The Amsterdam Marathon is long established with this being the 37th edition. The Dutch seem to pride themselves on their organisation and this is one slick event. Entries in the marathon distance vary between 12,000 and 15,000 runners. However, when combined with the half marathon and 8km events, that figure rises to around 37,000. Importantly, the marathon is kept completely separate from the other events.

Similar to the Vienna City Marathon, it was possible to download an app to your mobile phone in the week preceding the race, providing every conceivable piece of information. The registration expo is also efficient, taking place at a large sports exhibition hall out beside the 1928 Olympic Stadium, on the south western fringe of the city. The Olympic Stadium is where the start and finish for the marathon are located, so it was helpful visualising this at the time of the registration process. The only criticism would be that due to its peripheral location, getting to and from the expo does take time. Meanwhile, the event merchandise is nice with Mizuno acting as the official technical supplier.

The weather forecast ahead of the event was very mixed. Thankfully, it settled down in time and race day conditions were not as bad as feared, with it generally being a grey, overcast autumnal day. There were a few spots of rain, but nothing significant. However, the main issue was a biting cross-wind that knocked the temperature down significantly and running into this wind was hard work. The temperature all day hovered around 12C / 54F, but the real feel was well down on this.

The course is somewhat disappointing. The highlights being the start and finish area inside the Olympic Stadium. You complete half a lap at the start, before exiting the stadium, whilst at the finish; you do the same again, albeit in front of thousands of cheering spectators. Unfortunately, due to the intrinsic network of canals running through the heart of Amsterdam, the course tends to take place very much within the city suburbs and along the River Amstel, which feeds the city. One highlight during the race was running through Vondelpark, the largest and most famous park in Amsterdam. The stretch along the river was the toughest, not due to the terrain, which is pretty much flat throughout the course, but down to the aforementioned strong cross-wind. Runners were very exposed, with absolutely no cover at all. Had it been pouring with rain, then conditions would have been brutal. If you are looking to post a personal best (PB) time, then Amsterdam is perfectly set-up for this. However, you will need the weather to be on your side for running conditions to suit.

Combine the history of the event, the superb organisation, the welcoming Dutch people, together with the prospect of posting a fast time and it is clear to see why the Amsterdam Marathon comes recommended. The event appears to be growing and going from strength to strength with every passing year.

I agree with all the other 2012 comments. I really enjoyed this one and got a PB 11 minutes faster than my previous. The tram situation is shocking. We took a taxi. Great course, great spectators. Start and finish in Olympic stadium is epic. Amsterdam is an amazing place. I would highly recommend this one.

I ran the 2012 race having previously ran this in 2005. Though the organisation is good, with plenty of drink stations, sponges, etc., I noticed a lot of congestion and pinching causing runners to stop in some places along the course. This most affects 'mid pack' runners expecting to finish around 3.30-4.00hrs. Its all fine if you're running for the pleasure of it but frustrating if you're looking to get a PB on what would otherwise a fast and flat course. I guess that faster runners will not experience the same problems of crowding. In my opinion the race has too many people crammed into some narrow streets and should be rerouted. Would I do it again- perhaps, but if you're only doing one European race -- go for Berlin... It's perfect.

Pros:
-Flat and fast: No exaggeration here, there is, at most, one ramp at an incline. That's it!
-Large expo
-Well-stocked and frequent aid stations
-Very thrilling to start and finish in the Olympic Stadium.
-Well-organized gear check
-Great place to visit!

Cons:
-The course was not quite as stunning as some of the other reviews make it out to be. The parts in the city parks were very nice, as was the 15K or so along the Amstel, but the course also goes through some residential and industrial areas, and does not really go into central Amsterdam. Not a huge deal, but be prepared that parts of the course are very boring.
-There were frequent bottlenecks at the start of the course, partly from the narrowness of the streets, partly from the fact that the starting corrals did not do a particularly good job of sorting people by pace. (The starting groups are in 30 minute increments, so that someone who runs a 3:30 is in the same area as someone who runs a 3:00.)
-There was not enough food at the end. You were allowed one quarter of an orange, and one half of a banana.
-The morning of the marathon the trams and buses completely shut down, even with routes that do not appear to go along the course. This goes more under the classification of a warning than a complaint, but plan to walk, bike, or take a cab to the nearest metro stop. (For us, it was 2.5 km, and although we left plenty of time, we had to rush to get there because of this.)

