Vancouver International Marathon - Race Reviews

A generally good marathon that could be even better with a few tweaks. First the good: I loved that the half and full were split with the half starting 1.5 hours before the full. This made the congestion manageable. Racers did an excellent job of self seeding as I did not encounter a single walker in the second corral. The course is beautiful and varied with a major, daunting hill between miles 5-7 followed by a wonderful and long downhill. The crowds were frequently loud and very supportive.The finish line was packed and loud which created a very exciting experience. The shirt and medal are both beautiful. Some things that I would change include the water stations which, especially early in the race were not long enough which created some unnecessary congestion. The course itself could have been wider, but this was less of a problem because of the excellent self seeding, and the expo was a madhouse both inside and getting to the convention center. I overall liked the race and would recommend it with those few reservations. After the race, we enjoyed great beer at Brassneck and Steamworks Brewing

Vancouver is a stunning city, but the course was very challenging and could be set up better. You start in Queen Elizabeth Park and run into the city, ending around Stanley Park on the sea-wall. These 6 miles around the park are punishing. There are no spectators, lots of curves, unreliable kilometer markers, and since the race starts late in the day it's very hot and sunny. The rest of the course is beautiful but challenging, and I was really disappointed with the lack of crowd support throughout the entire race. For a big city marathon I really expected more people to come out and cheer, but for large chunks of the course there was nobody. I thought the finish line was disappointing. The beer ticket got you a tiny little beer, and they took it down before the finish cut-off time and my friend wasn't able to get a beer, after they'd advertised free beer during the whole course. If you want a beautiful marathon course in a destination city, Vancouver is a good choice, but overall I would not recommend this race.

This is my 3rd time running the current incarnation of the course. I primarily ran it again because it was close and I was unable to travel this month like I hoped for another marathon. For runners out for the experience and the scenery and tolerant of hills, this course can be nice. Running late in the race around the seawall with a cooling headwind can be pleasant. However, as the winner mentioned in the local newspaper, this course is actually tough and not conducive to fast times. I do a lot of hill work and have run many marathon with hills so I was able to handle the 'slopey' sections and easily get a BQ, but was still considerably slower than 5 marathons I ran last year (some with significant hills as well, including Boston). I also suffered late in the race because of the lack of carbohydrate on the course. I didn't see the last gel station (the map location was different then the aid station description location) and the drink was essentially carb-free. Far too long of a stretch on the course with no nutrition. Pros: - scenic beauty of Vancouver - decent expo - transportation pass for race morning - urinals at start (relieve pressure on the portables) - a few bands were really good Cons: - fair bit of ups and downs - a lot of curves along seawall late in race can be tough for holding a pace - slight uphill finish - lack of food and carb drink on the course - swag bag same one I got 3 years ago - finish food pretty sparse

Vancouver is a beautiful city with a vibrant downtown that's surrounded by water and mountains. Do it once if you want to visit a beautiful city but that's about it. You're paying for the scenery. Pros: 1. Beautiful course around the entire perimeter of Vancouver. 2. Great crowd support from people as they came out of their homes to cheer us on. 3. Easy course with only 1 long uphill in the 1st half and flat in the remaining 2nd half. Cons: 1. You don't get much. Nothing in the swag bag but flyers and a few post-race snacks like bananas, granola, sandwiches and chips. That's it. 2. Only 1 station had food. The rest had water, electrolyte drinks and GU. I was starving during the race. More food at the stations would be nice. 3. They advertised 20 bands. The entertainment didn't meet my expectations, they were local performers only that really didn't get runners pumped it.

I have done the Vancouver marathon nine times (2003-7,2009-11,2014). I would have given this marathon four stars between 2003 and 2011. It was a good, uniterruped course that was fast and scenic. In 2012 they changed the course so it would go through wealthy residential neighbourhoods only, the West End being the only exception to that. Last week was my first time running the new course. It was a shocker that the new course not only crosses the six-lane Oak and Granville Streets, but that they stop marathoners, even those running seven minute miles, to let drivers cross the marathon course in their motor vehicles. This is simply unacceptable for any marathon, and especially for one that charges unusually high registration fees. The new course is much hillier than the old one, and unnecessarily so. Being a point-to point course one has to take public transit which will drop you off about a six block walk from the start area. It also makes it more difficult for spectators to see the event at more than one or two spots. The expo was nothing special. I miss the 2004-2011 course. It was a fun, homey event, on wider, faster roads. I do not plan to enter this or any other road-racing event that stops racers mid-race for any reason other than an unforeseen emergency.

