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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 251 to 261]
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C. P. from Philadelphia, PA
(11/29/2008)
"Great large marathon!" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 As someone who is tired of the hassles of NYC, Marine Corps, and Chicago, it's nice to run a fabulous marathon within steps of the hotel. The course was varied through city and park and was wonderful. Crowd support is very good and with only 18K runners, and finding family and other post-race logistics were much easier. Also, it is a bit chilly but much more favorable for running than any crap-shoot weather for an October marathon. I will be doing this race every year! | |
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L. r. from New Jersey
(11/28/2008)
"Will run this race again" (about: 2008)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Corrals filled up quickly and I had a hard time finding the pacers. I was under the impression that there were pacers every 15 minutes until 5 hours... but there were pacers at 4:30 and then at 5:00, and nothing in between. I did see a 5:30 pacer, though. What's up with that? It was a nice, scenic race, with great crowd support. There were a few more hills/inclines than expected, but it was good. I wasn't happy with the lack of water at the first water station. Someone had to yell and say they needed water because none was poured. I wound up pouring my own water. I was also not too happy about lack of mile markers at the end, and I didn't realize I was so close. Coming around the art museum area to the finish was difficult because of all of the people on the course. It got down to a single-file line, and I wanted to pass some people, but was unable to. All in all, I had a PR and will run this race again. | |
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T. K. from Richmond, VA
(11/28/2008)
"Great course, good race." (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Positives: Good expo with a convenient venue. The pasta buffet was tasty, but at $30 a person a bit pricey for pasta, chicken, cookies, and water. Also, the lines moved slow with self-service. Race shirt: Technical shirt is always a plus, but because it is black, I can't safely wear it in the pre-dawn hours. Race day: Excellent bag check, and pre-race staging area. The corrals were too tight, though. I echo others' comments on starting on time, particularly when the wind chill has the temps below 20. I also agree that it was a good idea to salt the roads at the water stop areas, but it should have been done at all of them. Parts of the course had great fan support, particularly Manayunk, but other parts of the river were desolate. Spectators at the finish area really made that area tight - course marshals need to do a better job of keeping them back to ensure enough room for runners. The timing devices were also decent; I like not having to worry about turning them back in, but they were a bit sporadic about sending results on the course. The post-race area was decent. I really liked the apple juice, but things were a bit disorganized. | |
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K. D. from Washington DC
(11/28/2008)
"Fast course with a few problems" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 Overall, a pretty good race. The high quality of runners help pull you along on this fast course with good crowd support, even with the 7 a.m. start. The course does have a few climbs, but none that are too bad. However, there were a few problems with organization, including the first 10 mile markers being misplaced. That's totally unsatisfactory for a major marathon! Also they continue to have problems with the results for the second straight year. Times was 5 or 6 minutes off, which should not happen for a "chip" race. My friend ran a 2:59, but they listed his time as 3:05. Still, I would recommend the race to anyone looking to PR. | |
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E. G. from Annapolis, MD
(11/27/2008)
"Good Experience" (about: 2008)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Philly was my 6th Marathon (New York, National DC, Baltimore, New Jersey, and Richmond are the others). Overall, I thought the course was great and had a good time. I would rank this #3 on my list, behind New York and Baltimore. Below are the pros and cons: Pros: - Nice course; there's always something to look at and a good amount of crowd support. - The out-and-back didn't bother me much; it had good scenery and was laid back. Plus, depending on your speed, you get to see the lead pack. - MANAYUNK - this is one cool town that saved me. I was dying for some food on the course and these folks had beer, brownies, doughnuts, rolls... this place was heaven! - Bag drop off was simple. - Post-race food was good... but they moved you through and gave you plenty. - Close parking... if you get there early. - Expo was fine... nice race shirt. Cons: - No food at any of the water stations. This is not typical... at least have some pretzels, oranges, or something at the upper-teen water stations. I was actually going to make a pit stop at a convenience store, but then Manayunk came around. - I agree with the previous comment about handing medals out still in the plastic... not a big deal, but a simple fix. - The first 4 miles are jammed packed. I was running on the sidewalk until about mile 5. - The porta-potties along the course were few and far between. They all had lines at them... even the later ones. Staying Overnight Note: I registered late, so I was unable to get a hotel downtown (for a reasonable price). Not a big deal, because I got a good rate at the Sheraton Suites by the airport ($120 total)... really nice rooms. I left the hotel around 4:45 a.m. and was parked about 3 blocks from the start around 5:05 a.m. (street parking was free). I wouldn't push it much further, as spots were being grabbed. It gives you time to prep and sleep a little in the car. There are no 24-hour convenience stores along the way either, so make sure to stock up the night before. | |
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J. C. from Boston, MA
(11/27/2008)
