Muenchen (Munich) Marathon - Race Reviews

A nice way to see Munich, and a beautiful day it was.. a mid-sized marathon, with outgoing crowds when they were there. It felt a bit disorganized and not 100% set-up properly.. at the end, you have to climb many steps out of the Olympic stadium, which seemed like a bit of a cruel joke, and then you had to find someone with clippers to clip off your own chip.. again another first. But mild annoyances for an otherwise pleasant day. I would put it on the neutral to slightly recommended list.

There are several things that I didn't like: - the race is not IAAF certified and very far from flat (mind you) - not all KMs are marked, and there is no marking for miles - everything during the race was written in German only - refreshments quite poor, both during the race and at the arrival - no time display during the race - very expensive to subscribe, quite a poor event shirt which you have to pay separately (35 EUR!!!) - arrival refreshments are shared with the fatty guys running the relays, which are allowed to steal as many brezels and cakes as they wish (disappointing) - no good checking for irregularities along the route, with people having friends coming along with them with the bycicle On the other end, very nice and spectacular passage along Marienplatz and arrival in the olympic stadium.

This was my second marathon. I did it in 4:19. Weather was excellent at around 11-12. I found the organization of the marathon perfect. The route was flat, with few hills. Part of route passes through a garden area. Somewhere in the garden part the roads were not enough wide. Except for that, the route was ok. Support on the route was excellent: Ample water stations, bananas, and energy cakes provided. Sports drink provided was prepared on the spot by a volunteer in a big bucket. The finish in the Olympic Stadium was a grand and unique experience. At the finish line, arrangement for medals, fruit, water, and sports drink were excellent. I enjoyed the finish point and atmosphere there. Marathon expo was excellent. I ran a 5K costume run on the previous day. It was a good experience. Overall, excellent organization; I enjoyed the marathon and would love to run this marathon again. Goody bag was big but was literally empty except a deodorant.

The Munich Marathon (MM) 2009 was my first marathon. I have only finished a couple of half-marathons before. This is why I had high expectations, and in general these expectations were met. The race starts close to the Olympic stadium, which is still very impressive. One of the highlights of the race is the running-in into the Olympic Stadium. The final 300 meters are on the raceway of the stadium. The course is nice; only one section after the English garden (the part in the East of Munich) is a little boring. The organization is perfect, drinks and food are offered very frequently, and the medal for finishers is quite nice. Some reviews on 2008 critically comment on the support and the number of spectators. Yes, it's true that in some parts of the race you are pretty much on your own and cannot expect any cheering support from outside. In other parts, however, at Ludwigsstraße or Marienplatz, the support is great. In general the standing of the local city marathon in Munich is much lower than in other cities such as Hamburg, Berlin or Cologne. Munich is very fixed on football. FC Bayern absorbs everything and only leaves a little space for other sports. Given this background, the support in 2009 was fine. About 6,400 runners went for the marathon. I prefer these kind of medium-sized races to over-sized races, such as in Berlin.

Overall, I had higher expectations for this race than what was delivered. The course was fine, but very quiet. I felt it spent too much time in the English Gardens. It was great to look at, but there was practically no cheering support. This was followed by a long section of residential/industrial areas. It wasn't until the second half that I felt we were really seeing the city. Finally, I don't think there were frequent enough water stops. One stop at the end only had (alcohol-free) beer and no water. For the warm day, it made the ending difficult. The staff and volunteers were excellent. They were very friendly and helpful, especially to one who doesn't speak much German. The infrastructure, however, leaves much to be desired for the runner. First of all, the start and finish are long walks from public transport. The baggage drop was an additional 5-10 minute walk from the starting area. By the time we started the race I would guess that we must have walked 5K. We had another long walk after the finish of the race. The baggage drop was outside of the finishing area. You had to leave (up a long flight of stairs) the area before you could get a change of clothes. Then there was another 5-minute walk to drop your chip off in the expo. The spectators were plentiful, but quiet. I was surprised by this.

Very well organized and the second half of the course is great for sightseeing through Munich. First half is a bit boring - large jaunt through a park, which is peaceful but lacking in crowd support, and then another large jaunt through the suburbia of Munich. This was my first European marathon; I didn't realize that there are a lot fewer slow recreational runners here than in the US. I ran it in 5:20; crowds were gone by the time I passed, and I got a lot of curious looks from spectators (but the only cheering was from volunteers). Race staff was outstanding; aid stations were well-run and the course was flawlessly marked. Finishing in the Olympic stadium very fun and rewarding - except for the climb up the stairs of the stadium to get to the exit! Essentially flat throughout.

Very nice course that runs through the historic parts of the city, and a very supportive crowd. The race is not terribly crowded, and water stops are appropriately placed. The finish at the Olympic Stadium is one of the most pleasant finishes I've seen. Would consider this one if you are going to the Oktoberfest, since the marathon is the week after. They will still serve you beer during the marathon though. Register when you get there, since money transfer is a real pain. Would stay in a hotel around Marienplatz, so you could explore the city easily.

Good course taking in all the highlights of Munich - start and finish in the Olympic park and the course runs through parks and past historic buildings. Frequent aid stations with water, energy drink, bananas and energy bars. Good crowd support, especially in the center of town, good expo, excellent organization. (Non-alcoholic) beer station at KM 38 is a bit of fun and there's more beer at the finish! The only tricky part is entry, which requires payment by bank transfer (I got a German-resident friend to do it for me). Note the course is not USATF certified as a Boston qualifier - I've suggested to the organizers that they should fix this. One of the best I've done.

