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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 571 to 581]
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F. M. from The Beautiful Jersey Shore - NJ, USA
(11/21/2005)
"Great race, rough ending. I'd do it again." (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was a very enjoyable race. Many thanks to all the volunteers (and there were very many), I appreciate the hard work everyone must have put in. The only reason I make these comments is so that it is even better next year. There are a few things I would have done differently. There should have been 2 port-o-johns at each location, not one. The water/Gatorade tables were very well manned. The only food on the course was very late in the run. They provided Clif Bar brand gels which, not having had them before, I couldn't figure out how to open (some volunteers realized this and opened them for you, but not most). The last 6 miles were killer. I am not sure what it was but everyone I talked to said that they lost a great deal of time. There were no major hills. I think it may have been the repeated ups and downs of the small hills that killed me. I lost about 20 minutes in the last 6 miles myself. It was a good learning experience for the importance of pacing yourself. | |
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M. F. from New Jersey
(11/21/2005)
"Good course and great spectators. " (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 2 Philadelphia Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This was my 10th marathon and the second time I've run Philadelphia. The last time was in 1999 when it was my first marathon. I've run small (New Hampshire) and large (NYC) marathons and this one fits well between the two. It's big enough to generate excitement but small enough not to be overwhelming. The expo was hardly worth attending accept to get your race packet. Parking was difficult to find and there were no signs or any directions providing a clue as to where to park. There were no special exhibits, clinics, or speakers to make it the expo interesting. After getting the race packet it probably didn't take much more than 30 minutes to browse the vendor booths. So, on the good side, you won't have to worry about wearing yourself out at the expo. You can zip in and zip out. I arrived about 1 1/2 hours before the 8:00am start and, after a little searching, managed to find a parking spot about a 1/4 mile from the start area. The city relaxes the parking rules in area near the start so you don't have to pay meters or pay attention to timed parking restrictions. Though, you still can't park in no-parking or handicap zones. There are plenty pay parking garages nearby too. I found the port-o-johns near the start area freely accessible when I arrived. But the lines soon started growing as it approached 7:00am. By 7:30am it was clear there weren't enough port-o-johns (100) for the estimated 10,000 runners. When there are still lines of up to 50 people each waiting for only 4-5 toilets with 15 minutes to go before the start you know someone grossly underestimated what was needed. The start doesn't have special corrals. All runners are on their own to place themselves where they want to be at the start. So you can put yourself only a few seconds off the start line if you get there soon enough. The pace groups were easy to find and get to. The announcements were barely audible due to a poorly designed sound system (and I was only about 25 yards from the start line). If there were any special announcements about the course or race in general I missed them. The national anthem was half way through before I noticed it was being played (recording). The course was different from when I ran it in '99 and wasn't as flat as some would have you think. There were at least two significant hills that may slow your pace by 15-30 seconds unless you allow yourself to fly down the other side (and risk beating up your legs more than going up does). The course provides a nice variety of narrow downtown city streets in the first half and wide open road along the river on the out-and-back loop in the second half. The spectators aren't nearly as numerous as they are at NYC but that's okay. There are stretches of road where it's relatively quiet and you can concentrate on relaxing and using good form. The quiet also allows you time to think or let your mind wander. The crowds seemed to sprout up on regular intervals right when they're needed. Just as the screaming and cheering may become a bit overwhelming, it dies down and you can return to assessing your physical and mental progress. The crowd support at the turn-around point (20 miles) are awesome. Here, and when you're in front of the Art Musuem (13 miles and finish), you'll feel like you're on 1st Ave. at NYC or Boylston St. at Boston. They're very enthusiastic. There was only one port-o-john at each water station and each one I saw durng the second half had one or two people waiting for it. But there is ample brush/woods along this stretch of the road to duck into if necessary. As one person already stated, the finish was anti-climatic and even a bit tacky. I was handed my finisher's medal still