Harrisburg Marathon - Race Reviews

First marathon in 13 years, walked primarily, jogged when I felt like it! Early start for walkers was fine, organization and communication from all race personnel was excellent! Course was reversed this year, this was my first time so I just had to adjust what I planned for. Well marked and well volunteered. Spectators were few but enthusiastic, and well represented by cowbell! 3 bridges to go over, Italian Lake section was really cool. More trash cans further from water stations needed for less trash and pick up maybe. 16 oz. bottles are a waste, some had the 8 oz. which were better. You like flat? This is the one for you! Yes, the FireBall guy was there, handing out shots, whatever, and there were also free pickles further down by another, if you like! Harrisburg local enough to me, was perfect for me to walk, no issues. Food good at finish, they use NASA shrink wrap so either bring a knife or use your teeth to get the wrap open! Do your better self a favor, not a big fan of the Host Hotel Crowne, RD should visit. Every staff and valet are A+, but the hotel is just not well staffed or well managed or maintained. Food, no, go to the Hilton 100 yards away. Much nicer food and accommodations! Staff was just as nice.

This was a very nice smaller marathon. The logistics were super easy. It was simple to get to, there was plenty of parking near the start, and enough port-o-johns. Overall the course was flat and scenic, with not too many spectators but enough to keep it interesting. I was a little concerned about a double loop course and being at like mile 10 thinking how I'd be back in a couple of hours and then just hoping to hang on. Also worried that running right past my car at mile 13 would be easy to bail out if not feeling it. But turned out to be a non-issue. What really impressed me the number of volunteers and how good they were. There are quite a few turns and turnarounds but there were marshals at all of them so it would be near impossible to stray off course. The aid stations were also top notch, including 8oz water bottles which I really liked as I could get them and drink without stopping or spilling half all down my front. Highly recommended, it's a good one for a PR or BQ attempt.

Very nice small marathon. Course goes along the river and is primarily flat and quite scenic. There is not tons of fan support but definitely enough to keep you going. We stayed at an airbnb in town and were able to basically roll out of bed and walk to the race. Would definitely run this again.

For the second year, Harrisburg's was a double loop that was flat and pretty scenic. The race starts on City Island with plenty of free parking steps from the start/ finish. Plenty of support and nice swag including a hoodie. Really solid organization. We stayed in Gettysburg and enjoyed Tattered Flag Brewery after the race.

Tom, crew and volunteers. I just want to say thank you for making this happen. you are the gold standard in my opinion and putting on an in person marathon in these times meant a lot to me and I am sure many others. Thank you again!

I had not run this race in many years, so I was curious to see how it has evolved. The 2019 race definitely gets an 'A' grade. Course: The race looks like a mess when you view it online due to a multitude of turns on the first half. However, the turns were well staffed and I only had a few minor instances of uncertainty as to where to go. I actually found all of the turns made the first half go by faster. The second half is straighter and fast. The part I didn't like and found mentally challenging was coming up from the river walk at the end and then briefly heading in the opposite direction of the finish line. Despite the turns, it's a fair, flat course with good negative split potential. Organization: Pretty much text book. Easy logistics, good pre-race details, interesting swag (cotton hoodie), sufficient number of well manned water stops, gels offered, on time start, bag check, nice medal and awards, marked and manned course, and an area to stay warm pre-race. Congrats and thanks to the organizers, volunteers and the city of Harrisburg for doing such a good job. Spectators: This is a modestly sized race, so you should not expect a great many spectators. However, the course lends itself to having multiple good cheer sections. Overall, I enjoyed this race and my weekend in Harrisburg. This race is a great alternative to the Philadelphia Marathon if the smaller, logistically easy experience is more your thing. Given the time of year and flat course, PR potential is there.