When a race charges $170, runners have high expectations. Vancouver failed to deliver. The swag was disappointing for the amount of money I paid. I will have second thoughts about running this race again. Pros: Great city, good course support Cons: Expensive, rainy weather

Change of time for the marathon by 30 mins to 8:30am meant the 48% out of towners( there numbers) now had to have a late check out or run a sub 3 hr marathon to get cleaned up before you leave town. Start the marathon early! As well, if you are going to have people standing around in the rain before the start, puts some tents up! Oh ya, my $ 170 fee did not include this. I had get the premier package for extra $100. Volunteers were great, but the people making the decision are out of touch.

Everything about this race was top notch: The pre-race communications were informative, the expo was solid, the city is awesome, the course was great, plenty of port o johns and aid stations, crowd support was amazing even though it rained almost the entire race! I would definitely run this race again and would highly recommend it to anyone. One thing to be aware of: The 2014 course had two major road crossings early in the course where runners potentially had to stop and wait.

Well this event is pretty pricey but I imagine a lot of that goes to the road closures and rentals Not thrilled with the post race box of crackers but was greatful for simple things like juice and fruit Volunteers are amazing, they are always positive and helpful We as the consumer have to remember they are volunteers and never take our frustratiibs our on them, it's hardly their fault that not enough XL ladies shirts were ordered How did that happen anyway? Good course, has it's challenges, fun expo (Friday early afternoon was low traffic) I'd love to see some presentatiins and speakers as they did for the 40th year

In 2012 the course was long and they changed the route in the middle of the race. In 2013 they messed up the Half start and ran out of water. The post-race food is a brown bag with a bagel and a banana. You can forgive this from well-intentioned amateurs, but these guys charge $170 for the race. If they are going to charge like an A race, they should at least run it like a B race.

I often find the review comments about races very whiney, and the Vancouver ones are no exception, but there are a few things the organizers ought to address: 1) I appreciate it was hotter than usual, but they should never run out of water. that said, I finished the full in the middle of the pack (4h)and didn't have any problem. 2) There was a huge line (I was told 45min) to pick up my race pkg, so I returned early Sat morning, but there was nobody at the Translink booth, so I never got the free bus pass. 3) A false start for the 1/2 marathon. Really? 4) Crowd support is quite sparse in places. Personally, I don't care about such matters. It does seem to be a Vancouver thing. Despite this, my experience was very positive. I can't believe someone claimed they prefered the old course. It was twisty and quite ugly. And the comment that they can go for a run in the country anytime and wanted a more urban race is just stupid. Over half the race is through 'urban' neighbourhoods, and the seawall is undeniably beautfiul. I encountered only one non-racer on the seawall, so the complaint about having to dodge dogs and baby strollers is a gross exaggeration. I especially liked the out-and-back leg on Blanca (which someone complained seemed contrived). It was nice to see the faces of people one is racing against (pursuers and prey), rather then focussing on their baksides. I would urge the organizers NOT to change that welcome interlude. All in all, I would say that with a little polishing, the organizers could turn a good race into a great race. I'll be back.

The weather forecasters all predicted an unseasonably hot day for the 2013 event. Despite this, the half-marathon course didn't have water from 7 on. People were begging for water. A large part of the problem was because the course goes through Stanley Park, which is beautiful; however, the roads are all blocked off for the event, so the organizers apparently had no ability to drive in more water and replenish the water stations. Some stations were just abandoned, while at others volunteers said 'We don't have any water for you, but we have lots of love.' The love was great, but I needed water. At least the organizers made the transportation logistics better this year, by giving out free transit tickets. Maybe they can figure out how to provide water to participants next year. It's hard to believe they would endanger people's health with such a basic mistake. How hard is it to do the math required to provision ample water??

After running this race for the 8th time, I really enjoyed this years course. A few corrections were made, i.e. not having to run through the parking lot loop at Jericho Beach, being able to see the finish line, and not having to walk 2kms to get your gear after the race. Also from previous years, not having to wake up the urban campers down Hastings Street was a nice change, even though some would cheer from there cardboard shelters which made me smile. It must be quite difficult to find 42.2 km of runable terrain in a large city, and I have enjoyed parts of all the other courses from previous years. Although this not a true tour of the city, like in some other marathons, I definetly enjoyed the scenery, the reprieve from the heat of the sun when entering the sea wall as well as the cool ocean breeze was a welcome treat. A little warm for me but it brought out the crowds, especially in the Kitsilano and English Bay areas. I'd say that was the most people I've seen cheering at the event. I didn't listen to the warning we were given at the start of the race, to watch your speed on the down hill, coming out of UBC going into Jericho Beach and thus I struggled a bit more than usual towards the end of the race. The volunteers were great offering high fives and the dreaded ' your almost there ' cheer. Race organizers, you did a great job, thanks for a 'fun' experience. If I had to pick something negative to say, I guess it would be that the t-shirts were a bit under-wellming. But I still wore my home with pride. I will be running this race again.

