1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut Marathon - Race Reviews

This is a tough race that is definitely not for beginners. The hills are challenging, and the trail section is somewhat treacherous (think about navigating mud, rocks, sticks, tree stumps all while going down a pretty steep hill in the woods). There are hills spread through the paved section of the course--some worse than others. And since you're doing the paved section twice in the full marathon (out and back, then out and back again) you're hitting some of these crests 4 times. Thankfully you only do the trail part twice, but in total it is roughly 10% of the race. It will definitely slow you down, especially the second time. What I liked about this race: * The race takes place in a big city, but there is no traffic. You won't see a car at all. Pennypack Park is pretty nice. The weather wasn't too bad in 2022--the sun stayed behind the clouds--but on a sunny day this race would be mostly shady. * I like the 'no frills' approach of the race. Example: I appreciate not having to waste my time being herded through an expo of vendors I don't want to talk to. Packet pickup the night before was quick and easy. The race is inexpensive, which makes you wonder what exactly you're paying for when you drop >$100 to run most other marathons (and you still get a nice zip-up shirt and medal). * This is a small race and I take it a lot of people drop out at the half because it's so challenging. Consequently, I placed in the top 3 of my age group (which I have never done before). What I wish could have been different: * Like I said, this is a very hard race. This is coming from someone who hails from the flat-as-a-pancake Midwest. If you don't like hills or trails, this isn't the race for you. * The start time could have been pushed up at least 30 minutes. The weather wasn't too bad, but a warmer than normal June day would have made this race brutal. * It seems to me this was a half marathon that they just doubled and made a marathon as an afterthought. They didn't even have markers for miles 14-26.

I had a blast at this race. Beautiful course that I didn't mind at all running twice for the full. Well shaded, well organized, well supported, very easy logistically. Fun people, friendly director. After party was not to be missed. So glad I chose this race!

The course is shaped like a lollypop that you repeat inside pennypack park. The course is not closed to other people but there was very little traffic on the course other than the runners. There were multiple water stops with one stop having lots of snacks. There is about a mile of trail on each loop but nothing technical to worry about. The post race party is fantastic and I highly recommend you visit after the race. You don't see a lot on the course but still a lot more scenic than the second half of the philly marathon and a lot less expensive with easy parking.

I signed up for this race as a boycott (of sorts) of the San Diego Rock n Roll Marathon, which I ran last June. The SD was decent, but NOT worth $165. The Sauer-Kraut was just $65! Having business in nearby DC the week of the race enabled me to get to Philly with ease. I flew all day and arrived in DC Friday night. I drove to Philly, checked into a hotel near the Cannstatter Volkfestverein (German club), and grabbed a few hours of sleep. At about 6 am the next morning I drove to the Cannstatter and picked up my bib. Super EASY. From there I took the race shuttle to the start at Pennypacker Park. Again, EASY. 5 for race organization! The race started on time at 7. I guess there were about 150 marathon runners and about 500 half-marathoners. It was a good, friendly crowd. Of course, when is it not? The course was ~6.5 miles down, turn around ~6.5 miles back. For the marathoners, you had to do that twice. I thought this out and back twice course might make things tough. I've only run one other marathon like this. It was a double loop at the Luxembourg Marathon. And I didn't like it. But it was a relatively quick 6.5 miles down and back, along a rushing stream and under tall trees that provided lots of shade. And, boy, was that shade needed; the temps were in the mid-60s for the first hour and a half, and they reached the mid-80s by race end. The humidity was brutal. The course had a few hills. Actually, I wouldn't call them hills. Hills are what I call the steep trails in northern San Diego. If anyone reading has ever run Mission Trails, you know what I'm talking about. This course was rolling, with a bump of a hill here and there between miles 4 and 5, and 6 and 7. These bumps added some flavor to the course, but they weren't difficult. Aid/water stations were located about every 2 miles. They were stocked with water and Gatorade, and a few of them had energy snacks, fruit, candy, and - get this - bacon and french toast. Ha! I love it. Lastly, the course was mostly unobstructed. No dodging cars! There were a few walkers on the course, and toward the end of the race there were probably too many bikers for my taste, but everyone seemed to stay out of the way of the others. All in all, no problem. 5 for the course! With the exception of the aid station volunteers and people at the start and finish area, those walkers and bikers constituted the bulk of spectators present. But, surprisingly, I don't think any of the runners cared. Frankly, it was nice to be out there with only fellow runners. The race medal and long sleeve shirt were also awesome. There was no pre-race expo, which was no big deal. The post-race party at the Cannstatter was nice. Each runner received a free braut or burger and beer. There was also live music. Good stuff. I highly recommend this race. If I'm in Philly, or nearby, next year I'll run it again. (Take that, Rock n Roll marathon corporation!)

