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Sep 20, 2024

Philadelphia Marathon Runner Comments

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Course 4.3

Organization 3.6

Spectators 3.8

Number of comments: 749 [displaying comments 231 to 241]

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E. P. from Brooklyn (12/22/2008) "Not a bad race, needs some improvement" (about: 2008) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I'm originally from Philly, so I knew what to expect as far as hills on the course were concerned, and frankly, I was thrilled to have Kelly Drive closed to traffic, and all mine. I train in Central Park, so hills are no problem, and the weather is just normal late fall weather. I agree that the ice at water stations was inexcusable, since it is very easy to wipe out, however the volunteers were so cheerful and helpful. I was loudly made aware of the icy conditions at every single water stop, which was appreciated. I'm used to NYRR events, where the volunteers barely acknowledge you, so this was a nice change. And the half-marathoners and walkers? I really don't know if I've ever run a race where this wasn't an issue. Lining up in the wrong corral is what inexperienced runners do. They don't know any better, and while there should have been volunteers enforcing this, I've just resigned myself to their presence. My only real complaint is that there really should be food or gels way before mile 20. Granted, as an experienced long distance runner, I should have my nutrition down, and not rely on race food, but I was having a very bad day, and had to start taking my own gels by mile 6 (I know, ridiculous), so I soon ran out. I really don't think it's too much to ask to have food and gel at, say, mile 14 or 15. As it was, I very nearly attacked the several spectators I saw holding soft pretzels. Gimme a pretzel, already! I love the technical shirt; it's easily the nicest race shirt I've received, and the chicken soup was genius, even though I'm vegetarian. Oh well. If you have done your training, and know what you are about, you should have a great race here. I fully admit that I would have had a better race if I had not been sick. But then again, I'm not trying to qualify for Boston, so maybe you should ignore me. I'm not exactly competitive. Oh, and Manayunk is awesome. Next year maybe I will feel better and actually drink some beer.
L. M. from Boston, MA (12/20/2008) "Great city, OK course, poor organization" (about: 2008) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 3 It always amazes me how many people complain and criticize a race, and then give it 4 or 5 stars. It just doesn't make sense. If you are from a warmer climate, then I can understand why you would complain about the cold, and if you've only run a few marathons, then I can understand why you might consider this one to be "organized." However, I think that this marathon deserves 2-3 stars. Here is why... Good: + Great shirt! I actually ran with the shirt as an under-layer, as I forgot another one. That was the first time I ever ran a race in that race's shirt. + The expo was good. If you think that this one is crowded, try Boston. + Mostly a flat, fast course. + Limiting the post-race tent to runners only. There is nothing worse then having to navigate through strollers and family members after running 26.2 miles. + Philly is a great city, but I guess that I shouldn't give the marathon credit for that. Bad: - The lack of road closure before the race was dangerous. There was a wave of people, myself included, walking to the start from hotels located around mile 1. The street that we were walking on was part of the course, and therefore closed. But the side streets were not closed, and no one realized it until the cars were running us down! They should have had some police there to manage the traffic and pedestrians. The best part was that there was an officer sitting in his nice, warm SUV at one point, talking on his cell phone, while unsuspecting runners were nearly getting run over. It was bad. - Was I the only one who didn't realize that it was a wave start? I had no idea. So instead of getting to the start just in time to run, after a nice warm-up jog from my hotel, I had to wait 30 minutes (for a late start and one wave ahead of me). - There was absolutely NO corral management. This is always a bad idea, especially for a wave start. Most people were starting at least one wave too early. - The icy water stops were a first for me. I can understand if a runner coming from FL doesn't expect the cold weather, but you would think that the Philly-resident race organizers would have been a little more prepared for it. I hope that they learned their lesson and will bring salt next year. - The medals were still in their wrapping? That's just plain cheesy. Alright: * The course is indeed flat and fast, and that is great. But I'm not a big fan of the out-and-back along the same road. I hate running by waves of people who are 8 miles ahead of me. It's worse than chasing a dangling carrot. * The fan support was mediocre, but I'll give them a pass given the FRIGID temperature. The last half mile, which normally makes the entire race worth it, was extremely quiet. We actually had to do lots of jumping and waving to get anyone to cheer for us. I'm figuring that a fun city like Philly would have a better performance on a nicer day. Sorry, Philadelphia Marathon, but I have to be honest, and you just don't stack up in terms of organization. Marine Corps, Twin City, OKC Memorial, Disney, etc. were all better organized.