Vancouver is one of my most favorite cities in the world, and they have a marathon to match. I have a hard time imagining a more beautiful place to run a marathon, and in 2013, the clear blue sky made it even better. However, I'd suggest that although most of the course is flat, the climbs between 7-11 km are pretty challenging, and make this overall a tougher course than you might think for a race occurring mostly at sea level. Having run the seawall in Stanley Park before, I wasn't sure how they'd squeeze thousands of marathoners through some of the narrower parts, but I think by capping the race at 5,000 runners, they solved that problem. Also, by the end of the race, everyone was quite spread out, and it wasn't a problem at all. I don't know what the official weather stats for the day of the 2013 race were, but I'd guess it was maybe 59F at the start and possibly 70F by the time I finished. A bit warm. PROs: - The free ticket for the ride on the Skytrain given to runners at packet pick-up was great (note that the trains also started running earlier and more frequently on Sunday morning for the race). The trains were well-used but not over-crowded. - The starting line area seemed to have plenty of porta-pottiees. - LOTS of water-stops  seemed liked there was one every 3 KM or so. However, many of them seemed a bit sparsely staffed. I hope the later runners were able to get water without waiting for someone to fill a cup for them. CONS: - The course crossed a couple of busy roads, and as a result, occasionally runners had to be stopped to allow traffic through. HOWEVER, the race compensated for this with timing mats just before the breaks so times could be adjusted when needed. - In general, good crowd support in some key areas, but in others, it was quite sparse. of course, those were shady, tree-lined areas, so it was almost a good change of pace to have some quieter parts. - OTHER - The race shirts were long-sleeve for the full marathon, and half-sleeve frot he half marathon. Runners get the race shirt at packet pick-up, so technically they aren't 'finishers' shirts. Personally, I had a much worse performance here than I expected, and I'm not sure yet what to blame it on, but it was so spectacular and well run race that I had a pretty grand time, anyway. Just means I have some unfinished business to come back and address in a future year. Great race, highly recommended. Train for the hills!

Yes, the course is five-star. However, line ups and wait times at the expo were longer than any of the previous 5-6 Vancouver events I've attended. Thankfully, there were public toilets along the route (beach etc.), because there were not enough porta-potties for 10,000 half marathoners. And I've never run in an event that actually ran out of water and Gatorade at two of the final three water stops. Not worth the entry fee.

This marathon was good. But I would say hard for beginners.

I have run Vancouver a few time and it confuses how it just can't be better. Maybe the organizers have not been in races themselves ie: too many turns on the course, long walk for gear pick up, tight finish line area, very crowded areas on the seawall, and perhaps a city that doesn't support these healthy events. On the pro's it is a nice tourist destination, parts where you are not in a forest are spectacular like along the beach and parks. The course was also not marked well and the certification was not available until just before the race. Great city for a race but they got some work to do to be world class.