I can't think of a single negative thing to say about this race. I loved every minute of it! The organization was flawless. It's a small race, which means it's no frills, but that also means no hassle. Parking was easy, lots of porta potties at the start, and race-day packet pickup was available. The course was gorgeous and somewhat challenging with all of the short (but steep!) hills, but we were warned about that. The trees provided ample shade for at least 95% of the course, and the aid stations were well stocked and plentiful. The weather, of course, was brutal, but we knew that going into it. June in Philadelphia is not a great time or place to run a marathon, and many of the full runners missed the 2:25 cutoff time and had to finish at the half. I hydrated more than I usually do, ran the first half at a conservative pace, and still managed to run negative splits, which is just as much a testament to the course and the aid stations at it is to my training and fitness. Medal is good, tech shirt is good, post-race food and atmosphere is GREAT! I won my age group and took home a super awesome (and tacky!) German weather haus. Bottom line: If you're looking for a big city marathon with lots of cheering fans and rock bands, this is not your race. If you want to meet some nice folks, listen to accordion music, and never encounter a single car, do this one. (Just be prepared for high heat and humidity!)

I have a very mixed review, and I sit here a day after running the race still feeling pretty sad and disappointed. I parked at the German Club and picked up my packet race morning. I am grateful for this as I had a 1.5 hr drive, so I can't swing a day before pick-up. The German Club had ample parking and is very easy to find. Buses were great, quick wait, friendly staff. The race itself is so pretty; Hilly, so be prepared. Not crowded at all, and what runners you do come up behind there's enough room to get around. There is a short trail section which is fun and technically easy. Now, it's June and this totes the 'Hottest Race in Town.' I'm not an inexperienced runner with hills or heat, so I was prepared. An email earlier in the week told runners there'd be a cut off of 2:30, and then all runners would be instructed to finish the half. However, if you're in wave 4, there'd be an exception. I was prepared to run the full, so I went out slow, gained momentum, and then was cut off. My watch time read 2:27 at the half, and the clock read 2:31. There was no exception made for my wave; No discussion or even a medical look for reinforcement that I was okay to run. We are all adults, make us sign a waiver, let us run. This cut off defeats the purpose of the 'Hottest Race in Town' and having a full marathon. I didn't drive to PA to run a half and was utterly disappointed. I'd like to run this again but I won't given the risk of a cut off. Simply put, make this a half marathon.

This is a negative review. See my positive reviews from 2012 and 2010. We were told in advance that there was a 6:30 time limit and that you had to complete the first loop in 3:10. Although this was advertised as the 'hottest race in town', we were warned that if the temperature got too hot, then the 3:10 cut-off might get changed. When I completed the first loop in 3:09:13 (chip time), I was told that the race director had changed the cut-off to 3:00, so I could not continue. The maximum temperature in Pennypack Park that day was only 75°. When I emailed the race director the next day about why he changed the cut-off in the middle of the race, he said that it did not make any difference in my case because my clock time (not chip time) was over 3:10. That I started in the 4th wave did not make any difference to him either. He also said, 'The fact that you gave me a hard time about this, and the fact that I will probably get to read about your personal issue with this sometime in the future in some forum really bothers me.' O.K.; he got his wish. Needless to say, I will not be doing any race put on by Uberendurancesports again. That's probably fine with the race director as well.

