I enjoyed the Philadelphia Marathon immensely! The weather was perfect (45 degrees at the start, 57 at the finish), the sun was shining through tree branches, and the fans were making sure that everyone would finish the race! Because I was recovering from the marathon I did a month before, I did not overstrain myself and hence had a nice 4-hour jog through my favorite city, and even got a medal at the end. :)

Couple of highlights that grabbed my attention:

The course goes through numerous (and quite distinct) Philly neighborhoods, the Museum District, Chinatown, Old City, University City, Fairmount Park, Manayunk etc. - so there is great variety of architectural landmarks and landscape highlights to focus your attention on.

You can give high-fives to the city mayor  at the beginning of the race and in the downtown area.

There is plenty of water/Gatorade stops; but I would recommend having your own gel/protein bar (they are handed out at the second half of the course).

Dont miss it: in the Manayunk area (at mile 19 and 21), there are fans who give away beer to all runners! For those who are familiar with a Hash House Harriers (a drinking group with a running problem), it will come as no surprise.

The volunteers monitored the area for any medical emergencies, and the response is pretty fast; I saw a lot of 4-wheelers with medical personnel cruising around.

The post-race food is pretty standard: hot broth (very welcome!), pretzels, bananas and apple juice.

The medals this year were solemnly dark yet pretty; plus the slogans were quite catchy because they were combined with the city landmarks:  Running means Independence (cue on Independence Hall), Running means Love (cue on LOVE statue), etc. Also, the slogan on t-shirts (which was used before) - "I kicked asphalt" - is awesome.

Highly recommended race for marathoners of all levels!

This was my first marathon and I had a great race and qualified for Boston by going under 3:15.

Parking: We drove in from Jersey on race day and parked on a side street a few blocks from the start without any problems.

Start: Plenty of porta-potties for everyone. We did not use the baggage claim so I cannot comment on that. I started in the 2nd corral so I did not have any problems with congestion, but they were narrow, so I can see how those farther back would have issues. I was able to settle into my pace quickly.

The Course: To all of those complaining that the course was not flat enough, I suggest that you go run 26 miles around a track or on a treadmill - which are the only two places where I've ever enjoyed pancake-flat running. Compared to any of the other road races I've run, this course is relatively flat. There are some slight and gradual inclines/declines here and there with only a few "hills," which are all really short (although a little steep). Two of the hills are in the first half of the race (one near Drexel and one in the park), the third is after the halfway point (steepest), and the last is up and down an overpass around mile 20 or so. Most of my training runs in northern NJ were hillier than this course. The out-and-back on Kelly Drive will test your mental toughness but at least you will know what is coming on the way back.

The finishing area was a little crowded due to both races finishing at the same place and I feel sorry for the really fast marathoners, who probably had to elbow their way through slower half-marathoners and really slow full marathoners who would have been criss-crossing the circle at the same time. For what it's worth, my Garmin had the course at 26.5 miles and I think I ran pretty good tangents. One other comment: I'm not a big fan of the turn-around at the orange cones, which you had to do twice on this course. I'm not sure why this is necessary and I hope they can figure out a way to change this.

Crowd Support: Having your name printed on your bib is the greatest idea ever! While there are plenty of areas on this course with little or no crowd support, wherever there were people they were extremely enthusiastic and were yelling my name, which was awesome!

Overall: I had a great race, the weather was perfect and I BQ'd on my first attempt, so I loved it and I'll definitely be back for 2010.

One other thing to mention about Philly is that if you register early it's only $80, which is a tremendous value when you consider what the other big-city races are charging.

This was my 15th marathon, and while it was not my best time performance-wise, it was definitely one of my favorite events. I decided that there are too many marathons and cities to run and see to repeat this race, but if I were to repeat one, this would be it. The course is really great - historical, scenic, urban, rural... you get it all! The weather was perfect! Loved the "theme"... reminded me of Boston. Goodies included a long-sleeved tech shirt, gear bag and gloves! And then, to have such a great historical city to tour before, during and after! What more can I say? You've got to run Philly!

This was my third Philadelphia Marathon, and it is an excellent race  whether you want an urban marathon with lots of support and good sights or whether you want a PR.