After running this race seven times over the previous decade I was looking forward to the 'new and improved' Vancouver Marathon. Unfortunately, at least for me, the hype didn't live up to the reality. PROS (with some caveats): a) the new course was, well, new, but no better or worse than the old one. Long lonely stretches with zero spectators or much to look at, a lot of nice scenery, but little 'big city' ambience. When going to a big city 'international' marathon I would prefer to see more of the actual city; I can go for a run in the countryside anytime. Hilly first half so train for them and don't go out too fast. The out-and-back detour at the half-way point seemed contrived and out of character with the rest of the course; surely a more interesting detour somewhere other than a parking lot could be found to get the proper distance. Unlike others I wasn't overly impressed with the Seawall run. Pretty yes, but with the pathways being open to other walkers, cyclists, joggers, dog walkers and the baby-stroller crowd, along with zero spectators along the way, it didn't really feel like we were taking part in a race. I'm probably in the minority, but I found the old route with sections through Chinatown, the Eastside, Downtown, Kitsilano, etc, more interesting and enjoyable. b) good corral system. A few slower runners and walkers still snuck into higher corrals, but better than it used to be. A few volunteers checking bib numbers at the start would be appreciated to keep the dawdlers from getting in at the front then clogging things up over the first few kms. c) Cheerful volunteers at the water stations, although a bit overwelmed at times. I was in the middle of the pack (3:45) and found some stations hard pressed to keep up with the number of runners coming through. d) good gear drop off at the start (but totally negated by the fiasco at the end....more on that later). e) lots of porta-potties at the start (and urinals for the guys!) CONS: a) 'Dead' start area. Maybe it was due to the start area being in a park in the middle of a somewhat toney residential area with a requirement to keep the noise down, but this was probably the most boring, uninspiring start to any marathon I've ever done. No music, no announcements that could be heard due to a seriously underpowered PA system, no hype, no excitement. Physically a poor layout, with runners lined up in a long narrow corridor blocks long, lined with outhouses and urinals. Wave start is a good idea, but the five minute wait before releasing each corral was unnecessary and detracted from the excitement of the start for anyone other than those in the first corral. b) Finish area was poor. A short walk through the medal and food area, then runners were sent out into the concrete jungle of downtown Vancouver. Nowhere to sit other than a concrete curb, no gathering area to hang out and enjoy the day, no central area to meet friends and family, no entertainment. For a major marathon the finish area was disappointing and a big letdown. In the past we've been able to hang out with other runners, listen to some local bands, take in the awards and cheer for the winners. This year it was like 'the race is over, here's the exit, now go away'. I can only imagine how dreary this will be when Vancouver gets the inevitable cold, rainy day for the race. c) Gear pick was a bad joke played on tired runners. After running a full marathon we then had to trudge blocks from the finish area to the Convention Center, go all the way to the farthest reaches of this huge building, get through the Expo, all for the privilege of then standing in line for ages with hundreds of other runners, all trying to get their gear at one of two tables, then walk all the way back out again on now-cramping legs. It seemed like a cynical attempt to squeeze a few more dollars from partipants by forcing them to attend the Expo one more time. Gear pick-up needs to be seriously revamped; if Boston can get gear back to 25,000+ runners within minutes of the finish line with no extra walking involved, Vancouver can do MUCH better. d) Entertainment along the course is not a big deal to me, but it was virtually non-existant. However, as mentioned above, something more needs to be done at the start but especially the finish in terms of something to establish some fun and excitement about the event; even some canned music over the PA would be better than nothing. e) Curious decision to divide the full and half marathons between the street (half) and running paths (full) along English Bay meant that crowd support on the only section of the race that has ever drawn much support was marginal for marathon runners. The new route through Kitsilano also seemed to reduce the number of people out watching the race. Other than these two areas spectator support was virtually non-existant. While the new course may be scenically prettier than the old route which went through more urban areas, it seems to have come at the cost of much of the spectator support. f) Awards ceremony seemed an afterthought. Done indoors in a dark corner of the Expo a long way from the finish area; a sad and lonely little scene. We should be celebrating the achievement of the winners in a place that everyone can give them a cheer, not in a spot so far removed from the vast majority of runners and spectators. Disappointing. Overall, I'd say that the new route is neither better or worse, but the poor layouts and mediocre experience of both the start and finish areas made this year's marathon a notch poorer than previous years. Not sure why the move was made, but as a runner I found the old start/finish area at BC Place far superior to what was offered this year. Nothing that would be a deal breaker in terms of coming back or not, but for the price paid and potential of the city, Vancouver could do a lot better in terms of organization and race experience for runners, regardless of whether or not you liked the new race route.

This was my 42nd marathon; I last did this race in 2007 and I'm so impressed with how the race has progressed since then. I went with a group of newbies and veteran marathoners, and we all had a great experience from start to finish, so, I can confidently say that the experience was good across the board (in case you were thinking that I'm out of touch with the current 'expections' of a city marathon - which seem to have become quite demanding). I BQ'd so while I'm predicting some complaining on this comment board about hills, street crossing (times were adjusted), and winding curves along the seawall, YES, it is still a fast course. The crowd support isn't something I usually care about, but the cheer teams made me smile. The group handing out medals in the finish area was incredible; they were lined up on each side, forming a Tunnel of Cheer, what a thoughtful and gratifying way to finish. I am sure the RD is well aware of the delays in team registration and the shortage of water for the back of the pack on an unseasonably hot day. Having stations every mile took some of the pressure off, but the back of the pack went short. Also, being forced to walk through the Running Room area to get to pickup is simply disingenious and desperate, and at the very least, made things very crowded. **PLEASE CHANGE THIS** Despite those items, I'm saying it's a very strong RECOMMEND! Van has an unrivalled atmosphere and it's an awesome tourist destination. Everything you could possibly think of was planned for.

The new marathon course is a fast course. How fast? I finally qualified for Boston on this course. It helped that it was a gorgeous day with ideal running conditions. The point-to-point course is also scenic with miles of running along the seawall. Vancouver's race organization is very good. The only reason I give it 4 stars is that runners were responsible to transporting themselves to the start line.