I ran Harrisburg Marathon in November 2019 as a fun fall marathon. Harrisburg is a great city that isn't overwhelmingly large with plenty of restaurants and trails/paths downtown. I stayed at the Harrisburg Hilton on 2nd Street which is one block from the finish line and about a 10 min. walk across the Market St. bridge to the starting area on City Island. There is plenty of free race-day parking on City Island if you do need to drive to the start though. The weather was perfect with zero wind, a starting temp. of 36 degrees and a finishing temp of about 50 degrees. The expo is very very small (one conference room in a hotel) which was kind of nice because you were in and out quick and there were plenty of friendly race staff there to answer questions or go over the course map. Best part is you get a sweet hoodie rather than just a t-shirt! The race is rather small with only about 650 marathon runners (plus those that did the walking division and the relay). The starting area had a warehouse with race-day packet pickup and a huge heater to stay warm. The race started at the foot of the Market St. bridge and with the small size of the race, I found myself with plenty of room to just walk right up and start. The course does have a lot of turns especially in the first 10 miles. You cross several bridges in the first 10 miles, run on some hard rock-packed trails, and do a cool loop around the Harrisburg Senators baseball stadium on City Island at mile 9. After mile 10, it is a long straight (mostly) out and back on the path along the Susquehanna River. Very scenic and flat to run on. You do meander through some residential neighborhoods from about mile 14-15 before continuing the out and back which turns back around mile 18. There is a quick incline up from the path along the river back up to street level at mile 25.5 which is pretty mentally tiring. The finish is exciting with a quick left then right turn onto 2nd street which is lined on both sides with crowds cheering. At the finish you get your finisher medal, a heat sheet, and a bagged lunch. There was a gluten-free option, turkey or ham and cheese sandwich, and Mac and Cheese (I believe food was from Panera Bread). Overall, a great small fall marathon that should have pretty close to perfect weather, is fast and flat and great for a PR or BQ, and is very well organized and scenic. Harrisburg is a great city that I would even consider going to visit again on a weekend trip. Highly recommend Harrisburg Marathon!

Good course to PR on. I have twice, the course loops keep you occupied and not bored, well organized, friendly. Ill be back next year for my 3rd!

I've run Harrisburg once previously (my old home-town). I largely like the new course as it removes the lonely industrial park and difficult, untimely hills in Wildwood Park. Still could be improved especially in the last mile with the awkward serpentine before you finally get on 2nd street for only about 200M to the finish. A longer finish on 2nd would be much more enjoyable for fans and tired runners longing to see the finish. Expect the construction in the neighborhood will be fixed-up by next year. No big complaints since I BQd and was within my target time. Weather was good. Pick-Up and tiny expo was easy and the start on the island was nice. Easy parking and plenty of areas to warm-up or stay warm. A fair number of pace groups -- surprising but nice for a smaller marathon. Overall, a really nice, November marathon

Pros: I signed up for this race a week before and booked a hotel 3 blocks from the finish all for less than $225. Number pickup was easy and fast. The weather was perfect (sunny, upper 30s-low 40s, very little wind). Majority of the course was out and back on a flat, fast road that was closed to traffic. There were people to run with (I had company most of the race and I ran under 2:55). Finally, unlike Steamtown or Pocono there were no big hills in the late stages of the race, aside from the steep little climb up from the river in the last mile. Cons: The footing for several sections is iffy. Specifically along the water where you really need to be careful not to step between sidewalk slabs. There is also a mile or so on a gravel trail before the 10k mark and sections of very bad road before mile 15 and mile 22 (this also happened to be where there were water stops). Also, there were far too many really tight turns for a race run in a city. On the way back after the turnaround you have to watch for runners running toward you and volunteers at water stations (which go in both directions???) looking the wrong way. Also, many of the volunteers were seemingly HS kids who held onto the cups with a deathgrip. The fans that were out were supportive, but don't expect a big-city race atmosphere with people cheering all the way. There is also a relay run at the same time. This is a gimmick that simply needs to go away. There were arrow signs on the course for relay runners that confused individual runners (mile 22 specifically). Yes, I would run this race again, although I'd like to see some improvements to the roadways.