K. A. from Boston, MA (12/14/2008) "Great race for a first-timer or Boston qualifier!" (about: 2008) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 In short, the Philly Marathon was a well run race with a great course, but a little light on fan support. Volunteers and water stops were plentiful, although some stops did ice over around the 2:45 mark due to the unexpected cold. The expo was well-stocked with vendors and runners, with plenty of room to move and relatively short lines. Race start was cold but fast due to the waves, with the heating tents a nice touch before the race went off. The first half of the marathon had great fans and scenery, while the second half was a little lighter on fans with some unexpected hills (although you can call almost anything a hill after 18). I will definitely run this marathon again (especially as a Boston qualifier).
S. P. from Memphis, TN (12/6/2008) "A good race" (about: 2008) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The best part of this race is the scenery. We saw a variety of the best parts of the city. it was well organized and I saw very few glitches, which I always think is remarkable for any marathon, given the extent to which races must rely on volunteers and municipal employees. They were great here, as they are at most races. The course is flat with the exception of miles 7-10, a hill at mile 14 and several hills at miles 19-21 in Manayunk. I had a particularly hard time in Manayunk, but that might happen at mile 19-21 in any race, and I managed to qualify for Boston anyway. A runner planning to run Philly needs to be prepared for some hills there. They're not big, so if you know when and where they're coming you can better deal with them. If I could change anything, I would find a way to eliminate the short side trip away from Kelly (?) Drive at mile 14, in order to avoid the hill. I would recommend this as a fun race in a great city.
M. C. from Arlington, MA (12/6/2008) "Much improved from 2006" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Philadelphia Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I will forever love Philly... not only is it the city I grew up in, but after 8 serious attempts I FINALLY got my BQ (by 21 seconds). The course is great. I LOVE the out-and-back. The last 6 miles suck no matter what they look like, and I find the out-and-back is a nice place to zone out since you know what is coming. There is nothing worse than not knowing what is around the bend when you're struggling. Not to mention it is fun to see the leaders and all of the people behind you, who were great cheerleaders for the 3:40 pace group, mostly women under 35 like myself. The expo, shirt and medal were great, though I agree that the medal should have been unwrapped before being presented to us. When you are as excited as I was to finish a marathon (haven't been that excited since my first), and you want to get that medal on as quick as possible, you don't want to deal with plastic. I love the "Kicked Asphalt" theme, because I felt that was what I did... even if the asphalt has been kicking me back for the last 2 weeks. The finish was easy to navigate. My family, who have spectated 11 out of the 12 marathons I have done, was shocked at how quickly I emerged from the finishers' area. And I was shocked at how quickly I was in the car, on my way home to a hot shower. The school bus baggage buses like we have in Boston were a great idea. The food was good, especially the chicken broth. What needs improvement: The website was challenging to navigate. I have many running friends who wanted to track me either by cell phone or live tracking. While this was available, it was not easy to find on the website, even for fellow runners. In addition, I really wanted to confirm my BQ, as I only made it by 20 seconds. When I checked late that night, the results were there, but you had to click on 2007 results to find them. While they can't control the weather (and I personally prefer the cold as I live in Boston), knowing how cold it was going to be, they should have been better prepared at the water station with salt. It was very treacherous! The mile markers were off, and while this is unacceptable, I expected it, as they were off in 2006. I came prepared with my Garmin, so I knew exactly where I was. I agree with the person who said that the aid stations that were supposed to have gels were off. I had checked the night before and decided to carry one fewer, since there were going to be 3 gel stations (I do love that they have Clif Shots though!). As it turned out, I also dropped a gel at mile 12 and didn't have the time to retrieve it - so I ended up having 2 fewer than I'd normally carry. I could have used some sooner than it was offered. The aid station between 3 and 4 was poorly placed, in the curve of a u-turn. This causes massive congestion. The wave start is a great idea, but we found it a) hard to get into our corral and b) with numbers just over 3000, we expected to be in wave 2. When wave 1 went off, we expected to have 10 minutes before we went and the next thing we knew we were running along with wave 1. Jumping over the median in the first mile was poor planning. The 7 a.m. start is just plain silly. Overall, this marathon has come a very LONG way. This race is so much improved from 2006, when the baggage buses were asked to leave and we had to leave our bag on the side of the road with a stranger, there was NO food at the end for even a 4-hour marathoner because the spectators had eaten all of it, and the expo was in a tent, not to mention many other problems. I was glad to see they ditched American Express. Even with the 4 hills, which really aren't even hills when you come from Boston, this race is FAST and enjoyable. I love the fact that it is in November as it precludes from hot weather. I imagine I will be back and if I'm not (I plan to have kids soon), it will always be one of my favorites.