Just finished the half marathon on the RUN VAN new course. Am from Vancouver so review may be biased but here is an honest summary: Pros: 1. The new course really is spectacular. Showcases the best the city has to offer. The views are hard to beat anywhere and mix city, ocean and mountain views. A little more hilly than I thought so not really a flat course. However must be one of the most scenic courses in the world. 2. Race organization was very good overall. 3. Excellent use of social media and email to keep people informed, entertained and feeling part of a race community. 4. Corrals worked very well and were easy to access. Especially liked that the gear check and washrooms were a few steps from each corral. Unlike the RnR Vegas nightmare, people obeyed the corrals and there was no issue with walkers getting in the way of runners. 5. Very well marked course in both kms and miles. Also, a very accurate course with minimal turns as my Garmin differed from the actual mileage markers by only a tiny amount (a first for me). 6. Aid stations well-manned and easy to get water or gatorade. 7. Men's urinals at the start. No need to wait in any washroom lines. Awesome. 8. Very good post-race atmosphere with people hanging out by the Olympic torch. 9. They handed you a brown paper bag of food post-race. Good idea and well-stocked. 10. Great race shirt (but I like black / dark grey). Modern design. 11. The sun was out. Makes a HUGE difference in Vancouver. It is either one of the best places anywhere or grey and miserable. Would have really changed the day had it been cloudy with rain. 12. Two separate courses for the full and half. No merge issue. Cons: 1. Expo was ok but rather small for a race with 15,000 runners. I would have thought more exhibitors. 2. The gear check pick-up in the expo was a disaster. I went very early and waited 45 mins for someone just to find my bag (it took them that long to locate). Many many people waited a long time. On the way out the line-up stretched forever. They needed 1) more space 2) more volunteers and 3) a better sorting mechanism. A bit chaotic. 3. The finisher medal was very disappointing. The new 'RUN VAN' design concept was very good, however the medal was cheap. Very lightweight and the ribbon has got to be one of the worst I own. Honestly the cheapest medal I own for one of the best courses I have ran. Too bad. 4. The finish area could have had live music and maybe move the awards ceremony outdoors instead of in a convention hall room. 5. They needed loud speakers and music at the start to get everyone pumped up. Speakers needed to be near each corral as impossible to hear anything if not in the first corral. Did not hear any countdown or anthem either.

What a spectacular place to have a marathon!  The weather was absolutely perfect, 45 at the start, no wind, and the kind of stunningly sapphire sky that shows up occasionally in the Pacific northwest, the one that tries really hard to erase the memory of months of dreariness. (One wag held up a sign, 'Holy s**t!  It's not raining!') Most of the run was along the sound and around Stanley Park, with views that make you want to pause, but yet you keep running. Highly recommended!   The organization was very good, but next year they probably need to make it clear that water is not available along the sea wall portion of the run.  Very glad I had a water bottle along for the run.  Other than that, great group of volunteers working really hard.  Definitely should be on the 'must-do' list!

The marathon gods certainly smiled on Vancouver with stunningly perfect weather for the run. That made the revised course even more awesome as views of sea and snow-capped mountains were just so inspiring to run with. Fantastic organization all around and kudos to the Run Van staff and volunteers. So many positives and very few negatives, but here's my nits: 1) Really truly awful, terrible dispacable organization at gear pickup - forcing marathoners to walk back all the way to the Expo and then wait in over an hour line while volunteers literally dig through mountains of gear bags is just plain ridiculous - they're numbered so put them in order for goodness sake! I saw several people just plain give up from retreiving their belongings. Fix this! 2) There should be gatorade at every aid stop - electrolyte replacement is critical so please don't skimp. 3) The little out and back in the parking lot at 13 miles seems unnecessary in such a beautiful city with course possibilities - the new course is great - except for that. Thanks for a great marathon - I'll do it again! (Fix gear pick up though!)

The previous comment was spot on. Fan support is not overwheliming, and the course was not in Vancouver's best areas. However the 2012 route will be totally different: Little Mtn to UBC forest to Stanley Pk - BEAUTIFUL. Check out the website - the new course will catapault this to one of the great urban courses.