This was a great marathon - one of the most scenic I have run so far (minus Boston). The spectators were outstanding and the race organization was well thought out. I will definitely be back to run this race again. The hoodie, post race food, aid stations, and overall experience were top notch. I thoroughly enjoyed this race experience and course. A few cons: Least favorite part was running on a gravel trail for about a mile-1.5 on the south side of course. The gravel was uneven and made for a bit lopsided landing. It was early enough in the race to not feel terrible, but you wonder what it may do to hips and ankles later in the race. The Radisson Hotel was one of the worst hotel stays I've had. While it was close to the race start and where the race expo was held, it was otherwise awful. They offered no breakfast, not even orange juice before the race and though they said all runners had a 3:00pm checkout, all the room keys were reset and we were locked out once we got back to the hotel. 20+ cold, sweaty, tired runners standing in line trying to get room keys re-keyed was a bit annoying after they advertised there was a late checkout. I will definitely stay at a different hotel next time.

Great course, well organized. Easy to get to start. Flat course that was pretty scenic and enough to keep you occupied. Will be back...oh and a PR!

Nice, flat course that brought past spectators a few times, which was a nice change of pace. Great logistics - easy packet pick-up, hotel right at start/finish, etc.

This is a fast, flat marathon that is incredibly organized. The route takes you through the city and is very scenic. I've set two marathon PRs here. It's very reasonably priced, and you get a hoodie, big medal, full lunch and other amenities.

Superfast, flat, well-run race. No hassle race. You can park next to start easily. Nice hoodie as a give away. Nice medals. If you want a BQ or PR this is your race

Having had to stop running marathons following knee replacement surgery, I was looking for a walker friendly marathon.Harrisburg was perfect. Everything was very well organized from bib pick up through post race food. The early start for walkers made it easy to complete the race within the course time limit. Course was flat, water stops close enough, and crowds enthusiastic. Very enjoyable,stress free experience. Sweatshirts also a nice touch.

To me this was a local race. I had a 45 minute drive from my home. Free parking, morning of race packet pick up, neat looking hoodie, nice medal, and enough water/Gatorade and gels on course. I've been to Harrisburg many times - but this race took me to parts I have never been to. The volunteers where fantastic! This is not your typical out and back course - it winds and turns up and down both sides of the Susquehanna. It was 28 degrees at start of race but was about 45 degrees at finish. This race represented PA and its runners well!

Picked this marathon because it was close to home and fit my training schedule and was glad I did. Everything is so easy from packet pick-up to finish. We stayed at the Hilton at a rate that was not marked up for once on a marathon weekend. Walked to dinner, walked to the start line, two blocks from the finish and a 3:00 check out! Course has some city running, some along the Susquehanna River and limited running on gravel paths. All in all a great choice!

This is a very well-organized, very scenic,flat & fast course along the Susquehanna River to benefit the local YMCA. Free parking is available at the start, which is a short walk from the finish. Post-race sandwiches, bagels, & mac'n cheese by Panera Bread. Honey Stinger gels were available at several water stops along the course. Enthusiastic, but sometimes sparse, spectators. A great small-city marathon for everyone from elite athletes to walkers.

Very good smaller marathon. Course was very scenic along the Susquehanna river and mostly flat with just a few inclines. Logistics were great. Stayed at the host hotel that was walking distance from the package pickup, start and finish and provided a shuttle (at a small cost) to and from the airport. Weather was perfect and volunteers were very enthusiastic. I would recommend this race to anyone looking to cross Pennsylvania off of their list or just want to run a nice fall marathon.