This is a must-do marathon. Great course taking in a lot of city (shaded a lot of the way, which helps), including its park and starting by the Olympic Stadium (with an electifying finish in it). No hills, not too much that is boring. Lots of spectators help you along. Traffic-free also. Expo packed with stalls. Pre- and post-run pasta bashes were very generous. Transport was first-class in Munich, so no problems in getting to the number pick-up and to start in the Olympic Park. I`ve only knocked down organization marks as you have to pay by bank transfer (a pain and a rip off), and they had cups - not bottles - for the water feed. Will definitely run this marathon again.

This was my first marathon, and first trip overseas as well. I chose this particular marathon on the basis of the two previous comments. The course was ideal for my first marathon. At about 8,000 runners, the course was not too congested. There was no automobile traffic on the course. During the first 10 miles I enjoyed the scenery of the old part of town. The last 16 were in nice suburban areas or the English Gardens, a huge city park. The race had a very colorful finish at the 1972 Olympic Stadium. The weather was wonderful - clear and about 55 F. Munich has an extensive public transport system, which allows for easy access to the stadium from all parts of the area. Registration and baggage handling were well organized. The kilometer markers were very easy to see, and there was plenty of water, ISO, and bananas even past the five-hour mark. Lots of medical stations along the last part of the course, although fortunately I did not need them. And there were cups of Red Bull and Lowenbrau served at 39 km. I would say that the fan support was good. Even in the late stages of the race, I would see people poking their heads out windows and waving, and cyclists and pedestrians cheering from the sides of the road or at the overpasses above the road leading to Olympic Stadium. I loved the enthusiasm of my fellow back-of-the-packers. It is true that the park is quiet, but every kilometer I could hear a band or a group of people with noisemakers to let me know that I was making progress. Here are some observations that I have for those from overseas thinking about running this race. If you are looking for a lot of extras in the bag with your registration, then you might be disappointed. I got a nice solid finisher's medal, but chose to buy a shirt. I was happy with that - I would rather that the organizers spend the money on support during the race, making sure that people can get to the start on time, and to the massage tables afterward. I wish that I understood German better than I do, but I got around fine with a limited knowledge of the language; most people answered me back in English. My biggest problem was that Munich is a great walking city, and I could not resist the temptation to sightsee the two days before the race. I probably walked 10K the night before the marathon.

I enjoyed this marathon very much. The course was interesting, beautiful and a good challenge. It was a great way to see Munich!! The size of the race, around 12,000 starters, was ideal. It was a bit crowded in the beginning, but it definitely opened up at the halfway point and it was easy to overtake slower runners. The K markers were easily spotted, but my one gripe would be a request for some mile markers even if only every 5 miles. The water stops were well manned and well placed, about every 2.5K and the food options looked plentiful. The spectator turnout was pretty good, although in some key places, like the English Garden, it would have been nice to see more people along the course. My only other comparisons are the New York Marathon '03 (36,000 people) which was packed with spectators (and runners, for that matter), and Ironman Austria '04 which is an entirely different animal! I would definitely recommend this marathon for the 1st-timer to the seasoned runner trying for a PR!

I ran the Berlin Marathon and then this race two weeks later. While Berlin is a great race, it is a bit too large and overcrowded. This race delivers all the things that a great race should: nearly perfect size, in my opinion, with approximately 10,000 people - enough to provide excitement, but not too many to slow you down with bottlenecks. Great enthusiastic crowd support (a bit sparse at times, but only early on when crowd support is not as important) with amongst the best drink and food support I have ever seen. Lastly, reliable KM markers for EVERY KM. Overall, one of the best races I have ever run (including Napa Valley, Boston, Portland, Seattle, Vienna, Berlin).

Truly a marathon for the people. It was my second marathon after the first one in Berlin and I loved it. I could get my start number even an hour before the race and still be in time for the start. A good starting procedure which stretched the field and created enough space for the 11,000 runners. Water every 2.5 km, plus some other food. A wonderful crowd in the city center. Well, and the final lap in the Olympic Stadium, nice. Also included in the fee: a carbo-loading party with a very famous German cook and the entrance to the Olympic swimming center.

Well-organized race along a flat course. Good mix of scenic city running and a long stretch through one of Munich's big parks. In the city there were good crowds. For spectators this is an excellent course, as it is possible to see runners at numerous locations along the way by using Munich's subway. Plenty of food and drink available along the way. GREAT finish in Munich's Olympic stadium!

This was a great race. The weather was near perfect for a marathon. The first 1/3 of the course is very beautiful as it winds through the historic center of Munich. The rest of the race is less interesting, but the fantastic crowds kept the runners moving. The race organization was brilliant. Also, the water and aid stations on the course were top-notch. I've never run a marathon with so much food (banannas, oragnes, apples, energy bars, etc.) available. They were a very welcome 'aid' for the runners as cooler weather causes a bit more hunger during a marathon. The finish was one of the best I've seen finishing in the Olympic Stadium after passing through the entrance tunnel complete with flashing lights and smoke! This is one marathon to add to the top of the list!!!