Helsinki City Marathon - Race Reviews

I ran the Helsinki City Marathon in 2017. The race was decent but not nearly as flat as you would have thought. The good: The finisher medal is stunning and chunky, aid stations are good and plenty. The finish is in a stadium and your name and finish time are displayed on a big screen in the stadium, and your name sounds in the speekers once you enter the stadium and cross the finish line. The city is beautiful and worth a visit. You get to see the fiisher medal at the expo, which is motivating as it is really beautiful. The bad: Not many suppoters, and the marathon was not advertised at all in the city, so no locals seemed to know there was even a race. The expo was quite small and poor. The course is a two loop, so a bit boring. There was no 'Finish' sign or anything in the stadium, just a white line on the ground. I had never seen that before, so I was a bit uncertain if I had crossed the finish line at all, which is a bit of an anti climax. The absolut worst part of the marathon is the 3 pm start! This makes no sense for a race held in the middle of the summer. If you are very lucky with the weather, it might not break your race, but the race organizers advertise that the average temperature at that time of year is around 20 degrees. The late start also means that, unless you are a local who can go home to eat a late dinner after the race, you will have a real problem finding dinner after the race. By the time you finish the race, get back to your hotel and clean up and get back into the city for dinner, most restaurants will be closed. In 2017 one in three runners came from outside of Finland, so this was a major issue. The weather also happened to be terrible. 26 degrees and extremely humid. This not only slowed down everyone a lot, but also meant that several people started to feel dizzy in the heat. Of course, you can't control the weather, but if the race had had a 9 am start like most races, this would not have been a very big issue. With a 3 pm start, it was a major issue!

This is a tough race with constantly undulating terrain. The course is not the most inspiring and you don't make it into central Helsinki until just over halfway. A couple of K's round the centre and you are heading back to the outskirts again. There are a number of positives though. Helsinki is generally a welcoming city (if expensive), frequent well stocked water stations, where there were pockets of support everyone was very encouraging and enthusiastic. Really great to finish in the Olympic Stadium and nice touch to have your name and time displayed on the electronic scoreboard as you cross the line. The medal was also nice and chunky and better than a lot of other big city marathon medals. Free entry and warm shower to clean up at the adjacent Olympic swimming pool also good. In 2014 HCM had a deal with a local pasta restaurant chain which was excellent value for pre race meal. Biggest negative was 3pm start - why wait till the hottest point of the day in summer to start the race? Much better if start time changed to 9am. Thankfully it clouded over about 4.30pm and temperature cooled off. Overall, still an enjoyable experience.

It seems the Helsinki City Marathon has improved from past years. Good atmosphere at the expo and before, during and after the race. Plenty of refueling available during the race and a variety of food/drink at the end. I guess, just like any marathon, you have to accept the weather on the day. 2013 happened to be good temp with little wind. The finish in the Olympic Stadium was special and the Finnish people offered lots of encouragement around the course.

The race was well organized and well supported. There were lots of spectators applauding along the route. There is such potential for a beautiful run here - on the coast, crossing over islands in the bay - but, oddly, little of it is visible from the route, as it is obscured by buildings much of the way. The heat and humidity were a shock and slowed me down a lot. It was necessary to take in a lot of fluid over the course and there were water/energy drink stops approximately every 2K, which was excellent. Unfortunately, the drinks were handed out in plastic cups. Not sure about you, but I cannot run and drink from a cup... so many stops were inevitable. I would suggest small bottles of water/Gatorade that can be drunk from whilst continuing your run. Apparently, the race used to finish in the Olympic Stadium. This would be a magical finish to the event if it were restored. Overall, well organized, but a couple of little points that would make such a difference.

Helsinki has a picturesque marathon course, which essentially covers the main harbor area whilst crossing to some of the inner harbor islands. The race is medium-sized, although with a small feel. It's extremely well run - this event has been going for nearly 30 years. Race conditions were good with temperatures around 19/66 and dry, bright skies. The only concern was a stiff breeze blowing in off of the Baltic Sea. This has been mentioned in previous years by other competitors. The race starts and finishes outside of the Olympic Stadium, which is quite cool. My only criticism would be the 3 p.m. Saturday start time, which just feels too late. It means you're hanging around all day waiting to run. Whilst this year was fine, if you had a hot day, then this could be a real problem as opposed to starting early morning, as most marathons do. It would also have been nice to see more marathon merchandise for sale at the expo. The only souvenir available was a free t-shirt that everyone received. Overall, I would recommend this marathon. It offers you the chance to do a marathon in August (unusual), and Helsinki is an interesting city, where Scandinavia meets Russia.