I got to City Island at 6:50. By 6:55, I had my bib and sweatshirt and was back to my truck. It was more convenient than most 5ks. No race shirt (thank God because I have about 50 of them), just a nice thick sweatshirt. My first marathon sweatshirt. I parked about 200 feet from the starting line and walked over at 7:55 for an 8:00 start. Sure beats waiting around in the cold like at Philly. Can't beat the $60 fee. The course is pancake flat. The only part I didn't like was running on gravel for a mile or so through the woods. There was a headwind from mile 11 to 18. I didn't have to carry gels because nearly every water/Gatorade stop had Stingers. I tried hitting every tangent and wound up with 26.26 miles. The shortest marathon that I have ever run. The finish was right in the middle of town and they provided turkey sandwiches, fruit, coffee, hot chocolate, potato chips and bagels from Panera. The convenience of this race trumps Philly. I will definitely run this marathon again. My 12th marathon, a BQ and a PR by over 3 minutes.

Course - Scenic course along the Susquehanna River with peak fall foliage. Just beautiful at this time of year. Mostly flat with a few rolls but nothing terrible. Logistics - Really easy to get to Harrisburg and find lodging. Race day pick up was a breeze. Free on-site parking a huge plus! Room for Improvement. Not enough water on the course. The aid stations are quite far apart (about 2 or more miles) and at some stations, the volunteers filled the cups only half way. I carried my own 18 oz. water bottle, which helped but by mile 20, I was starting to feel dehydrated. Medal could be better designed but I don't run marathons for pretty medals so it's not a huge deal to me. Overall, a very pleasant run. I would do it again.

When I'm 'shopping' for races, I consider the entry fee, amienties, organization, and special perks. The 2016 Harrisburg Marathon fit the bill perfectly! I registered in early May and only paid $70 for a Marathon that offered a great hooded sweatshirt (what avid runner needs another race t-shirt?), small but well organized packet pickup with a small expo, mostly flat and varied course with a great downtown finish that offered good refueling food, and last but far from least; a large well-designed finisher medal. The only minor issue was a lack of hotel shuttles. But if your a Marathoner, you should have no problem making the 3/4 Mile walk from your hotel to the start. Even though it's a 2 hour drive from our suburban Philadelphia home to downtown Harrisburg; we would gladly make it again!

I've run this race six times and the upgraded new course is fantastic. I knocked 21 minutes off my best time for this race not having to deal with the hills in Wildwood Park. The Organizers continue to improve this race every year and this year was a big leap in improving everything from the course to the finish line celebration. Well supported and plenty of opportunities to view the race for spectators - easily the best 'small town' race I've run. Already registered for 2017!

Convenient. Accessible. Pleasant. Those describe the Harrisburg marathon. Its commuting distance for me and you can park right at the start. Steamtown requires committing a few months ahead of time and Philly requires more travel logistics, but I registered in the last week for Harrisburg and it was super easy in and out on race day. There was no expo to speak of except one vendor with a few things and I got some gels. Next year I think I'll pick up on Sunday morning. The course was flat and pleasant. Much of it on the paved pathway of the Capital Greenbelt. I think they should have gone another mile or so on the best part of the greenbelt on the southern end, but the course was nice. I did have a driver honk and angrily gesture at me on one of the road segments. I liked the long out and back north/south along the river and on the streets. You got to see literally every other runner in the race. The water stops didn't have exactly what they'd said ahead of time, but they were well stocked and the volunteers were friendly and helpful. The finish was on downtown streets and apparently they're trying to have a Boston marathon type street experience. I'm not from Harrisburg and that was lost on me. I would have preferred a finish on the island, which would have been a better place to hang out and could have sheltered the runners had the weather not been as perfect as it was. With the downtown finish the runners pretty much just kept walking past the finish and headed back to the island to leave. Post-race food was unremarkable and I didn't take anything. Overall it was super convenient and quite pleasant. I'll probably make it an annual thing.

This is my second Harrisburg and the course is great! River views and some neighborhood portions give a good local feel. Had lots of room to run and the number of runners fit the course perfectly. Congrats on the course improvements I really appreciate the focus on the river views. Many passersby on the river front offered encouragement. Volunteers were energetic and friendly. Finish downtown was a nice touch with lots of cheers and superior to previous finish on bridge in which I had to dodge families and dogs. Parking right next to start was very welcome. Packet pickup on race day was great and saved a long drive. Keep it up Harrisburg I'm coming back!