"A good marathon loses some of its luster" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Philadelphia Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 This was my first time back at Philly after a few years away due to a pesky injury. I used to rave about this race, telling anyone who would listen that it is ideal because of its late November start (providing excellent marathon-running weather), its relatively flat topography (providing a good shot at a PR) and the relative ease of getting to the start (no Boston- or New York-style logistics). These traits were certainly true back when I first ran the race in the 1990s. But they are not so true anymore. First, though, I want to point out the good stuff: - Great volunteers. I never had a problem accessing water or Gatorade at a water stop. They deserve plenty of credit for standing out there for hours in sub-freezing temps this year. - The scene in Manayunk. It's nice to see Boston marathon-style festivities, even on a freezing cold day. I was still a bit surprised when someone handed me a cup and it was filled with beer. I probably should have swallowed it; it might have made the last few miles along the river a little less painful. - The start wasn't as chaotic as it could have been, given all of the runners who were preregistered. While it's nowhere near as simple as it was in the pre-half-marathon days, starting the half and full marathon runners in separate corrals seems to have worked. I was shooting for a 6:30 pace, and I had no interference after I crossed the start line. That said, I miss the days when you could show up with just a few minutes to go before the race start and still get a nice spot at the starting line. - Nice T-shirt. It was a long-sleeve, black, lightweight shirt with a clean design - perfect for cold-weather workouts. I liked the old cotton ones, but I already have quite a few. - Good food spread. I liked that they had plenty of bags, so I just took what I needed and munched as I walked back to my hotel. The bad: - The addition of the half marathon a few years ago has changed the nature of the race. While having more runners means more spectators and also more folks to run with (and I assume it brings in more money), on balance, the half-marathon has had a negative effect on the marathon. - What was up with the mile splits in the first five miles? Mine were all over the map, ranging from 5:10 to 7:15. I didn't change pace that dramatically (nor did I run a 5:10 mile), and I heard some grumbling from other runners near me. It seemed like the miles were right after mile 5, but getting the pace right in the first few miles is crucial. Maybe the poorly placed mile markers had something to do with the last-minute change that kept us off South Street (one of my favorite parts of the course). The race organizers blamed paving work and inclement weather for the detour; if that's the case, city officials should have been more considerate of a race that brings thousands of runners to the city. - Ensuring that the half-marathon finish is near the 13 mile-mark of the marathon clearly led the organizers to add a relatively steep uphill and downhill at mile 14. The change also necessitated a significant shortening of the loop by the Horticulture Center (another one of my favorite parts), leaving runners little time to recover from the hill at mile 9 before plunging down the backside. There are certainly much harder road marathons out there, but I no longer consider Philly to be the PR-setting course it once was. -The weather has never been colder than 40 degrees at the start in the times that I've done it before 2008. But this time it was 28 degrees, and volunteers were warning runners about the black-ice slicks that had formed from discarded water at the water stops (starting at least at mile 10). The organizers can't control the weather, but they can control the start time. As glorious as the sunrise looks on the Philadelphia skyline, the start time of any late-November race in the Northeast shouldn't be 7 a.m. It was at a later time in the previous years I ran the race, which probably contributed to the warmer temps at the start (and a little extra sleep never hurts, either). Will I be back next November? Maybe. The course itself is still a strong one, a nice balance of urban and park-like settings. But it's not the excellent race that got me hooked on marathon running a decade ago. | |
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J. K. from New York, NY
(11/27/2008)
"Like it!" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The Philadelphia Marathon takes you through the best parts of Philly: the historic district downtown, beautiful Fairmont Park, along the Schuylkill River, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art (for the finish). This year was super cold - in the teens with the windchill, but many fans still toughed it out and cheered for hours. The volunteers were great! Great swag in the form of a black tech t-shirt that states, "I kicked asphalt" and a super medal to commemorate the 15th anniversary made this a great experience. I recommend this race. Oh yes, they serve chicken soup at the finish line! | |
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J. H. from NJ
(11/27/2008)
"Great race and city - let Rocky pull you through" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I actually think the organization at this event was very good. The race will have about 18,000 people, so expect congestion for the first few miles. It wasn't a big issue that the half and full share the start. I agree that it was a bit chilly. The volunteers I saw at the aid stations were vocal on the ice, and putting cardboard down. I recognize temps were 20 degrees below normal. The course has a few inclines, but none are too long or steep. This is a good BQ course. The last out-and-back was long, but the good news is that you know the last 6 miles and can feed off of the faster runners that made the turn before you. The course gives you a great feel of the soul of the city. Spectators were tight in the last stretch, but it makes you feel like you're in the Tour de France.... | |
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h. p. from USA
(11/26/2008)
"well done" (about: 2008)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 Despite the frigid weather conditions (which obviously the organizers can not control), I thought the race was very well done. The course is not as "flat and fast" as advertised; it is, at points, quite hilly. However, I did enjoy the crowds, the scenery along the river, and at times, the challenge of the many hills. I did not mind the start with the half marathoners, either. I enjoyed the out-and-back portion, as it helped to create more of a "crowd" to run with. Well done, Philly. I would do this race again. PS. The chicken broth at the end of the race was a great idea, too. | |
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J. G. from Secane Pa
(11/26/2008)
"running and chillin'" (about: 2008)
4-5 previous marathons
| 4-5 Philadelphia Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Overall, a very enjoyable run. It's very scenic, with plenty of diversions. I have to give thanks to all of the spectators and volunteers - it was cold! Warm chicken broth at the finish was great. My only complaint was running on cobblestones for about a block (about 3 miles in). I certainly would recommend (and have recommended) this race. |
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