Brilliant. The course starts and finishes in the old Olympic stadium, makes you feel like a hero! This year there were just under 10,000 runners, so it felt like a bit city event but still small and friendly. Course is interesting, a scenic run through the park and down the Amstel river and then back into town. Only dull point was a kind of business/industrial area around km32. Crowd support was good but not massive. But generally I was very pleasantly surprised at how friendly, laid back and welcoming the atmosphere was.
2011 was blessed with absolutely perfect weather (sunshine, cool temps and gentle breeze). In the wind and rain it would have been a different story.. a bit miserable perhaps.

The course is flat, except a little underpass at km35.
Finishing in the Olympic stadium was really special.
Race t-shirt was excellent quality. Race results give you nice stats and diagrams. Race photos and videos were good. The expo was nice enough but didn't hang around to be honest.

A package arrived in the post before the race and with it came discount vouchers for the tram system, a nice thought.

All in all I though organisation was first rate. Everyone I knew who ran it PB'd on the course, myself included. Absolutely loved the event and would not hesitate to recommend it as a fast, flat & friendly autumn marathon.

Strongly consider Amsterdam if you are chasing a Boston time or PR, want a European destination race or to celebrate at the finish with family and friends. The majority of marathon entrants are from outside the Netherlands, giving the global feel of a London or Paris in a much smaller (and more manageable) field. It also means this race anticipates the needs and concerns of visitors to a higher degree.

Website and email communications earn high grades. The envelope with the competitor letter (for number pickup), which arrived in plenty of time, also had a detailed course map and tram-subway discount coupon. Expo pickup went smoothly and the arena was filled with a variety of exhibitors.

Several Italian restaurants in the Leidseplein (tram lines 1, 2, 5) are terrific for pre-race dinner.

The only significant race-day problem was with the trams, which was outside the race directors control. The GVB re-routed the 16 as the main transport to the Olympic Stadium, but there were not nearly enough trams in service on that line. In a 35-minute period, five full trams passed the Leidseplein station without stopping. At 8:20 a.m. a supervisor in a GVB car stopped, and looking a bit panicked apologized for the big problem before continuing toward the stadium. At that point I doubled back to the hotel and shared a cab with another runner (14 euro with tip). We reached the stadium in plenty of time but leaving the room much earlier than normal proved beneficial.

Leave extra time for entering the stadium, too. All runners funnel through the main entrance (you run through it entering and leaving) so there's a logjam. There were plenty of portable toilets and urinals along the track, the ones outside the stadium are not the only option. As noted, the bag drop was inconvenient; it's not by last-name letter or bib number so find the shortest line at any tent.

The course is flat, fast and scenic and the kilometers really do fly past. There were no pace runners, instead you received a target-time pace band that's color-coded for corral entry. The km signage could use an upgrade, there is a meter-high sandwich board at each km, easily obstructed. Teardrop banners would increase visibility and provide additional sponsor signage.

As noted, there are places where the course is incredibly narrow, in some spots 2 meters wide. There are a number of curbs, tram rails, traffic islands and other street furniture that cut into the course, and there were a few stretches where spectators ignored the barricades and stepped into the street. If you remain aware you'll be fine. Most of the southbound portion beside the Amstel (14-19k) is a one-lane road, but the return (19-25k) is a narrower exercise trail. Use your head, pass when the opportunity presents itself, simply churn out the km in this section and you'll be fine. As a bonus, there were a few boats on the river blasting out music, which was a nice touch.

The fluid stations have plenty of supplies and would operate more efficiently if volunteers stayed beside the tables to hand out cups instead of walking a few paces into the street. Better yet would be the volunteers staying behind the tables and allowing runners to grab their own cups.

Starting in the Olympic Stadium is one thing, finishing there is tremendous. It's a rush to run into a bowl jammed with thousands of raucous spectators, including anyone who has accompanied you on the trip. Logging a PR by nearly five minutes and a first Boston qualifying time is fantastic, but looking up in the stands and seeing my better half cheering like crazy was one of the best moments we'll ever share.

If you are sightseeing the next day, consider online advance ticket orders for the Anne Frank, Rijksmuseum, Stedelik and/or Van Gogh. The ticket lines that day are longer than a usual Monday (30 minutes at the Van Gogh mid-morning) but you gain immediate entry with an advance ticket. Your legs will thank you.