Having run this race twice before, the 'new' Harrisburg Marathon is a remarkable upgrade. As advertised, it's flat and fast with well over 60% run along the scenic Susquehanna River. Positives: Ease of packet pick-up. Super friendly and helpful volunteers. Sharp hoodie. Classy, huge race medal. Well-stocked and well-staffed aid stations. Neat finish on Harrisburg's 'Restaurant Row.' Great times. Great value and fun. Great upgrades. Great job, RD Tom Gifford. If there were a Marathon Guide 'Most Improved' marathon award, Harrisburg would win it hands down. Well done!

Even though the Harrisburg Marathon has been around for 42 years now, it is one of the best-kept secrets in the running world! Admittedly, 2015 was my first time running it but most likely it will not be my last time! Super-easy packet pickup with ample parking. Very small expo (one dealer actually with everything you would need). Fantastic sweatshirt as the keepsake item! Decent medal. Beautiful course that runs along the Susquehanna River. Only complaint about the course and the reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 stars, was the fact that some of the course is run on uneven and sometimes broken concrete. Not a lot, but enough that it caused the leader of the 3:35 pace group to take a tumble early on in the race. Race is well-organized, inexpensive ($70), and had more than enough aid stations stocked with water, gels, and sports drink. Gels were available constantly throughout the race as opposed to just at one or two water stops as is frequently the case at races. Post-race food was very good and ranged from hot chocolate, beer, soft pretzels, Panera bagels and soup, bananas, etc. While the RD cannot control the weather, this year we were blessed with perfect conditions - sunny and cool -for a wonderful race experience! Fan support, while not spectacular was impressive for a city of Harrisburg's size - about 50,000. All in all, this contributed to a very pleasant experience for me personally as I set a PR and achieved a BQ time for 2017 in the process! Bravo Harrisburg! Well done!

This is a flat, fast, no-stress marathon. A very well-organized race with a brand new course. The one hilly section from years past in Wildwood Park was eliminated. Ample free parking. I was able to park 30ft from the start line. Easy for spectators too. My wife and 4 young kids were able to see me at 6 different points along the course. A great finish line set up. Several friends BQ'd, one after having failed to BQ at Erie earlier this fall. I'd highly recommend this race to anyone looking for a no-stress, well-organized flat fast course.

It's a small race, which is nice. Parking is easy. However, the city of Harrisburg doesn't embrace it at all. Driving in, you'd never know a race was going to go on. People in cars honked and flipped us off. If the city embraced, maybe the attitude of the residents would reflect that. Volunteers were very nice and helpful. The new course was nice. The trail part was narrow so I think the race size is perfect. There were river views. Sidewalks were tricky in some areas so I think a PR would be tough here, even though it's much flatter than previous years. Thanks for the gel stations. I would have another later in the race. I am glad I carried my own water because the stations seemed sparse. Unofficial beer station at mile 23.5 was fun...I needed that. I felt course was scenic, well marked and volunteers were encouraging. The sweatshirt was a nice change,so was the medal. Loved the Panera soup at finish but there was no water bottle. I'm not going to keep refilling a dixie cup. I hated the downtown finish. It looked dirty and smelled. You have this beautiful stadium on city island...look at what Akron does with a stadium finish and mimic that. The finish was anticlimactic, no place to sit or stretch or hang with friends. Then, you have to walk back to city island for your car...not fun after 26.2 miles. Each year seems better, so good job there but change the finish back. Didn't like it at all!!!

I was disappointed with this race. Cheap generic medal, cheap post race junk food,cheesy AG awards. Seems, like the organization went to extremes to save every penny in order to make the race as profitable as possible. The race will most likely become very popular next year, since the winner, who happened to be a 54 year old man was featured in a Runners's World article which went viral all over the world, and put Harrisburg on the RW map, other than that most people had no idea Harrisburg even had a marathon.

