Wroclaw Marathon - Race Reviews

High 20C at the start, sunny sky and 32C at noon. Fast and flat course. These conditions describe the reality of my 4th race in my dear city of Wroclaw. The race was excellent from the beginning to the very end. Beautiful course + fantastic volunteers and spectators - who can ask for more? I will be back. Thank you Wroclaw for an excellent event. Dziekuje, wroce za rok...

This was my third Wroclaw Marathon and definitely I will be back to my city again. The start and finish were located in the historic Olympic Stadium and the overall organization was excellent. The course offered views of the new divisions and bridges and old historical sections of the town. Spectators and volunteers were doing very well especially after the half-point mark. The cold water and energy drinks which they served saved many lives in the hot day. Thank you Wroclaw for another great race. Dziekuje!

It was my first time running the Wroclaw marathon. The organization of the marathon was excellent. I emailed the race director with questions before race day and received a quick reply. Packet pick up was very quick and easy and there was even a medium sized expo (which I didn't expect). On race day, there was parking on site, and the start and finish areas were easy to navigate. Although the course went through a mixture of scenic and not so scenic areas, most of the roads were closed to car traffic, which was a welcome bonus. The last 8km of the course were scenic and had the most spectators, which was great. There were designated cheering sections for spectators at least every mile and a large number of loud spectators came out to cheer us on despite the rain. At the end, every runner received a medal, banana, mylar blanket and bottle of water. There were massage tables too. My only negative points concern the tshirt and post-race food. The tshirt sizes are strange, they seem to be short and wide and don't fit well. For the post-race meal, every runner got a coupon for a bowl of soup (non-vegetarian), a slice of bread and a cup of tea. Though there was food and beer for purchase on site, a greater selection for the athletes' post-race meal would have been welcome.

This was my first marathon in Poland and it was a pleasant surprise. Not as commercial as a similar-sized marathon (4000 runners) in Western-Europe would be. The entry fee was pleasantly low. The organization was nearly perfect. The course (a single lap) gives an interesting view of the city with both its highlights and its uglier sections. Fortunately, the low-point, the section on the highway was in the first half and the highlight, the part through the historic city center, near the end. I could not understand what the spectators were shouting, but it sounded like heartfelt support. Thank you, Wroclawians!

I may call Wroclaw my home town. I spent 13 years in this city while studying and then working. This year I managed to combine my short vacations in Poland with the marathon. The event was organized and executed almost perfectly from the day before the run to the finish line. The course showed as much of Wroclaw as one can imagine, including Technical University (my dear school), the Old Town and many other places. As a "senior" citizen (60-plus-years-old), I was offered free registration, which was a very nice gesture. In addition, organizers arranged simple accommodation for runners in a student hostel in the vicinity of the start/finish for an equivalent of 10 Euro per person, per night. After a misty start in the morning the whole day was filled with sunshine. There was more than enough of water, PowerAde and food along the course, and spectators were loud and cheerful. I would recommend this marathon to anyone who likes city runs in a beautiful European environment. Thank you, Wroclaw, for a great marathon. Dziekuje!

In 2008, the race took place in September for the first time (moved from April). It is not often that the race goes all around the city, which this one now does. I really enjoyed it even though there were some cobblestone streets. The weather was perfect. There were about 1,100 finishers, with two Kenyans taking the first two spots. Great organization. There were few spectators, but this is characteristic for races in Poland.

As one of the few British runners, I really enjoyed it. The city is great - easy to get around, food is excellent, and there's no problem with the language. About 1000 runners, so no problems getting lost when finishing, and the route really opens your eyes to Poland. Goody bag impressive, as was the organization - all for 20 euros. We stayed in the 5-star Radisson - superb, and the same price as a Travelodge in Blighty. Absolutely loved it (beer less than £1 a pint as well).

This is a smallish, friendly marathon. Great finishing bag with medal, t-shirt, food, beer, chocolate and baco foil. Water and isotonic drink at regular intervals. The city square has bars and restaurants and you can eat and drink in a really relaxed atmosphere for a fraction of the price of in the UK.

Great organization, great track, 2 separate twenties so you don't repeat any part of the track for a second time!

Very good.

The weather was perfect. About 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit or 4 to 7 degrees Celcius and overcast with slight wind. Starts and finishes in the ancient marketplace (dates from about 1000 AD). Only a few cobblestone streets. About 551 finishers with a fast field of mostly Polish and mostly male runners. The winner (Bogdan Dziuba) ran 2:19:24. Women's winner was Wioletta Urygala in 2:41:15. Both were from Poland. It is a half marathon course done twice, which is no drawback since it is scenic. The race started at 9 AM and this was the 19th running. Since I am over 60, they told me it was free for me! Few spectators but they were enthusiastic.Water and generic Gatoraid every 5 KM with bananas and food at later points. Final word: It was cheaper to fly roundtrip to Poland ($465) than to some places in the US. Chuck Savage (Race Director Ocala Marathon)