I have run the Moscow marathon numerous times, latest the date of this report - Sep 2012. One continuous problem with this marathon is the weather, as it was once again cold and rainy. Several years ago this marathon was started at the end of August/early September and it keeps moving to a later date - August in Moscow is not too hot for a marathon! If the organizers read this comment please consider moving back to the earlier date.

Some of the other issues mentioned are more cultural differences - there is no tradition of big crowds at marathons for example. Obviously, I like the race or I would not be coming back - I'm American.

Don't recognise some of the below course decriptions. There's a loop over ( south of) the river, then a loop east, then a loop west., then a repeat loop east. Start and finish in the Kremlin shadow. Remarkable! The only race where I've been offered hot sweet tea at a drinks station!

Nice flat course that is pretty easy for those who train 40 miles a week. Bring your own water and electrolytes though, as even water was only offered at 4 locations on the 10,5km loop. Worse, was that the water came in small plastic cups with a foil lid, like they give you on planes. NO ELECTROLYTES offered in any form. Also, very few spectators. If you are somewhere among the leaders, you are forced to weave in and out of the crowd of slow runners in front of you as you lap them.

The surroundings are nice, but you run four times around the same 10K loop. There are no energy drinks during the race; they offer a tea instead.

I just finished the marathon two hours ago. It was cool, overcast, and fun. If you want a marathon with lots of spectators, then this is not for you, but if you want to see Moscow and look at the buildings, see the sights, enjoy the culture, and learn something new about a different country that you may not have visited, then it IS for you. There were other Americans at the race, but not many.

Registration was a little painful, but not as bad as I had expected. It took an hour or so. They had a special room for foreigners. Finding the Olympic swimming pool was a little challenging, but if you do it with a group, I am sure it is easier. Knowing a little Russian helps a lot.

They have not figured out how to deal with the T-shirts yet. By the time I finished all they had were mediums, so I will give it to my wife. It was a trip that was enjoyable, and I recommend it.

I just returned from the 2009 Moscow Marathon, and would like to share my impressions. As a Russian who lives (and runs) overseas, it was an interesting (and surreal) experience:

1) The race registration is a somewhat painful (especially if you don't have the right note from the doctor and you're not used to the Russian bureaucratic state of mind). You stay in three lines to give your fee in one, show your doctor's note in another and pick up the chip and number in the last one - this is very Soviet-style).

2) The distance markers were well posted.

3) The course was easy and flat; it just went up and down the Moskva River. For some it may seem boring,, but you may get a kick out of looking at the Peter the Great statue or the Christ the Savior Church several times, or reading the billboards along the way.

4) There were lots of water stops, although at the very first stop (7th KM), I was told that I wasn't allowed to drink yet. There was also sweet tea and pieces of bread - I gladly drank tea but didn't eat the bread (I was afraid that I could choke).

5) The spectator factor is the most disappointing, as there were not enough of them. Most people throughout the course were the countless police officers (who just stood there) and accidental tourists near the Kremlin. When I made some people cheer for me and other runners, they obliged, but you have to agree, it's exhausting to cheer the cheering crowd who's supposed to cheer for you in the first place. The real cheering started only at the very last 100 meters before the finish. Luckily, I had my Mp3 player with me.

6) As a young woman, I was an exception to the rule among the participants. Russia is not a running nation; running is either left for professionals at Olympics or crazy old guys who run barefoot in the snow. So participating in the MM was flattering, fun and poignant at the same time. I hope that along the way I inspired some young people (especially girls) to start running.

I was in Moscow on business so decided to log this marathon "because I could." Of the 5,000 people who all started together, 4,000 were running the concurrent 10K. The setting was unique - starting right behind St. Basil's cathedral on Red Square, running down the Moscow River beside the Kremlin, towards Christ the Savior Church, and then back (3 loops). BUT, not all of the loops are identical, as you turn earlier on your final loop than you do on the first two at the east end of the course. Unfortunately, there is no way for the course workers to know who is on what loop; the language barrier prevented giving good directions, and there was no course map published ahead of time to alert runners to this "neat feature." Sooo, were it not for my Garmin, I would've been completely screwed, as I got waved to turn at the shorter turn on my second lap instead of continuing on. I ended up, doubling back several times once I realized what had happened, timing the distance so it finally came out to 26.3 miles at the finish... the best I could do.

No spectators at all on the course, but temperatures were ideal, about 45 degrees. But the wind was striking, 15-20 mph, so when you turned into it you were stuck with a stiff headwind for 3-4 miles. Water breaks were a hoot - along with water, they had hot sweet tea instead of Gatorade, and cubed dark bread with salt sprinkled on it for carbs/electrolytes instead of energy gels... but it all worked! I PR'd, so I was happy, and I've had fun talking with running buddies about having logged this marathon. Would I do it again? Yeah, I would, but it wouldn't be one I'd plan to travel to if I weren't already going to be in town on business - there are much better operated races. Volunteers were great though, runners were very friendly, and it was a neat experience running with folks who had little or no English (complemented perfectly my minimal Russian!) and minimal running gear, but were having fun nonetheless.

The Moscow Marathon is not a beauty contest. This is a tough course in bad weather. Cold rain, not much above freezing. Two years in a row the first day of bad weather in the season falls on the marathon day. Do they fix it? I really don't know. Come to the finish and get an ego boost that lasts and lasts!

Running up and down the Moskwa River doesn't make the course very spectacular. The marathon organization was more improvization than anything, but if you want to visit Russia, you have to deal with that anyway.
Moscow is an interesting city, so there would be much more potential for a more scenic route.

Unfortunately the weather was so bad due to wind and rain that there weren't any spectators.

The course could be a little more creative. There were maybe 2 or 3 military trailers that were for toilets for the entire course. No porto-lets at the start. I think they need more public support and sponsorship to make this marathon grow.