Vancouver is an ideal location for a marathon. I love this city and know it quite well, and perhaps that's why I was a bit disappointed by the course itself. I'm hoping the course changes in 2012 will eliminate the out-and-back portion; the first section in particular is less-than-ideal, and while I enjoy the Kitsilano neighborhood, covering that stretch twice felt endless. The real curiousity, though, is how little time we spent in Stanley Park. This is without a doubt the heart of Vancouver and every runner's dream. And yet very, very little of the course took advantage of this gem. One can only hope the new 2012 course will be an improvement. Having said that, the race was well worth it and I'd certainly recommend it to others. Vancouver offers easy accessibility in terms of getting to and from the starting line, and the organization was good, if not outstanding. Here again, I was somewhat surprised that a race with quite a bit of history fell short in a few key areas. The start/finish line left something be desired, for example. The atmosphere at the end wasn't particularly celebratory or inviting. Most runners left fairly quickly and the awards ceremony was viewed by a mere handful of people. On the course, portable toilets were in short supply, to say the least, and as other reviewers have noted, there apparently was a shortage of cups at some aid stations. There were plenty of enthusiastic volunteers, but this is not your race if fan support along the course is important to you. Personally, I'm perfectly happy without people cheering me along, maybe because I'm from this corner of the world. But anyone who wants to run a super high-energy marathon ~ e.g. fans lining the course, a whole city invested in the race, party atmosphere at the finish ~ should look elsewhere. Those who are comfortable with the laid-back Pacific Northwest style will enjoy Vancouver, but again, the course can take better advantage of the city. Finally, I thought the 2011 medal and shirt were terrific. Didn't hurt, either, that we were blessed with gorgeous weather. Just about the only decent day the entire spring, so we were really fortunate.

For those of you who haven't been to Vancouver before, let me assure you that it is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Surrounded by snow-capped mountains on one side and the Pacific Ocean on the other. Whilst running the marathon, you really get to take all of this scenery in. The highlight being the middle part of the course that goes through Stanley Park. A medium-sized event that retains a smallish friendly feel. The organisation is good with a well-run registration expo in the two days preceding the race. Saucony provide the merchandise and there is a decent selection to choose from. One nice feature is having the finisher's medals from previous years on display together with plenty of information on the event's history. Running is really popular in British Columbia and this is evidenced by the number of Canadian marathons that have stands at the registration expo. The Victoria Marathon in particular. The locals get behind the event too with decent sized crowds in the later stages of the course in downtown Vancouver. This marathon continues to grow and it is easy to see why. This was my 12th marathon and one of my favourites, not just because I ran a personal best (PB) time either.

Overall, a nice destination marathon. Lovely and nearly brand-new city, varied surroundings, a flat course, and good organization. Yes, there's room for improvement, but when race day arrives with blue skies in a city known for precipitation, it's hard to complain. For first-timers, Vancouver itself (notably the downtown section) is a stunner. It's like the city has sprouted up in the last five years - most of the buildings are glass and steel and look like they were just built. These gleaming towers reflect lush greenery, sailboats in the surrounding harbors, and the mountain range next door to create a real feast for the eyes. It's like a mini Hong Kong, complete with traffic and international visitors. It's also just as expensive. The race does a good job of showcasing different areas of the city. There's a portion around the start area that includes Chinatown and an out-and-back, a run up eastern downtown to Stanley Park, a few miles in the park itself (which is a real treat), a run down the western shore, and then a very long out-and-back in Kitsilano before returning to the start. The changes help maintain interest, and also allow one to mentally break down the course. There are rumors that the course is being modified going forward, so hopefully the organizers will increase the Stanley Park mileage and kill the first out-and-back (which wasn't very interesting) or shorten the Kitsilano out-and-back (which feels crazy long). Currently, one runs only one-third of Stanley Park before cutting across the green space. In 2011, the day was warm, above 60 degrees, so the shade of Stanley Park was especially welcome. The higher temps also meant that water stops were important and, while they were well spaced, a number of the stations ran out of cups. It didn't affect me as I carry a bottle on a fuel belt and simply re-filled, but I did see water being poured from pitchers direct into runner's mouths, and people using cupped hands to hold fluid. So that was an issue. Also, the marathon didn't use Gatorade. Not sure what the electrolyte beverage was (maybe GU Brew?), but it felt less effective. Perhaps I'm just accustomed to Gatorade. Two great positives about water stops: the volunteers were wonderful and made runners feel as if they were inspiring the entire province. Truly extraordinary. Also, those areas represented the only places were there was crowd support (again, 90% from the volunteers). Although the course easily allows for spectators to see runners at various places (I recall passing a fetching woman in a straw fedora three or four times), the city doesn't really come out to watch. A lot of folks in Vancouver didn't even know there was a marathon. So, this is not a great crowd-support run, and I found the cheer zones near the finish completely deserted. As for the too-long out-and-back in Kitsilano, the oddest part was having the turnaround just over a crest immediately after a water stop. It's essentially hidden from runners until physically making the turn. Once I completed it, I was telling people coming up the hill where the turnaround was to help lighten the load. One other factor for Americans: outside of the halfway point and 20-mile mark, every distance marker was posted in kilometers (with no conversion). Since the BC Place was still under construction, the expo was crammed into a tent and space was a bit tight. Also, no beer tent at the end - c'mon Canada. Aren't frosty brews the national beverage? And how about a band or something at the finish area to keep folks hanging around? Finally, while race photographers were darling nice, I don't have a single picture of finishing (which is the most important shot). I've even tried to find finish-line photos of surrounding runners; still nothing. This is the first of nearly ten marathons I've completed without multiple (and multi-angle) money shots. There was even a pedestrian bridge (or two) right before the line, so there could/should have been plenty of end pix. And, given the incredible surrounds, one would think that race photographers would strategically place themselves to provide potential buyers with great backdrops. The Chinatown gate, the city buildings, the mountains, the harbors - all these were pretty much absent from all but one race photo. Vancouver is a young and different place but the official pictures feel like a missed opportunity. This is a good race. It has the potential to be amazing.