folded up and in it's plastic package. You would think the race organizers could have at least unpacked all of the medals and had them ready to hand out. Is it too much to ask to be honored for finishing 26.2 miles by having someone drape the medal over my head or at least hand me the medal ready for me to put over my head. I had to fight a bit to get the medal out of the package. The medal itself isn't too impressive either. It doesn't appear that a lot of time and creativity went into its design. The hot chicken broth being served in the finisher's tent was a nice treat on this chilly day. The bananas, roll, water and soda were well appreciated too. But a bag to put it all in would have been nice. Instead, I had to juggle it all in my hands while trying to keep my Mylar blanket wrapped around me. Runner's aren't required to keep walking after exiting the finish area like at NYC. Instead, for better or worse, finishers are able to sit down on the ground near the finish or find a chair and table inside the finisher's tent. Overall, a good marathon event with a few details that need to be improved to take it to the top. | |
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John Ciferni from Langhorne, PA
(11/21/2005)
"Had to try it once and I'm sure I'll be back. " (General Comments)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 I grew up most my life in the Philadelphia area and over the past four years I ran the Broad Street Run, and the Philadelphia Half Marathon 4 times each. After applying for NYC Marathon this year and not getting selected via lottery I decided in early September to give Philly a go. I thought it would be the perfect year to do Philly. One of the positives about the race which I really liked was that it is not as crowded, but you still feel like your a part of a big event. After running NYC and Marine Corp last year much of the course was very crowded and you feel like you're consistently running into people. The weather was perfect marathon-running weather. I think the Marine Corp Marathon in late October when the weather can still be very mild in DC is too warm for running. When I ran NYC one year the weather was freezing and the other time in '03, it was very warm. November 20th in Philly seemed to be a perfect day for a marathon. Temps in the morning were mid-40's and in mid-50's by end of the race. Most of the course was fairly flat, which made it easier. Also, I noticed plenty of water stations spaced evenly throughout the race. The negatives: 1. Little or no potties along the way. 2. Water stations did not have any Advil or meds along the way. When running NYC, I remember getting Advil around mile 18 or so. 3. Although course was flat, it was boring after about mile 8. Most of the crowd support was in the first 8 miles where you need it the least. There was some support around 13-14 miles and again in miles 19-21 (still not a lot of support as compared to Marine Corp or NYC). Miles 15-19 were hard; also it's not much fun watching your competition who have already run and are on their way back to the finish. Miles 21-15 on the way back in to Philly were very hard as well, with little or no crowd support. I found myself getting pumped up about 25.5 miles in where the crowds were nearing the finish. If you thrive on crowd support, do a larger marthon like NYC or Chicago (so I hear at least, as I've never actually done Chicago). 4. The expo was nice but very small and they had very limited clothing with the Philadelphia Marathon logo on it. But then again there were only 6,000 runners in the marathon and I guess what can you expect from a smaller/mid-size marathon? They are not going to have the largest expo. Finally, I am glad I did Philly. I think it is a great race for more serious runners looking to get their best PR and not worried about the crowd support. I did happen to get my best PR in Philly. I do wish they would change the course somehow though; miles 15-16 in a loop up and down Kelly Drive, while scenic, is boring. Perhaps more through the city streets where crowds can gather would be better. | |
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M. C. from Pittsburgh
(11/21/2005)
"no frills in a big city" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon so take my ratings with a grain of salt. The good: I thought the crowd support was great. It's never going to be perfect all the way through. Even NY has parts where no one is out. The first half flies by. The course is more interesting with lots of twists and turns through different parts of the city. The last half is fairly monotonous, out and back. The turnaround at Manayunk provides a much needed break to head into the final 10K. I found the volunteers to be incredibly enthusiastic, helpful and friendly. The water stations were well organized and long enough so you didn't feel cramped. The bad: The post-race food left a lot to be desired - bananas, a kaiser roll and chicken soup. Pretty blah, I thought. How about at least some philly pretzels? Regardless, you can't make me feel negative about my first race. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Fortunately, I have a whole year to recuperate. | |
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S. J. from New Jersey