Ran this last year 1/2 for the first time. Agree with the other comments, great race, Stephen does a great job, is accessible and quite a refreshing change from the cookie cutter marathons that we all have run a million times before. If you get up just a little earlier you can literally park right next to a porta pottie in the park and walk 40ft to the start of the race. Afterwards, the festivities were fun, the food good and overall the atmosphere quite relaxing. It's shaded during most of the run so I wouldn't worry too much about the heat. Stephen is right, come expecting to run leisurely and if the stars are aligned you can always go for a PR. Beaufitful surroundings and great staff and supporters are abundant.

I loved running the 1/2 sauer 1/2 kraut! It had such a great vibe and such a fun course. I must say, the best part was the homemade German food at the end! Yummy!! This is a race that you should not miss!!

I ran this race the first and second years, so saw the difference between the two locations and the maturity of the event. The weather was brutal the first time (90 and humid) and fair for June (mid 70s) the second time. Both times I felt the course was well stocked with aid. I don't remember many spectators, but the aid stations more than made up for that. I got tired of the big marathons with all the hassle, and the logistics of this one were very easy.

Thank you for the wonderful experience. Will definitely come again. Great food & entertainment and volunteers were the best!

The 1/2 Sauer 1/2 Kraut tells you exactly what it is - and delivers! The course is a blessing to run, just difficult enough and wonderfully shady with the river next to you. The heat outside of the woods was formidable, but along the course quite acceptable. The double loop helps with runner safety since you already ran the course before so when your gait gets a little wobbly on the 2nd loop, you know what you're in for already. Great comraderie with the few hundred fellow marathoners and the committed aid station volunteers. Great attitude of the organizers - very informal, but very genuine. Perfect little cozy marathon! And how can you beat the free brat and beer after the race!

Very challenging course but I liked it a lot. Running 26.2 shouldn't be easy. Well staffed, very organized and different!

Wow. This was the hardest race ever for me. I was prepared for the potential heat and humidty, but was not at all prepared for the steep but short hills and the 2 loop trail section that featured rocks, mud, roots and steps. Lots of shade throughout 95% of the course. There were walkers, bikers and families along the paved path. Some horses and some poop along the way. You had to keep an eye out for the pink plastic ribbons along the trail part though there were several signs pointing the way. They also spray painted arrows on the road and ground. Lotsa of turns along the course. The forest canopy and the over passes messed with my Garmins signal so I simply turned it off. I was dead last and would have missed the cut off if a fellow runner did pace me to the end. This was a low key event with great organization and a nice vibe to it. Not at all pretentious. No real crowds along the course, just curious on lookers. The volunteers were great, especially at the aid stations. They had gatorade, water and 1 station at gels and pretzels. Everyone at the stations made sure you got what you needed before heading out. Only saw the accordion guy once at the first loop. There were only 110 parking spots at the start so most runners parked at the bib pick up location and took a shuttle bus over. I got up early and was the 5th car at the start at 5:40 am. Took a quick nap until 6:45 am and walked 40 yards to the starting area. Lotsa of portjohns and saw some local runners from NYC. We had 4 wave starts but with only 800 runners, I crossed the start within 5 minutes and I was way in the back. Great organizers, volunteers and low key runner friendly vibe. Course was brutal.