I know Vancouver quite well and know that it is a hilly city. The race itself is more or less advertised as a relatively flat course with one or two more challenging hills thrown in. My experience of the race this year is that there really isn't a moment when you aren't going up or down, and there are a number of quite long slow ascents. This is not terrible or anything, just hard to take when you live in a flat city like I do and were expecting a somewhat flatter course. Still, the scenery way made up for the challenges of the course, and the spectators and cheer teams were really lovely. I enjoyed running the race a great deal, even if the hills eventually caught up to me. As a comparison, the Carlsbad marathon, which has a more obviously hilly course is in my view an easier run than the Vancouver marathon. The downside for me with this race is the organization. There were about 100 portapotties at the start/finish line, which is totally inadequate for the 14,000 or so runners in all the races they were running that day. Out on the course, there were very few portapotties as well, and they were very spread out with lineups. I ended up going under a bridge and behind a bush, which I was rather unhappy about. In Stanley Park, runners are advised to use the public toilets along the course, but as these are a bit off-course that is not a great solution. I found the toilet situation to be unacceptable (take a cue from Fresno!! They know how to deal with these things). Also a big negative was that there were no gels left at the first gel station (about two-hours into the race) and two water stations in a row at the middle-ish point of the race were out of cups, and the one after that the volunteers were complaining that they were getting low. Are you kidding me? This is totally unacceptable, frankly, to run out of cups. The poor volunteers were about as upset as the runners! Finally, at the finish line there was immense congestion to get into the food area, and the gear check line was astoundingly long. It took my wife an hour to collect the bag I had checked for us (she ran the half and finished earlier than me). Again, take a cue from Fresno where they have a wonderful system for gear check and retrieval. Would I run this marathon again? Likely not. The course I can live with, but running out of water on the course I cannot. Lucky it wasn't really warm or there could have been trouble.

I made the trip from Colorado to the BMO Vancouver Marathon and I thought the overall experience was VERY GOOD! Definitely worth the trip from the USA. Pros: - I love the loop course (starts & finishes in the same spot) - alleviates the need for transportation. - The expo tent was available BEFORE the race which provided a warm (and dry) area to wait - perfect! - Volunteers/Police - lots of friendly and enthusiastic volunteers at the aid stations and excellent police protection of the participants on the streets - well done! - Urinal station for guys at starter line - never seen that before at a marathon but it was great - no waits there. - Public transportation - Could not find a reasonably priced hotel downtown (at short notice) - so I elected to stay near the Metrotown Mall in Burnaby (Hilton or Holiday Inn would be fine - I was at the Hilton) - great decision - a few blocks to the train - 20 minutes on the train - a few blocks to start after departing the train - worked very well! I probably walked less after the marathon than many people who stayed 'downtown' - EASY!! - Fan support was very good for a medium sized marathon - the Canadians were VERY enthusiastic especially towards the end - THANKS! FYI - If you're from the USA - be aware that the signs are only in metric (kilometers) - I would not say this is a 'fast' or flat course - there are hills mostly gradual - average marathon as far as hills go - I also understand the course might be changing in 2012 so I'm not sure what the changes might bring. The large bridge near the end was a bit tough; however, once you got to the top - it was pretty much all downhill from there (last 2 kms). - There were no clocks on the course or anyone even reading times when you crossed 'milestones' - this maybe unnecessary with all of the runner gadgets (e.g. GPS) - but it was a bit surprising. Changes that could be considered/Issues: - A couple of aid stations around kilometers (15-20ish) ran out of cups and gels - not great - but there were cups and gels after that. - 1/2 Marathon before Marathon - not sure why that is? The only problem is caused because the course is shared - the half marathoners got to some aid stations before the marathoners and used up all of the cups and gels. Also you'll encounter some of the 1/2 marathon walkers towards their finish - not a huge problem but they were there nonetheless. The good part was the 1/2 marathons cleared out of the starting area first which reduced some of the congestion around the toilets etc. - The 'live runner' tracking on the website was updated really late (caused my friends and family to worry because there were no updates after 5km until way after the race). Then the final results on the 'live tracker' were 30 minutes slower than my actual finish time - it was correct on the overall results page.