The race is at a great time of year. The average temperature during the race is in the 40s. In 2008, it was way colder than that - in the 20s at start time, but this is preferable, I think, to the risk of heat.

The course takes you through historic areas of Philadelphia, interesting ethnic neighborhoods, and then a tree-lined park road. With the exception of some areas in the park, there was great spectator support. The course is very flat. (For those who complain about hills, it is not quite as flat as you might find in the Midwest, but there are just a couple of hills of any significance.) The combination of the flatness and the weather make it a great race for a PR. This was my 8th marathon, and I beat my previous PR by 14 minutes.

The water stations are frequent and chock full of volunteers.

The expo is fairly large, proportionate to the size of the marathon (smaller than Chicago or Marine Corps, but it has everything you'd want). The long-sleeve tech shirt and medal are well done.

This is an excellent marathon if you live in the Northeast and want a convenient race, if you are looking for a destination race, or if you want a PR.

GREAT RACE OVERALL. It was my 10th marathon and 4th city/state.

1) It is not flat! Whoever said it was is very mistaken. There are flat areas, but there are certainly some hills. It is not a BQ by any means, unless you push your hardest and work for it. But don't expect to coast along for all 26 miles.

2) Perfect weather - at least in 2009! (I heard 2008 was really cold though.) November is a gamble. But worth it! I think November is the perfect time for a marathon in the Northeast.

3) Nice medal and T (maroon - nice color) and good giveaway with the gloves. The bag was good in theory but was way too big.

4) Crowds are sparse for most of the course, but good at the finish and in Manayunk - and its a turn round over there, so you get it twice, which is nice.

5) Needs more music... the Rocky theme played only once! In that city it should be played like 5 times!

6) As for post-race food: The slightly frozen apple juice was a great idea! Only some were a bit too frozen. My advice: take them out an hour earlier next year! The supply was excellent. There were tons of apple juices and bars and oranges - and providing plastic bags was a great touch! I was able to take a few oranges as I headed back to my hotel. Not too many water bottles though. Some liked the soup - but i didn't need or want it. I prefer the take your own for post-race food, rather than a pre-made bag, as some races have. This way you take what you want and leave what you don't.

7) Beautiful views: water fall, marina, colonial buildings, great architecture.

8) The out-and-back bothers some - but I liked it.

9) Fluid stations were good. except there were some Gatorade cups with water and vice versa.

10) The start was well organized - a bit congested, but what can you do with a few thousand people gearing up to go? The finish, however, wasn't so well organized. There was no designated family reunuion area. It took awhile for me to find my family and friends.

11) Expo was ok. I've seen better... and worse. This one was ok. However, a major caveat: DO NOT TAKE A CAR TO THE EXPO! Cab it! The traffic around there is awful and there is no place to park. The lots were all full, and you can forget street parking in that city!

12) Good restaurants in the area. "Marathon Grill" is one in particular that I think you should rightfully check out!

OVERALL, A GREAT RACE!

This was my third half marathon and I was excited to be back in a city where I went to school. The course was nice - partly downtown, through Drexel's campus and then Fairmount Park. The hill at mile 9 was a bit of a doozy, but otherwise it was flat. Decent organization and expo. Needed Rocky music at the end. I would likely do it again.

This was my second marathon. I did my research beforehand, speaking to people who ran Philly before as well as reading many reviews, so I was prepared going in. It was a good race and a good time, but it could be better.

The Good:
It is a fast course, though not pancake flat; there are a few hills mainly in the first half of the race. They were nothing overwhelming, but don't expect a completely flat course.

Good expo, good long-sleeve tech shirt, and good medal.

I liked having my name on my bib; it's great to hear the fans cheering you on by name.

Mayor Nutter, high-fiving runners at the start of the race, was great.

Great fan support. The fans on Benjamin Franklin Parkway and on Kelly Drive and in Manayunk were great. The students at Drexel between miles 7 and 8 handing out beer were good for a smile. A special thank you goes to the women between miles 20 and 21 handing out brownies and orange slices (not together).

The fans in the last mile of the race were great, cheering runners on both sides of the course. This is how you want to finish a marathon!

I liked the chicken broth at the end of the race and had no problem finding water at the end of the race.

The changing tent at the end was a nice touch; it much better than changing in a porta-potty.