D. R. from Pennsylvania (12/5/2008) "I'll be back" (about: 2008) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 I agree with some other posters that complaining about cold weather in the NE is foolish. The icy patches at water stations, however, are a different story. Some spots had salt; others did not. The website has a lot to be desired, including its lack of information regarding the course profile. The RD also stank at returning queries. My partner ran the 8K and the results remain inaccurate. Race officials were slow to correct the error, and he went from 2nd in AG to 3rd. Expo was cramped; PRD is better organized. Shirt? Very cool. Medals? Take them outta the bag! Food tent? A nightmare. I'll do it again strictly for the course.
M. K. from New York City (12/4/2008) "Beautiful City of Philadelphia" (about: 2008) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Philadelphia Marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This was my second Philadelphia Marathon, the first being 2005. This year was a major improvement from 2005. The expo was indoors at the convention center instead of an outdoor tent by the art museum, as in 2005. The expo itself was good for a mid-size marathon. Lots of the usual vendors but barely any race souvenirs, and no finishers' souvenirs. I like to wear something that says I finished the marathon. The long-sleeve runners shirt was great addition instead of a cotton t-shirt. The weather was cold - 25 degrees at the start - but that cannot be helped. The corrals were not heavily enforced, basically the honor system. The wave starts were a good idea but not published on the web site or marathon guide. I only found out about the wave starts on a small sign when picking up my number at the expo. I like the disposable timing chip. It makes it much easier after the race (hopefully NYC notices this). The course has a few more hills than I remembered. The hill in university area was long and some places steep. Due to the cold weather, there were not many fraternities from Drexel out cheering, which I missed. There was also a big hill at mile 14 that was unexpected. The fans and volunteers out on the course are great. In Center City, many fans are out and in the university area. The fans in Manayunk are by far the best along the course. Their spirit gets you over the Wall at mile 20. Some were giving out free beer and snacks. By far the best are the brownies that many give out. Since it was so cold that day, the gels at the gel station at around mile 19 were frozen. Luckily I noticed the brownies. They basically got me through the last 6 miles. The water stations had icing problems that could not be avoided, but the volunteers tried their best to warn the runners and put down some cardboard to help. That was greatly appreciated. The crowd gets tight around the final turn by the finish line; not much crowd control, but no real problems. The post-race food was excellent, especially the warm chicken broth and pretzels. Maybe an authentic Philly cheese steak next year? That would really hit the spot after a long run. The medal was great; maybe try a Rocky theme one year. One note: please take the medal out of the bag and place it around the runners' necks. This slight gesture makes for a great reward for the runner. I actually spent the week in Philadelphia and took in some of the major sights. Some recommendations for tourists beside the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. Visit the Eastern State Penitentiary north of the art museum and the Constitution Museum by the Liberty Bell. The Thanksgiving Day parade was also great Overall, it is a excellent late season marathon - not too large or took small. The weather can be unpredictable. I highly recommend the Philadelphia Marathon.
D. L. from Yardley, PA, US (12/4/2008) "Good experience, but still needs to improve" (about: 2008) 2 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Well, I waited long enough that pretty much everything has been said by now in the other comments. This was my first Philly Marathon (2nd overall) and I didn't have a great day on the course, but I really enjoyed the experience overall. Here's my breakdown: The Good: - Spectators! I thought there was a perfect mix of crowded and quiet areas along the course. The spectators were very numerous throughout the first half of the course. The second half was more sparse, but I'm used to the solitude of running, and the fans in Manayunk were AMAZING!! The Manayunk folks EASILY outshined all of the other spectators on the course with their support, cheering, etc. They are truly fantastic and make this marathon worth running! - The expo: There were lots of complaints about this in the past, but this year it was held at the Philly Convention Center and was flawless, in my opinion. I parked for free on the street about three blocks away. Inside, the organization was perfect. - Volunteers! I can't say enough about the hundreds of superb volunteers. Philadelphia should be very proud of its citizens who turned out in force to give their time and enthusiasm toward making this a memorable experience for all. - Bag Check: this worked perfectly. Please don't change a thing. - The course. MOST of the course is great: attractive, varied, all over the city, etc. There is only one huge drawback, which I will address below.... The Bad: - The Announcer at the start line was REALLY, REALLY annoying. Oh, and did I mention he was annoying? (By the way, he was annoying.) - As much as I wish I could be enthusiastic about the half marathoners, it really is frustrating to have them clog up the start of the race. I agree with the prevalent suggestion to start the half marathon AFTER the full by 30 minutes or so. It just isn't fair to those setting out to run the full distance. I started in one of the quicker corrals, and STILL passed walkers by mile 3 or 4. Not cool. I also went out too quickly to try to "get ahead" of some of the crowd. I paid dearly for that decision by the end of the race. Aside from the start though, I can't really