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Philadelphia Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Philadelphia Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.3 
Organization 3.6 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 749 [displaying comments 221 to 231]
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J. K. from Lower Merion, PA
(11/22/2009)
"Still a nice BQ (except for 17-month wait)" (about: 2009)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Philadelphia Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was the fifth time I've run the race in the last six years. One pet peeve I had about the 2007 race was that the full, half, and 8K starts made things too crowded early on. I think the wave start helped a lot this year. I ended up in the first wave, and it was one of the smoothest, least crowded starts I've ever been a part of. And it started on time (unlike the 2007 race that was almost 15 minutes late). Whether it was the organizers or participants, people seemed to do a good job of lining up at the right pace. I was on my pace pretty much right away and didn't have to weave around too many people. The course is pretty fast. The cautions are the uphill around 9-10 going toward Memorial Hall, the slow uphill around Lemon Hill (mile 14) and the steep, windy downhill that follows, and the overpass hill around mile 19 on the way out to Manayunk. There were ample water stops, although I had a few instances where the water was in green Gatorade cups and vice versa. Crowds were OK. The section of Walnut St. and Manayunk had good support, but otherwise there were a few slow spots. At the start, there were plenty of porta-johns and lines weren't awful. Maybe I missed it, but it didn't seem like there was any water offered at the start. I'd recommend this race for those looking for a BQ, but with the way Boston is filling up earlier, it becomes a tougher sell relative to the earlier fall marathons where you can get two Bostons out of your time. | |
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J. L. from New York
(11/18/2009)
"A well run event" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 My only complaint about the race is the start. Marathon, half marathon and the 8K runners all start together, creating a crowded and chaotic start. So once you're past the first mile or so, you can settle into your pace. The second half has an out-and-back so you can see how the pros are running. | |
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T. H. from Scranton, PA
(11/9/2009)
"Great first-time 'thon!" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, and I loved it. I'm from Philly and I loved running in Center City. Rolling hills out to Manayunk and back were a little challenging at the end, but overall a fast course. Pretty crowded for the first few miles, but for someone not too concerned with time, it wasn't a big deal. Love the shirt, and love the medal. Crowds are amazing, especially at the end. | |
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N. d. from Rotterdam, The Netherlands
(5/28/2009)
"Awesome Experience" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Since I was in the US for a business trip, I decided to run my first marathon in Philadelphia. My wife and friends flew to the US for a great weekend in NYC and Philly. The marathon was well organized. The course was OK, the crowd in downtown Philly was great, and the medal and the T-shirt are beautiful. I wear the T-shirt with great pride during my training sessions, as it reminds me of an awesome experience. | |
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V. O. from Allentown, PA
(5/9/2009)
"Great course" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 4-5 Philadelphia Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 As I'm trying to find new and different marathons to do each year, I always seem to come back to the one in Philly. The course is scenic - there's always something to look at, and it gives a nice tour of the city. It's also fairly flat, with a few reasonable hills or inclines. I've set a new PR ever year that I've run this race, and this time I finally BQ'd. The course is the main reason I come back every year. I don't have too many complaints. The start is always crowded and has seemed even more so since they added the half. The price has gone up, but with the larger field, I guess it makes sense. My main complaint (this is kind of minor) is that the only warm substance at the end of the race was the chicken broth. I'm a vegetarian, and was thoroughly grossed out by the broth (but I was very cold and wanted to warm up). I'd like to see them have hot chocolate. All in all, I would recommend this as a first marathon (as it was mine), a race if you're trying to BQ, or just a good PA race if you're a 50-stater. | |
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laurent morisse from New York City
(5/7/2009)
"Great Marathon" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 That was my first marathon, and I really liked it all - the organization, race, t-shirt, medal, cheering people, the city, and especially hearing the Rocky theme during the tough moment! I had a blast! Thank you, Philly! | |
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M. K. from Georgetown, KY
(3/18/2009)
"Man, it was cold" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 No, the race organizers can't do much about the weather, except schedule the race for a different month. But if they had done so, I couldn't have run it, since I was in town for Thanksgiving - but that's just me. I thought the tent was a good idea, but I would have preferred that it was heated. The chicken "soup" was just broth, but it was warm, and that prevented imminent death - but that's just me. The course promised a trip through historical areas, and maybe it did, but I just wasn't paying enough attention. The out-and-back worked out well for me, because I got to high-five my buddy who was running a few miles behind - but again that's just me. The crowd was great in town, maybe too great, as they crowded the street a bit. The crowd in Manayunk was awesome, and because it was part of the out-and-back, we got to experience them twice as long. The crazy but well intentioned people at mile 18 offering beer became the same crazy but well intentioned people at mile 22 offering beer. Cold beer? It was 30 degrees. If it were Irish coffee, that I would have stopped for - but that's just me. | |
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A. C. from Boston, MA
(1/7/2009)
"Great run, but I'm irritated as heck." (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Overall, it was a great race. Good organization, especially because we stayed near the convention center. The expo was a good size and the spectators were awesome. The new staggered start, I think, helped the congestion in the beginning. Even though I had a mental break down during the race, I know that I'll be back to do better next year. One big issue that I had though soured me on the organization. I turned my paper application in at the last minute - I got it postmarked ON the deadline at 9 p.m. by going to a local 24-hour post office - and didn't hear back from them for weeks and weeks. I had just about given up, though I kept training and was ready to run bandit when they confirmed my entry literally 4 days prior to the race. Other than that, it was a nice race, though a tad cold. | |
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Suzanne Pomazon from New York, NY
(1/1/2009)
"Great First Marathon" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon, and overall, I thought it was a great experience - especially since I reached my goal of finishing in under 4 hours! The course has a little bit of everything: the first half of the course runs though the city, which offers an interesting way to see some landmarks, while the second half goes along the river and through the more suburban Manayunk. The course is relatively flat, but there are some rolling hills along the course. I thought the baggage buses were a great idea. Since the temperature was below freezing, some of the water station did ice over, but volunteers did have salt available and warned runners well ahead of time. I thought the crowd support was great, especially in Manayunk, which really helps when you start to hit The Wall. During the last half mile, the spectators really crowded the course, leaving very little room. I'd would have liked to have a bit more space to finish the race. At the end of the race, volunteers handed out space blankets, which I thought was an amazing idea, given that it was so cold. It was great that the food tent was for runners only, and the hot soup was perfect. Thanks so much to all the volunteers and spectators who braved the cold for us! | |
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J. F. from New Jersey
(12/30/2008)
"Great for first-time marathoners" (about: 2008)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I thought this was an excellent course for a first-time marathoner. My only complaint was that there were not enough port-o-potties along the course. There are plenty of hotels near the starting and finish lines, which made it easy for those staying over in the city. My tipsO: (1) make hotel and pre-race carb-loading dinner reservations early, and (2) because the race takes place in late Nov., be sure to dress appropriately (it can be very cold). |
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