Wow what a great place to run a marathon. Deep in the forest with a nice river running through it made it a totally beautiful course. The course is not an easy one with the first half mostly run at a slight incline with several small but steep hills which then produced good down-hills. Around mile 6 is a one mile trail portion which was totally soaked from the past weeks rains which made it even more challenging. The trail while probably easy for trail-runners had many tree roots, mud, horse poop, logs, etc.; everyone really had to keep their head down or you would take a nasty fall. The course then goes back to the start line where the ½ marathoners finish and the marathoners turn around and go back for another loop. With the exception of the trail portion the course was asphalt. Weather was good and cool to start with (60 degrees) but got warm 75-80 at the finish. Had a few post-race food like watermelon, Oreo cookies and water but had German bratwurst with sauerkraut with beer back at the German Club. The race shirt was a red tech shirt with the German alpine guy as the logo. I got a large but seems to run a little small. Medal was small and had the club logo with the date. ½ and full marathon get the same medal. The volunteers were awesome at all the aid stations and the ladies were dressed in German Lederhosen clothes! In summary, as I am near the beginning of the 50 State project, I am glad I ran this one for the Pennsylvania Marathon. The course is a good if you pace yourself, train for the hills, and get do some training on a trail.

I found this course quite challenging.I primarily run on flat roads so this was a whole new experience.The course description on the website was pretty accurate. There were some short but steep hills and the Mt Cuckoo trail section was aptly named.For the Marathon you run the course twice. I ran a strong 20 miles but faded quickly for the last 6 (The second time on Mt Cuckoo did me in). I loved every minute of it. The organization and volunteers were great. I parked at the German Club and used the shuttle with no problems. I think I want to do this one again.

The race director, spectators and fellow runners make this race a must-try for anyone who considers themselves a local runner. For any out of town folks, go for it and make sure you try the food and see other parts of the city after you slightly recover -its worth the price of admission. The race itself can be a little muddy and still tough. Lucky this year we had some low humidity and it is a classic experience. Keep on going!

The combination of trails and shaded asphalt paths was very good. No traffic to contend with either. The race director and volunteers did an excellent job. Nice T-shirt and finisher's medal as well. I look forward to returning in 2013.

I just ran the Boston Marathon in close to 90 degree weather, by comparison this race was much easier and just as enjoyable. The course is beautiful but hilly in spots. Shade 90+ percent of the time. The mile or so of trail in each loop makes the course very interesting. Support was awesome. Tech shirt is very nice and the finisher's medal is one of the nicest I've recieved. (My 45th marathon) If you are in the Philadelphia area next June I highly reccommend this race.

Beautiful day, great course, and the best group of runners I have had the pleasure running with. Course was hilly, but if you train hills it was enjoyable. Course was out and back, twice for marathon. Scenary was breathtaking in some spots and just great at most other. Off path trail was so fun! Lead runners were supportive and motivational. Course is not blocked off to local walkers and bikers. Could use more porta pots and water at start. Gu was promised but I never saw it. I have already told many family and friends to think on doing this race 2013.

We just ran this weekend (2012). Came with our daughters,who ran the 1/2 we ran the full. What a beautiful course. Definetly challenging hills and very hard to go back out and do second 13 when at the 'finish'. So nice not to have traffic and the course was mostly shaded along the water the whole time. Great on course support even second time thru which is not always the case when there are alot more 1/2 marathoners than full. Pastries at end were yummy as were the brats and beer. Nice that there were plenty there no matter what time you came in. Organizers very helpful and friendly.thanks for a fun weekend.

This is our second time running this race. I did the half last year and the full in 2012. I think this is one of my absolute favorite races. The course is beautiful. It winds through a shaded bike path for the first 6.5 miles, then abruptly sends you on a single track trail for a mile, then back down to the start. The course is a half, and full marathoners have to turn around and repeat. But this is no problem because the course is so much fun. It is hot, especially later in the day, which hampers your pace, but I still got my award. The awards are little German 'wetterhauses', or weather house. It is a charming little diorama with a German man who comes out when it is humid or a woman when it is dry. The man was definitely out for this race. There is a fun party afterwards with a polka-playing accordionist (he was also on the course at mile 4) and German folk dancers. Stefan Weiss has some much fun and passion that he singlehandedly makes this a great race.

Great out and back course with the trail at the turn around point. Great volunteers and aid stations. Very nice improvement of the shirts this year. I love it! My hubby and I will definitely run it again next year. Thank you to the race director, volunteers and runners! PS: BEST AWARD EVER!!!