Starting and finishing in the oldest olympic stadium, which is still in its original state, is quite astonishing in its own right! Add to that Amsterdam, flat course, great organization and you are in for a real treat. Weather was phenomenal in 2011 (55c, sunny, no wind) and guaranteed a good time..

If you're looking for a well organised, flat/fast course with lovely surroundings, you can't go far wrong with this marathon. The start and finish in the Olympisch Stadion is a real buzz! The first 1km is quite tight leaving the stadium and also on the narrow streets at first but it quickly thins out, especially if you're running 3 hours pace.

The aid stations are well stocked and come thick and fast. The volunteers do an amazing job and were very supportive, which is much needed in the last 10km of the race. The crowds are plenty in the urban sections of the race but support is a little thin running along the Amstel and then again between 25km and 30km (the only ugly section of the course). This is where runners really need to be mentally strong. It's ugly with little or no crowd support. Hang in there though, post 30km the crowds start to appear again and can help push you through to the finish. Make sure you save something for het Vondelpark, it's got some inclines at 39/40km.

Overall the race itself is a real gem. Those of you looking to run a PB or fast time, this marathon is as flat as a pancake. I was a little undertrained and overweight for my normal marathon condition yet still managed to run my second fastest marathon time ever finishing a cruel 6 seconds behind my PB. We were lucky with the weather too, 12c, no wind and dry.

I would recommend to anyone doing this next year to arrive at the Olympisch Stadion early as the bag drop can take a while. Also, do not be confused by the letters at the bag drop tents. These are not corresponding to surnames, runners can drop their bag off at any stall. The volunteers will give you sticker to put on your bib. Pick up is simple post race.

The only real complaint I have is that the Marathon Expo is not at all well sign-posted from the metro when picking up the bib number. The expo itself is quite poor. There are quite a few stalls but mainly of low quality brands selling cheap and/or surplus stock. Overall though Amsterdam is a fantastic race and lovely city to see post race. Highly recommended. Will definately be going back in the future.

Overall, a very enjoyable race. As you would expect in Holland, a very flat course. The segment out along the Amstel River was not as dull as I'd feared, and the kilometers just fly by, but the course at the start when exiting the stadium and heading through the Vondelpark are very narrow, making running dificult in the opening sector, and the bag deposit for such a large field was so incredibly disorganized that despite joining the queue a half hour before the start I still almost missed the start. But these are minor quibbles over what was a very enjoyable run.

In nearly every respect this was an excellent marathon and one that I enjoyed very much.

I don't share the two criticisms below. For me, the bag-drop was very easy to find and use, being located in a huge marquee right by the way in. I suspect, though, that it may have been more difficult to locate if one didn't use the suggested route from the metro station via the Sporthallen, and it may not have been signposted from the other direction.

And, at the end I was offered banana, orange, water, AA drink, a native Dutch energy bar (can't remember the name)... lots of things. And you could buy sandwiches and other food in the stadium bar. (And HOT CHOCOLATE!!) Personally, I'd have liked a muffin, but never mind!

Great course; fast; attractive scenery; excellent crowd. Highlights: the live band on a river boat; the djembe group; the DJ at the stadium. Mostly good running surface (though there were a few potholes and rocks on the road - I nearly twisted my ankle on one that was not the organizers' fault). Fantastic city. Good camaraderie with other runners and a very supportive crowd. Weather was absolutely perfect. Transportation was very easy and cheap, not least the metro on race day. All highly recommended!

A few minor criticisms. The official sports drink, AA, was not good. Even the label said, "for after exercise" - not ideal, I'd think! And it didn't taste great, in my view.

The water stations were plentiful and well spaced, but I had a few problems with them. Firstly, they always seemed to be at narrow stretches, so the bunching up was bad! Secondly, there was no labeling of where to get water, AA or fruit, so many people ended up making a grab for whatever they could see. (They were always in the same order but it wasn't clear where the boundaries were.) People who wanted water were getting AA. Lastly, the drinks were given over in plastic cups. Highly impractical because it's very hard to drink and you lose a lot on the floor. You certainly can't carry the thing for more than a hundred paces so no good if you want a drink in a mile. Why not bottles?!?! Luckily some legenday residents had set up independent water stalls at intervals between official ones. Hats off to them - they saved my bacon!

In summary: Everyone should do Amsterdam once. I thought it was brilliant!