...make a stop in Helsinki and run the marathon. I did it in 2009 and it was great. Lovely weather (the organizers say it's like that every year, despite my "Finland-equals-long-sleeve-running-t-shirt-even-in-August" belief), a very scenic racecourse, all around the harbor, jumping from one island to another through nice (and sometimes painfully steep) wooden bridges. Very enjoyable atmosphere, and friendly and efficient organization. I agree: plenty of porta-potties - and I know what I am talking about, having tried them all (reindeer meatballs on the previous night weren't exactly the most suitable fuel). Abundance of water and sports drink. Beautiful support on the racecourse (apart from kilometers 5-15). It was even elegant, I'd say (with well-dressed people cheering and smiling; forget the "way to go"'s and "one-two-one-two"'s), and many hidden lawns to lie on when you were out of stamina but didn't want to be bothered by runners-by. Well... I would have loved to be bothered by some Finnish girls, as I was stretching my aching muscles on the grass, but the organization wasn't (yet?) that perfect. Do it!

Really scenic route that's not flat, but with not too frequent, manageable, gentle hills. Beautiful to run alongside marinas, parks, modern and classic city architecture. Hydration stations every 2K or so with personal drinks, Gatorade and water available at every single one. Plenty of toilet facilities also. Easy access to the start, with secure baggage drop right beside the start/finish area. NO congestion meant that you could get into your stride within the first 20 meters of the race, but always with runners alongside you. The sunny day, with temperatures of 20 degrees, meant lots of spectators, but they clap and support without shouting and screaming at you. Runners dont tend to chat to each other as they go along. Not sure if this is due to iPods, but I suspect it is not in their nature to be chatty. Excellent marshaling of the roads and pacers were also available. Great lump of a medal and reasonably good goody bag. Would do it again.

I rated the course at a "three" because I was hopeful that the route would run through more of Helsinki. It seemed that we spent a lot of time on the outskirts of town. While it was very beautiful scenery, I would have liked to see more of the sites of Helsinki. My final observation of the course is that it finished outside of the Olympic stadium. Why couldn't we finish inside? Organization was great. Registration was easy, final race instructions were clear, and packet pick-up was easy. Having the sports hall to store bags in was also a great plus. Spectators were great and vocal, but they were sparse. There were plenty of times along the course where we were outside of the city and no spectators were around. Overall it was a good race. I don't know that I would recommend making a special trip to Helsinki just to run it. If you're in the neighborhood, though, it's worth your while. They have some work to do before I would consider it to be a destination marathon like.

Helsinki puts on a fantastic marathon - a gorgeous and relatively flat course, a well organized event, great T-shirt and medal, and plentiful (if frenzied) water stops (plus pickle and banana stops). As an international runner, they couldn't have made it easier, from the special check-in desk and support for international runners to the 3 p.m. start time (a relaxing option that I hope more races will consider). Thanks to Helsinki for a fantastic race and great vacation!

I just ran the 2009 Helsinki City Marathon. Definitely not my best time, due to the hilly nature of the course. Weather was great - in the mid 60s. The starting time of 3 p.m. is a bit strange. Spectators were pretty minimal throughout. But the organization of the race was great! And a very scenic course.

Helsinki is a nice place to visit. That's the positive news. I don't like to be too critical, but as for the marathon, I have the following observations: 1. Why does it start at 3 p.m., instead of 9 a.m. like most marathons? The temperature was already 24 degrees at the start of the race. 2. Helsinki is a very green city, but a lot of the marathon is run on tarmac competing with passing traffic. It's quite depressing and drab. 3. There's good support at 4K and 25K, and at the finish; but apart from that, you don't have much support along the course. 4. The marathon isn't publicized very well in Helsinki, and most locals don't know that the event exists. 5. The race starts and finishes outside of the Olympic stadium. Why can't we finish in the stadium like Stockholm or Amsterdam? The marathon should be so much better. It really has potential, as there were over 6,000 runners, and a lot of those were from overseas. The organizers should really do better.

Fabulous city for a trip and a run. Very safe place; people were nice and accommodating. Good start by the Olympic stadium, and to finish in it and have your name up on the scoreboard is cool. The expo didn't have much and there was no pasta party. The 3 p.m. start time was strange; earlier would be so much better. Scenic course around city islands, but undulating to say the least. You can have a free swim in the Olympic pool after the run, which is nice.

I've run in Helsinki twice - the first time in 1999 and now again in 2007. It's a great place for a run, with great people on the street, a great, quiet city, and a great finish in the Olympic stadium....

Nice city marathon. Hills? Yes! Windy? Yes! And a strange starting time (3 p.m. in the afternoon). However I did enjoy this marathon.... Lots of drink station (too many, really, if that's possible - and I'm not too sure on the gherkins for re-hydration either!) Small number of competitors, easy-to-navigate course, no crowds and finishing in the 1952 Olympic Stadium - what a treat...!!! Easy start finish area with sauna, spa and pool nearby. Not for first-time runners, but worth a visit to see a great little city. Thanks, Helsinki.