If whoever wrote the details about the race on the website was trying to be sarcastic, it did not translate. This race was rather hilly and described as mostly flat on the website. While the hills were not steep or severe, the course is quite far from flat. It is scenic and serene and absolutely beautiful but if you need a lot of spectators and cheering and encouragement, this may not be the race for you. Race support was good but the bathrooms/porta johns were pretty sparse. After I crossed the finish line, I celebrated with an IV in an ambulance. The EMTs were great.

The race started a little late but the weather was good so not an issue. The first loop of this two loop course was fast for me (1:48) but by the end of that loop I was getting very hot and I seriously considered bailing at half way. I should have. The second loop was a killer! This is not a complaint of the organizers or anything, it's just that I should have been more honest with myself. By mile 23.1 I had 45 minutes to make it inside 4hrs and it took me 40 of those! I finished in about 3:55 and wasn't feeling great. It was hot and a beguilingly challenging course. Aid stations and volunteers were great as were the brats and beer after. Shirt and medal are fantastic - nice clean design without sponsors. I'll go back and do this one next year but if my schedule is as busy as this years then I'll just do the half.

I loved this race. Very organized. Aid stations throughout the course. Well marked bike path and some dirt trail. More hills than expected. The course was almost completely shaded so that helped with hot weather.

I only ran the 1/2 marathon for this race, but the full was another lap around the same course. The course: The course was harder than I expected. It isn't quite as flat as advertised with several steep, but relatively short rolling hills that you have to cover twice as this is mostly an out and back. There is also an off-road section where you run on grass and then some slightly rocky single-track. Otherwise, the course is paved, scenic, and mostly shaded bike trail. Pros: 1) Nice medal and shirt (single logo, not loaded with sponsors front and back) 2) The best post-race spread of food I have ever seen (including homebaked goodies). Then you get to go over to the German club and get a brat and beer (included in registration). 3) Interesting and challenging course. The single track section was not difficult, but a nice change of pace if you are primarily a road runner. Cons: 1) There was a late start due to slow bussing of the runners to the start. 2) Not much spectator support. Conclusion: This is a fun event with great food and entertainment and a challenging course. Scheduling this race for late June, the organizers were clearly interested in creating an endurance event. While the weather gods were smiling upon us for 2011, you should probably not go into this race thinking you'll be setting any PRs, regardless of weather conditions.

I ran this as my 3rd marathon and had a DNF. I made many mistakes during training and should definitely have turned around at the half marathon turnaround instead of trying to run the entire distance. With that said, and as the above is not the organizers' fault, the first half of the race was beautiful, the second not so much. It just wasn't scenic for me but the first half I really enjoyed. The volunteers working the aid stations were great. They filled my water bottle up to the top every time, they cheered the runners on, and when I got sick at mile 16 due to dehydration they removed me from the race and packed and rubbed ice on me before having me driven to the medical tent in the start/finish area. I would run this again; next time I would run the half if the course remains the same, and if it continues to be in June also. I don't recommend this for first-time marathoners, and I still consider myself a newbie.

Not 1/2 Sauer but 1/2 sour. Didn't think miles 12 - 26 were very scenic at all to run on, as you do through some not so nice sections of Reading. Course contains two out-and-backs. The first out-and-back contains some minor hills, which were welcome, but the course is not as flat as advertised. Some portions of the first out-and-backs were very crowded with runners going in both directions, making it difficult to pass. Neither out-and-back had anyone recording numbers, so it was easy to cheat and turn around where every you wanted. I did notice some marathoners simply turn around and cut the course on the second out-and-back. Hope they don't use their time as Boston Qualifier. Some half marathoners missed their turn around - not sure why, but you could see their disgust when they realized they were on the wrong course. Volunteers were simply excellent, filling water bottles for any one. Not much food left for those who ran over 5 hours, but the brats and potato salad were delicious. Best pastries were long gone. The alternative energy drinks were a real boost.