understand the complaints about "watching the half marathoners finish and having to keep going another 13 miles, etc..." Look. Either you're trained to run 26.2 miles or you're not - keep your eyes on the prize and stop complaining about those who are finished or are ahead of you. - Weather/Ice: Yeah - you read all the other comments. I'm NOT a cold-weather runner, and temps below 30 throughout the race were therefore pretty unpleasant. I was FROZEN SOLID by the end of the race. - Non-runners in the finish area. There should be a very large "runners only" area. Plain and simple. Get the friends and family OUT OF THERE. Too crowded and very frustrating. The Ugly: - Misplaced Split markers over the first five miles. Here is what I think happened: Mile 1, OK. Mile 2, missing; I don't think there was any clock or marker at this point, which made it pretty tough to adjust my pace at this critical part of the race. Mile 3, OK. Mile 4, totally off, and too far beyond Mile 3 by about a quarter mile (1.3 or so after Mile 3). Mile 5, OK and back on track, I think. ANYWAY, this should NEVER have happened and should be corrected beyond all doubt for future years. - The course: I know I mentioned this above under "The Good" - and that's because it is pretty great overall. However, as many others have said: THIS COURSE IS NOT FLAT BY ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION. For those who train on hills, no problem. I run flat ONLY, as my knees get rapidly cranky over even smallish hills. I chose this marathon specifically because it was advertised as FLAT. It is NOT flat. I repeat: NOT FLAT. If you need a flat course (like I do) then look elsewhere. Overall, I had a pretty poor race, and finished well off my goal time. Still, the sheer thrill of finishing a marathon will push me to come back someday and try this challenging course again, despite the hills. At least I'll know in advance what I'm getting into. A huge THANKS to the spectators and volunteers. You folks made it a great day!
J. S. from New York, NY (12/3/2008) "Pretty good, but organization could be better" (about: 2008) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Philadelphia was my first marathon and it was a great experience to complete it in my goal time. Though I haven't run a marathon before, I'm basing my feedback on the many shorter races I've done in NYC. Pros - Easy to register - Expo and bib pick-up were easy - A beautiful second half of the course that winds down the Schyukill River - On the second half, which is an "out-and-back" route, you could see faster and slower runners coming and going, which makes for good people watching to pass the time (but see the "con" below) - The finish line was tightly crowded with cheering spectators and it was such a rush to run through - I'll never forget that feeling - Bag drop-off and pickup was very easy and organized - Hot chicken soup at the end was heavenly on this bitterly cold day (28 degrees at start!) - Email alerts to friends/family worked great. New sticker "chip" was pretty cool, too. - Manayunk spectators were amazing for coming out on such a cold day. They were so excited to see the runners and were offering beer, brownies, bread, etc. Cons - Biggest disappointment: corrals and wave starts were completely disorganized and not enforced whatsoever. Most of the runners looked confused and there were no volunteers around to answer questions. We were stuck behind half-marathoners, 8Kers and walkers and had to make our way around them for the first 5 miles or so. - Mile markers in the beginning were not correctly spaced! - First 10 miles are not very scenic - No half-marathon split time!!! - First water stop was a mess - they had run out of filled water cups, so volunteers were pouring water while runners waited (we did not stop). - The second half of the course is a straight out-and-back with a turnaround which is extremely hard to deal with psychologically. I ran miles 20-26 (after the turnaround) much faster than miles 14-20. - Not enough bathrooms at start - I waited over 20 min. Bathrooms on race course were few and far between. - Ideally, could have used more support - music, spectators, etc., or anything to keep you going for 26.2!
R. g. from philadelphia (12/2/2008) "Not bad, Philly" (about: 2008) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Philadelphia Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was marathon #7 for me, and my first time running what is technically my hometown race. Be aware that there are some hills to deal with in the first half of this race. Overall, my experience was positive and I recommend this race. I didn't reach my race goal, but still PRed. I'll sum it up with pros/cons: Pros: (1) Scenic, enjoyable course, which shows off the city in a positive way. (2) Organization was adequate overall. (3) No complaints about the post-race food, medal or t-shirt. (4) Good crowd support, particularly in Center City and Manayunk. Cons: (1) Course elevation information was not provided on the website. (2) It was crowded at the start and congested for the first 5 miles or so. There could be better control of the corral start. (3) It was very cold, which resulted in icy road conditions at the water stations. No forethought to de-ice the areas. Personally, I think it's a bit too late in the season to run a Northeast marathon, but I would rather be too cold than too hot. (4) The spacing of some of the water stations seemed to be off. (5) Finally, after I finished, I heard the race announcer say that the male and female winners were both from the country of "Ukrainia." I heard him say this about 3-4 times in the span of 10-15 minutes, so nobody even bothered to correct him in that time (obviously it's the "Ukraine"). I thought this was somewhat of an embarrassment for the city.

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