This was my second marathon and first one in Harrisburg. The event is very well organized. Packet pick up was a piece of cake. The course is scenic other a stretch through an industrial park just after the half way point. The hills on miles 18-20 were through a beautiful wooded park, but they were steep! Plenty of aid stations with water and Gatorade. The post race food was AWESOME! My only complaint would be the lack of spectators- especially the last couple miles when I needed it the most. Being a small marathon though, I really did not expect big crowds. Easy walk to race start form downtown host hotel.

I just ran this on Sunday, and I really liked it! The organization was good - it was super easy to pick up race packets before or on the day of the race without having to go to an expo. The volunteers were wonderful, and parking was a breeze. There were also 3-4 chances for friends and family to cheer you on at the beginning of the race, and they greet you at the end in the same place, so you get a lot of support. The course is mostly pretty and flat. There is one boring industrial part from miles 12-16, but I suppose it can't all be picturesque. The rest of the course is very lovely. Miles 18 and 19 are brutally hilly, but otherwise, it's totally flat. I would definitely recommend this race and run it again. I got a PR!

This was my second Harrisburg marathon, and I have enjoyed the experience both times. The good: - This race starts on time. There is not a lot of extracurricular stuff. - The race spreads out quick, and the relay runners are well-marked. Pacing is not a problem. - There are some fast pacers (3:05, 3:15, etc.) that can push the PR's. - If you study the course and prepare yourself for the short but steep hills during miles 18 and 19, you can run a fast last 10K on the flat road back to the finish. Don't forget to prepare for the downhills too - there is a particularly steep one when you come out of the park. - These are some of the best volunteers around at the aid stations. They are supportive and prepared. - The availability of the covered pavilion before the start makes for a comfortable prep place. This can be a tricky course, particularly if it is windy, which thankfully it wasn't on race day. You are also on your own for some significant parts of the course, so if this is a concern - align yourself with a pace group or some other runners for some company.

I always enjoy running next to water, and this marathon offers plenty of that! I wish they could do something about miles 12-16, run in an industrial section with 18-wheelers coming and going. Ugly! My biggest beef about this race was the lack of food for the late finishers. No bananas? No chocolate milk? I was quite disappointed. And the medal is no big deal, either. I really like the zip-top race jacket, though.

This was my ninth marathon, and my first Harrisburg Marathon. Overall, I'd highly recommend this race if you're looking for a small, well-organized, fall marathon. I selected Harrisburg because it was within driving distance, inexpensive ($60 when I registered in February) and worked with my schedule. We stayed at the host hotel, the Crowne Plaza, which was great! They had a discounted rate for the marathon, a pre-race breakfast for purchase and gave everyone a 4pm late checkout. Also, the host hotel was a 1/2 mile walk to the start - the perfect distance to get the blood flowing. Overall, I really enjoyed this race and would recommend it. The following comments are really nitpicky: -There were a few missing mile markers and a few misplaced mile markers -It would be nice to receive a half split with results -It would be nice to have the date on the medal -Gender-specific race souvenir shirts would be appreciated -Hand out the clear bag-check bags at pre-race packet pickup so runners can pack those bags in advance; also, bigger bags would be nice The post-race spread was fantastic! Lots of great food! It was also really nice to be able to get inside and warm in the City Island Pavilion. Results were posted by four hours on the clock. Great race!

Super easy logistically; lots of parking at start. Good course  lots of variety (woods, 'trail/path', residential, along river; I didn't mind the couple miles of industry, as the other side of the road was scenic. Great volunteers; plenty of aid and porta-potties. Lots of post-race food (sandwiches, bagles, chips). Great long-sleeve tech 'jacket'. Only negative is the crappy medal (tiny, needed a magnifying glass to read 'Harrisburg'; doesn't say Pennsylvania, the date, or 2014).