I enjoyed this race very much, and I was able to finish within the 6:30:00 time-limit without running a single step. The trail was peaceful, and there was no traffic to contend with at all. I saw a deer, a rabbit, a chipmunk and a mole. The "hills" and "heat" were inconsequential, and that I had to walk briefly on a road was no big deal. Everyone associated with the race was very nice, and I look forward to returning for the second time in 2011.

Course is very flat, other than a rolly-polly section on miles 4-6. It's a double out-and-back (mile 5 and ~ mile 18). What makes it really good is that it was mostly shaded, a huge positive on this hot day. Organization was nearly perfect. People who registered for the marathon could switch to finish the half, there was a great post-race spread, the medal is nice, and there's aid approximately every 2 miles. Only issue: no aid station for gels when promised (thankfully I carried my own) and mile markers 9-11 and 25-26 seemed off. Spectators... few and far in between, but thank you to those who cheered all of us on! Not a lot of them, though, hence the lower score. A unique, fun marathon.

I thoroughly enjoyed this marathon! The event was totally hassle-free (easy parking, pick up your bib right before the start). The course was almost entirely on paved or dirt trails and single track, with a small amount on roads. Some parts were scenic; other parts more urban, near railroad tracks. There were few spectators, but there was great spirit and camaraderie among the participants. The day was very hot and humid, and runners were encouraged in advance to slow down, carry water and consider switching to the half marathon. I got exactly what I wanted - a great training experience in the heat. I would not recommend this for a beginning marathoner due to the high potential for a hot day like we had, but this is a great, fun, small, local event for those wanting the experience of a summer marathon. Wonderful German food at the end, and we had Hans and Franz along the course to "pump you up." Nice shirts, medals and awards. Due to the extreme heat, there were some temporary shortages of water at some water stations until replenishments arrived. Thanks to the great, dedicated volunteers along the way!

My first marathon, so just take my comments with a grain of salt. Course: Very scenic and nice to run. However, it was tough for spectators to line up along the way. Except for one spot, there was no street running  A big plus. Lastly, there were a couple of small hills (dips) that I didn't expect, but they're definitely not show-stoppers. Organization: Great set-up. Medals were nice, food was set up nice, and packet hand-out was easy. I would give 5 stars if there would have been a map of the start area and course to help spectators and all others to enjoy the race more. Spectators: They were AWESOME! There were not a huge number, but the ones that were there were very vocal and supportive. They really made it easier to run. All in all, I would recommend it, though you need to remember that this is a June race: the heat and humidity make it a tough race (80-90 degrees with high humidity). Yes, it is June and I knew that, so this is a warning to runners, not about the race. Thank you to Stephan for a great race.

I ran this during its inaugural year. I hope the director continues it. The good: a fun, themed race along a well-kept trail in a very scenic area. You are treated to riverfront views, then along rolling corn fields, back along the river and you follow what I think is a rail-to-trail rec trail out and back. Finish on a historic mill bridge with enthusiastic spectators cheering you on. All the while, you're treated with fun stuff like an appearance by Hans and Frans, Bavarian waitresses with BEER, and a finish with the best post marathon feed I have ever had. Nice ad-free tech shirt too. Cheap entry fee. Enthusiastic aid station volunteers with a great assortment of pretzels, pastries, candy, cookies and fruit plus Gatorade and water every 2 miles. The bad: the heat was a major factor - 80 and humid. I ran one hour slower than my last marathon, even on shaded trails with careful fluid management. The medal is the cheesiest I have ever seen. The organization was not top-notch. At 7:30 the timer was setting up for an 8 a.m. start, which happened at 8:20; prior to that, no one knew where to be. Park staff seemed just annoyed to have us there. The trails are kind of narrow to let 800 runners loose at once; maybe stagger the full/half start or something? Also, the director offered the option to pull out and do the half at any point, which was good and convenient, but way too tempting on a hot day. Additionally, the second portion of the full is less clean than the first, with lots of graffiti, beer cans, and evidence of loitering by less-than-desirables along certain parts; I never felt unsafe, though. I generally had a very positive impression, and I would run again.