Had read comments about the organization of Helsinki in previous years and 2007 did not disappoint. Significant numbers of volunteers ensured this was a very well organized and enjoyable race. Course was very scenic and took in the best parts of the city and surroundings. The course allows spectators to easily walk to various points along the route to cheer you on. The only point to note is that the course is definitely "undulating" - more hills than I had anticipated. But very enjoyable nonetheless. Great weather - not too hot, but quite windy in parts, especially along the sea front. Sea breeze did keep things cool which was good. There were lots of refreshment stations and lots of drinks/food at each station. Salted cucumber was a novelty! Also, lots of WCs along the course - clean and actually with paper! Great medal and finishing in the stadium was a great thrill. Spectators were supportive but not very numerous. All in all, a fantastic race and one I would highly recommend.

The course is not very interesting. Lots of drinks along the course. Lots of spectators also. Spectators are not very enthusiastic, but I think it is because of the mentality of the people who live in the North. Finish was at the Olympic stadium of Helsinki. It was a great pleasure to see my name and my time at the scoreboard of the stadium.

This is my 16th marathon total, my 3rd in Europe. I would not hesitate to recommend this marathon to anyone (I can't say the same for the similarly-sized Rotterdam Marathon). The marathon had all the bases covered: 1) Course was a nice combination of city sights (including popular tourist areas which created huge crowds in these areas) and natural beauty along the Baltic (although, the course has its fair share of hills, so I wouldn't count on a PR here). 2) Well-organized before, during and after including water stations that had people providing water or Gatorade (a unique choice for European marathons) to you instead of having to reach on the table for it. 3) Spectators were unique in that while certainly not the crowds of Chicago or Berlin, most individual fans seemed to clap for runners passing, as opposed to just waiting and watching for the one runner they were really here to watch. Nice crowd support. 4) Finishing in the 1952 Olympic Stadium with the crowd roaring and each finisher's name displayed on the big screen as they finish was a real thrill. However, the finisher's medal, with its lack of a hole and ribbon attached was the only negative. The 3 p.m. start seemed strange to me. But the cool breezes off the Baltic balanced the 25C temperature, so heat wasn't a problem. Great city to visit as well, with many beautiful buildings. This can also be a good tune-up for a fall marathon with the time of the year that it is. There aren't many marathons at this time.

This was my second marathon and I found it a lot tougher than London. There are a lot of straight flat sections where you can't fool your mind into getting you just to the next corner and it seems that the worst hills are saved for the last 10-15 KMs. That said, the organization was superb, everything was explained very clearly, drink stops were frequent and well-manned. There are hardly any "fun" runners or charity runners and the crowd does thin out at times, especially when you get to the outskirts of the city, but I liked that because it meant that my view of the beautiful islands of Helsinki was unobstructed. The medal is a corker, really chunky, and the t-shirt too was superior to any race t-shirt I have received before. Finishing in the Olympic Stadium with your friends or family in the stands is a really special thing and much better than wandering around Horseguards trying to get your mobile phone to work. I'd really recommend this marathon to beginners or experienced marathon runners - there's plenty to see in Helsinki if you're there for a weekend and the Finns seem to be sport crazy and really happy to have visitors to their city.

My first marathon, so, indeed, a success.... Reached the end and less than 4 hours. Hilly marathon, especially after the 30's, but great organization (just some narrow passages at the beginning), lots of refreshments, and good pacers! Helsinki is a great city, full of bars and discos too (not the night before, lol), nice to vist and to stay in (don't forget to taste sauna pleasure).

This was my second marathon - quite warm 22 - 23 degrees but loads of refreshment points throughout the course. Great atmosphere around the course with some very enthusiastic fans. Quite hilly so as mentioned in previous comments, it's not a PB course. Great t-shirt and medal. Definitely recommend Helsinki as a place to go as we found the city to be very clean, pretty and well layed out.The locals were very easy on the eye and were also very helpful and friendly.

My first marathon. Thoroughly enjoyed - weather perfect, cool breeze, loads of refreshments. Ideal for a first-timer. Great crowds. The Friday run allows a European to make a good holiday weekend of it.

I ran this marathon in 2003 and 2004. The course is quite scenic with views of the Baltic Sea. It is a well organized, medium-size event with a memorable finish in the Olympic Stadium. Look up at the giant screen as you are crossing the finish line!!! It is, however, a course not suited for a PB, as it contains a few hills with a particularly nasty one at the 24th mile. The crowd support is good in the city center and at the finish, but otherwise fairly absent along the rest of the course.

