-race snacks and service Cons: - the course is not for PR. There is a steep hill that you need to cross twice (since the marathon is essentially two loops around the city) - it was cold for me (was about 10 deg c) since I live in the tropics, but if you are accustomed to running in the cold, this should not be a problem Thanks, Stockholm, for a great race My time was 3:44.
Rich Holmes from North Carolina, USA (6/6/2013) "A GREAT destination marathon!" (about: 2013) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I went on this with the Marathon Tours & Travel group and it was hassle-free and a terrific fast course, with the finish on the track used in the 1912 Olympic Games. Stockholm is a very walkable, enjoyable, pretty city with friendly and supportive residents all fluent in English. The sights were great as a tourist, and the course ran past many of the same sights and along the waterfront and across many of the islands. Beautiful and a great experience!
Melissa R. from Toronto, Canada (8/3/2012) "Stockholm's Very Own Hunger Games" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Stockholm Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Hej! Running the 34th ASICS Stockholm Marathon was the most incredible marathon experience to date. Since it was my eighth marathon (including world majors: Berlin, Chicago, Boston, and New York City), my opinion certainly deserves some merit. I was returning to the Motherland to be close to my Viking roots, and had always loved everything about Stockholm, so was especially excited about this race. I knew it would be a Scandinavian Euro-trip I would never forget... But I digress. Memories of my experience are priceless: The pre-race expo was pretty standard compared to others, which is to be expected as Stockholm is not the largest city and only 21,266 runners registered for the event. I was impressed by the ample selection of x-small race gear available, which is always in issue at American expos. Other highlights: seeing Swedish Runners World, international marathon booths, characters in Viking attire, fashionable race gear, and attending the Zeta Pasta Party. The damp, bone-chilling day made it challenging to maximize the experience. However, in better conditions people would have mingled a lot more. I can vividly remember race day. The start time was noon, which is unusual since most marathons begin very early in the morning. During a typical warm, sunny day, I can just imagine that Lidingövägen would have resembled a 'pre-marathon party', with the crowd socializing to burn off nervous energy. It was contained within an actual running track, so there was ample room for socializing, changing, and checking bags/valuables. Thankfully, there were heated tents to provide shelter: men's, women's, massage area (where my friend stayed pre-race surrounded by modern day Nordic Gods. Grrrr!). Before the race, corral 'C' proved memorable to me, as I was surrounded by mainly tall, fit, and IMHO stunning Swedish (& other Nordic) men. They seemed rather social, in direct contrast to the prevailing 'cold and distant' stereotype. This warmed the soul, even though it was freezing and raining outside. The treacherous race conditions - torrential downpour, unseasonal 4°C, and winds of up to 18 meters/second - did nothing to reduce my excitement. This marathon is known for being one of the most scenic marathons in the world, most of it along the city's beautiful waterfront, covering eight different areas of Stockholm. No wonder 79 countries were represented. Runners were treated to such iconic sights as the Royal Palace, City Hall, Parliament Buildings, and charming Gamla Stan. It was essentially two laps of the same route: good as you knew what to expect, bad as you had to tackle the gruelling 600 meter Västerbron bridge twice (Kill Me Now!). Not once did I feel claustrophobic during the race, so bobbing and weaving around slower folk was not necessary. Nor did I get cut off or elbowed in the ribs. Just make sure you're positioned in the correct corral. There was an abundance of water, electrolyte drinks, and food (gels, bananas, etc.). One word of caution: keep an eye on the road in front of you as there are endless curbs, trams, and uneven road to contend with. Every so often, your foot would land in a deep puddle, as the road was uneven. This was comical to me, given the harsh weather conditions, hence my reference to it being the Hunger Games. Most of the time, I was in heaven due to the endless supply of masculine eye candy (74% of runners were men), which provided motivating moving targets. After attempting to break 3:30:00 in the race, frozen to the core at about 25km, I started to slow down. From then on, it was just a matter of survival. Jogga, jogga, jogga, until you reach the finish. I was pleasantly surprised by how many Stockholmers braved the elements and cheered for hours. 'Ai! Ai! Ai!' or 'Heja! Heja! Heja!' Whatever they were yelling, it was amusing and encouraged a faster pace (albeit, temporarily). You've got to love the Swedes. The highlight of the race, which still gives me chills, was entering Stockholms Olympiastadion (built for the 1912 Olympics). With tears in my eyes, surrounded by cheering spectators, I rounded the track, frantically waving my arms, taking in the experience, and crossed the finish line in 3:37:32! Although I was not treated to the usual silver, mylar, marathon blanket, I was awarded the token commemorative medal (without ribbon) which resembles a large coin. It was definitely was The Hunger Games out there, and I survived! For that reason, this race toughened me as a marathoner, and will always have a special place in my heart. After the race, the cruel weather continued to torment the finishers. The 'post-race party' back at the track had so much potential, with an endless supply of drinks, food, and Erdinger Alkoholfrei (L) beer. It would have been amazing on a warmer day, with the sun shining down. Oh, and this was one of the few marathons that actually had shower facilities. Everything about the marathon, beautiful city of Stockholm, and hospitality of the people, was so incredible that I just signed up for the 35th Stockholm Marathon in 2013. I would highly recommend this race to anyone. Don't be dissuaded by my endless references to the weather (after all, it was the coldest race in its 34 year history!). What's the chance this could happen again? Just review the top ratings and extremely favourable comments on this site. Added bonus: Sverige Dag is on June 6th, so what better way to celebrate finishing the marathon than partying with the Swedes! Jag kan inte vänta för att köra det här loppet 2013! Melissa

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Marathon Details - Stockholm Marathon