The Bad:
Poor organization at the start of the race. The baggage trucks were lined up in a double row, which meant you had to struggle through a tight crowd to drop off your bag, and another one to get to the starting corral. Next year please line the trucks up in one row to reduce the congestion.

The corrals were not clearly marked. After bumping my way from the baggage truck, I was looking around for my corral but couldn't find it because they were not clearly marked. I found out that I was in the correct corral by accident, when I saw another runner wearing the same color bib as me. So I found the corral by dumb luck, not because they were clearly marked. Next year, you may want to put up clear signs at the front and back of each corral, making them easier to find.

I liked the wave starts a lot, but since this is a walker-friendly marathon, could you put the walkers in the last corral? I am all for having people walk an entire marathon, but spending the first mile trying to navigate around several groups of 4-wide walkers is frustrating.

Overall:

Good job, Philadelphia! It was a great experience!

This was #15 for me and I came home to Philly for it. The expo was nice. My 5-year-old daughter especially liked the kids' area. She also did the kids' run, which was fun for her, but still a little shorter than advertised. When the program says the kids are going to run a half-mile, it should be that long.

On race-day we came in from the west part of town (I-76) at one and a half hours before the race. We got off the highway immediately after getting on the I-676 and found parking for $10 less than 1 mile from the start. You will have to get there early for this as the lot filled right up behind us. Porta-potties, which have been a pre-race problem in the past, were not overcrowded. The start was a bit crazy, but I think they will have the corral kinks worked out by next year. Be prepared to have a slow first 2 miles, as we ran through the city streets, which are pretty tight. Once you get out by Penn's Landing, things open up for a little, then tighten up again as you go through Center City. The crowds along Chestnut Street were awesome. I felt like I was gliding in the air. Then you go through some rolling hills until you get just past the zoo, where there is a pretty steep incline (this course is NOT flat and fast as advertised), then back to the art museum where the halfers are dropped off, then up another big hill at Mile 14. The rest of the race is out-and-back (one day I will find the marathon where the back half is more interesting than the front) with more rolling hills. Manayunk was fun. There was some great support there. The finish was tight. It kind of felt like I was running in the Tour de France for a moment. The barriers need to be farther back so the fans aren't on top of the runners. Overall an excellent marathon and thanks to all of the volunteers who helped out.

PS. FYI, get the CityPass if you want to go to some of the museums and the zoo. It will save you some money in the long run.

The day was great. Great weather for running a fantastic course through Philadelphia. A couple of opinions and observations: The course is a little tight at some points. The spectators on Chestnut Street should stay on the sidewalk and out of the street. I saw one woman get knocked over when she stepped out of the crowd and into the runners to try and get a picture. The finish area is narrow and should be wider. I had no problems with any of the uphill portions of the course. My issues were with the two steep downhills that caused some quad problems, but I guess that's why it's called a marathon!

This was my 14th Philly Marathon in a row and my 34th overall. Each year it gets better. There are a few problems (the start is still chaotic), but the organizers listen and make adjustments, and that helps a lot. The course is fast (though hillier than it used to be), the organization is good, the expo is first-rate, the weather is almost guaranteed cool, and the overall experience has kept me coming back every year. Lots of good stuff too numerous to enumerate. To be fixed:

1. The start "corrals" and waves were confusing. People holding colored signs didn't mean much. Did they mark the front of the corral, or the back? We all got started but it's a big mess. Consider sending off the half marathoners separately.
2. The baggage check trucks were in two lines facing each other... with not enough distance between the lines. Runners going in and coming out in opposite directions could barely move. I survived the NYC near-catastrophe (could have been fatal) a few years ago caused by similar crowding, and that's where this is headed unless corrective action is taken.
3. The last 0.2 miles leading into the finish were very narrow and constricted, especially when I encountered a pace group moving en masse with the leader trotting slowly, waving his charges ahead of him. All it takes is one person tripping (or someone missing a BQ by a second or two) to make this a minor tragedy, and one that can easily be avoided in the future.
4. Finally, the post-finish area is still tight and chaotic. Not the worst, but could be improved.

Otherwise, nothing but good things to say. And "congratulations" on making this the best, although biggest, Philly in history. I'll be back again in 2010 for #15.