This was my first marathon, so I can't say if it was just me or this is one marathon that can surprise you. It was quite hot and humid and there were some nasty hills. But the scenery is great; Helsinki is a very enjoyable city and the people were all very nice (and very good-looking I might add). Water distribution was sometimes a bit chaotic, and if you dont speak Finnish, you may need to be careful not to toss some Gatorade over your head thinking it's water!

Being from the United States, this was my first international marathon. Interesting fact was that people did not use the road blocked off with cones to run; instead, they ran on the sidewalks and then hopped between cars to change sides. Also, not too many runners would talk during the race - everybody seemed to be very serious. Otherwise, great crowd support and very pretty course. I would definitely do it again.

A 2003 runner. Weather was good, if a little on the warm side. Out of the city there was plenty of shade. Helsinki looks like it was built by Russian engineers in 24 hours in the mid 50's. There are even statues to match. Bring plenty of money; beer and resaurants are EXPENSIVE. The people are fantastic. The city is a real gem in spite of the heavy northern European architecture. The marathon route is a constant adventure winding through the city, the harbour, the lakes, woods, and bridges, and offering cosy parkland glimpses followed by the open sea. This was my sixth marathon in 2003 and one of the best overall. If nothing else, the rocks peeping above ground are a wonder. The lakes, the woods. I loved the harbour. Experience this for yourself, but train well. It looks flat, but there are a few slopes ready to catch the overconfident. Beware, and enjoy to the fullest. Look out for your name on the big scoreboard in the 1952 Olympic stadium. Now that is a thrill...

I ran the Helsinki City Marathon last year. I recommend this marathon to anybody. The course isn't the flattest, especially towards the end, and the temperature was around 28 degrees, but there are lots of drink stations to compensate for the heat. The only thing that I thought was a little odd was the way that the the spectators would only shout when they saw somebody they knew. Otherwise, they were as silent as mice. I think that this is mostly due to the way that the Finns are as a people. Overall, a well organized marathon that I would run again.

Although a hot day for Helsinki, the weather was nice to run in. The course was also beutiful as it ran along the Baltic, through parks, and the downtown area.

The longest hill is no longer part of the route which now goes via a lower bridge - the last hills is there, alright! The new date, at least for 2003, is yet unsettled, either Aug 2nd or Sep 6th: the latter would be certain to be run in a cooler weather. In 2002, there were plenty of drink stations, 19, but nothing salty was available. There were few spectators after 35km when one would´ve needed them the most - but the sight of the Olympic Stadium and the finish through the stadium gate gave a lift! The grass of the stadium is a beautiful place to walk, lie and marvel at the world after the finish - at least if it isn´t raining... If you´ve done Stockholm, you can do worse than choose Helsinki.

I ran in 2001, it was warm but the major problems for me were first, the cobblestones (KM 22-28, but not continuous), but second, the undulating course, for which I was totally unprepared! I'd seen that the course was a huge C-shape which runs mainly across some islands and alongside the sea so I thought it would be flat, no-one told me that the islands were mountainous (I exaggerate slightly). And the final climb before the stadium is a complete killer. But if you're mentally prepared for the course, it's really a stunning tour of Helsinki. So 1 course-star for comfort, 5 for the thrill. It was also my first stadium-finish, that was great. Refreshment stations and post-race care particularly good.

Some beautiful scenery with lots of green and sea-views in some parts making you feel you are not running in a city. The park in the middle of the city is the only place full of spectators - Finns are quite silent on the rest of the race. Very good organization and wonderfull finish in stadium. Might be a little hot for some people, but not if you come from a warmer climate like me. There was a breeze that helped.

The dangers of running in a summer marathon are apparent here. They get exacerbated by the small ups and downs that are part of the course. On the plus side, it is a good feeling to finish the race in the Olympic Stadium - though there weren't too many spectators by the time I finished (approx. 5:30).

Had great weather even though it was a little warm in the beginning but for the most part had a breeze. Had some hills in the middle, different kinds of running surfaces. Very fan supportive and loved the finish line coming into the Olympic Stadium! Plenty of refreshments and had a couple of showers to run under to keep cool and also had sponges. Run through all different parts of Helsinki.

A very tough course, especially the second half is full of small climbs, wich after +20K don't feel so small anymore. I have heard some Finns proclaim The Helsinki City Marathon (HCM) the most beautiful marathon in the world, well it certainly is pretty with its seaside views. The Finns are not the loudest nation in the world so don't expect London Marathon crowd support, but the crowds are supportive and abundant just after the half way point, and at the finish which is in the 1952 Olympic Stadium. HINT: when you enter the Olympic Stadium be sure to make a final sprint (200m) because the roar from the crowd for the sprinters is deeply moving.

Nice scenery, a mix of city and nature. Excellent facilities, sauna is very relaxing for sore muscles !