I've ran this race for 3 straight years, and let me say: This race is easily the best race I have ever competed in. No false advertisement here, folks; the course is fast, and the fans are amazing. You get the feel of a "big race" atmosphere; the expo is amazing (and I usually don't care about that type of stuff); and the music on the course is uplifting. It's so cool to run through such different areas of Vancouver. There's a part where you go through the Harbor (breathtaking,) and around the 10-mile mark you run .7 miles totally uphill (be ready). I've run this race 3 straight years, and I have no intention of ever stopping (unless I get to my goal of 1:15 in the half marathon - I'm at 1:22 right now).

For some reason, I was expecting a sunny day when I chose this spring marathon. Race day was rainy, and I almost decided not to run. I'm glad I did, because this is a very nice in-city course. The expo was OK, but the race shirts were a big disappointment. I donated mine. Race day organization was average. Course support was good and greatly appreciated on this wet day. Thank you, volunteers! The finish area was outdoors and not well organized. I was soaked and could not find a warm, dry spot. In retrospect, this was not a good year to run Vancouver: Wet weather, t-shirt problems, finish area problems.

The Vancouver Marathon does an excellent job of showcasing Vancouver. The crowds were great and the organization was fabulous. There are numerous water/Gatorade stations and a lot of gel stations. I also enjoyed the out-and-back loop in the first 5 miles, giving us the opportunity to see the elite runners. This year the marathon did not have access to BC Place for the finish, so we were outside. That being said, this was not the organizer's fault (BC Place roof is being replaced) and I think, given the circumstances, they did alright with it. I would think they would have access to BC Place again next year, so it's likely a non-issue. Overall, a great experience.

Great event. Great course. LOTS of volunteers and fans. The course is lined with encouragement from beginning to end. Please... give us mile markers!

The BMO Vancouver Marathon and Half Marathon are beautiful courses in gorgeous Vancouver, BC. The many volunteers are always friendly and helpful. But in 2010, the organization and infrastructure were not the best. Unfortunately, the official t-shirts were ruined in the screening process, and thus runners received unisex white t-shirts. Along the course, many runners were going into the bushes, as there were too few toilets. Also, it was a rainy day and runners did not have a warm, dry place to go after the race. The post-race atmosphere was crowded and confusing. Runners had to stand a long time in the rain waiting to funnel through a very narrow area into the secured zone. Most runners I talked to couldn't find the refreshments area, and when they did finally locate the tables, were faced with poor choice of snacks, and long line-ups in the cold rain for a simple coffee. Hence, most runners just left the area to warm up at their hotels or to find food and a hot drink. Overall, the Vancouver Marathon is a beautiful course to race in a warm and welcoming city, but hopefully the organizers learn from the difficulties of 2010, and find their way back to the great organization of previous years.

This is an excellent marathon. The course offers a nice tour of Vancouver, including some pretty parts of Stanley Park. The weather (in 2010) was cool with light rain, and on a flatness scale of 1-10, with 10 being pancake flat, I'd put this at about a 7. It's mostly flat, but with two bridge crossings and some small hills. The weather and topography make it a good race to PR at. The water and gel stops are frequent and well organized. The expo was a little crowded, but had lots of goodies. On the downside, there aren't terribly many spectators, but that might have been caused by the rain. There was one irritating glitch. There was a sign saying, "1 mile to go." That would be helpful  except that the sign was located where there was only about one-half mile to go. I am wondering if the organizers confused miles with kilometers and put the sign where there was 1K to go. I had a GPS watch, so it didn't bother me that much, but for those who didn't, it may have been disheartening. That aside, this is a great marathon, and I recommend it strongly.

This was my first half marathon five years ago. The weather is always perfect for running. I really enjoyed running through Stanley Park. The event was organized very well. Plenty of water stations along the way and plenty of food at the end. The medal was nothing spectacular. I will be running again this year. - Bob Delava

I've done the Vancouver Half Marathon four times, and will continue to do it. Vancouver is a great city to visit, and the marathon organization has always been outstanding. The expo was too small this past year, and the location was difficult to find. We would have given up except we needed to pick up our race packages. The food tables at the end have always been plentiful, with a great variety of choices. I wouldn't bother with the pasta party - it's too expensive for the quality of the food. I love the tech shirt that I can actually use afterward! A well run event with a great course through downtown, Chinatown and along the sea wall. There were lots of cheering spectators along the course. The volunteers have always been great, but I wish the water stations were more plentiful. We've only had rain once and even that was just a drizzle. What do you expect? It's Vancouver. If doing the half marathon, make sure you do your hill training, because the hill in Stanley Park is tough!