(11/21/2005)
"Great course, just the right number of hills" (about: 2005)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my second marathon. (I did the Marine Corp in 2003.) So my comments might be more geared towards beginner marathoners. I thought the course was great. Better than theMarine Corp for a first marathon. The first incline started around mile 7 but the main climb was at mile 9. Really not much of a hill being so early in the race. The next hills were really nothing. I think the mile 21 hill (overpass) took the wind out of my sails only because it was so late in the race. All in all, the hills really aren't a factor to worry about. The crowd support was just right. (Marine Corp support was a little overbearing.) It is a no-frills race though. No bands, no boom boxes, etc. I think if it weren't such a beautiful day there probably would have been a lot less crowd support. They really had plenty of porta-johns but if you waited until 5 minutes before the race to use one then you were screwed. You can get to the starting area at 7:00am and have plenty of time to get organized. At 7:00am there were no lines. Parking was plentiful and easy. I parked right in front of the starting line. The "no headphones" thing is ridiculous. I saw plenty of people wearing them. The water stops were narrow but plentiful. Gatorade started around mile five. Clif Shots at mile 18. (Mango, gross!) The out-and-back was very scenic and it was kind of cool seeing the leaders fly by. The one thing I would do differently would be start in the front. I was waiting for a john and ended up starting in the back of the pack. The roads are so narrow that it took me 6-7 miles before I could get through the crowd and at my normal pace without cutting and dodging in front and around slower runners. It's VERY crowded. I lost a lot of time here. The goodie bag was empty, the race shirt is boring and the race merchandise is lame. The expo was ok. Not sure why anyone would want to shop one anyway - everything is over priced. I stayed at the Embassy Suites 9000 Bartram by the airport. Easy 10-minute ride to the start, cheap, very nice hotel, good food and a complimentary 2-hour manager's happy hour every night (all you can drink). Sweet! If you want a good beginner course and don't care about the goodie bag or the food or the shirt, one where the logistics are a breeze, then this is it. This was a huge PR for me: 3:46 (30 minutes faster). I will definitely do this race again. | |
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k. a. from Queens, NY
(11/21/2005)
"Perfect day for a marathon" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I absolutely agree that the course was flat and fair, but the actual roadway was banked. PITA for people with IT band problems too. I ran a great race, but there were definitely things that could have been improved. The lack of port-a-johns was a big one. There were so few that the johns they did have were unusable in the later miles. The goody bag had nothing in it and the course map was really hard for spectators to understand. There also weren't a lot of spectators (except in Manayunk and near the art museum), and the people who were out watching needed a little encouragement to get them to make some noise. The volunteers did cheer for us though, and they were very positive at the many water stops. Some of them had tubs of vaseline, which was handy. I didn't mind the out-and-back course. Then at least we runners could cheer for each other! The weather was perfect, sunny and cool, and it was a great day for a marathon. | |
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J. D. from NYC
(11/20/2005)
"A little lonely" (about: 2005)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 In 2005, we had a nice day. Course was ok, not great. Porto-potties few and far between. Only one at most water stops (disadvantageous for women). Water stops were pretty good. Finish was a little anticlimatic(hard to explain, but felt that). Could have been a lack of enthusisam by they volunteers. My medal was tossed to me in the plastic package. Food was ok(banana, soda, kaiser rolls (a little weird). The expo was quick, but the vendors were not as interesting as in NYC or DC. No major sponsors seemed interested; very few giveaways so the expo held little interest. The race is for serious runners it seemed, which is fine, but lacked some of the spirit generated by more eccentric racers. | |
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D. P. from Pittsburgh PA
(11/20/2005)
"Beautiful day, beautiful course" (about: 2005)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 This was my first Philadelphia Marathon and I would highly recommend it. The course is generally flat and traverses some interesting areas of the city. November 20, 2005 was just about perfect weather conditions for marathon running, and I understand most previous editions have also been held in ideal weather. The drink stations were easy to traverse and there were timed mile markers for every mile. My only gripes were missing the start while waiting for the porta-john and at the finish, waiting 15 minutes for my warm-up gear to be found. More porta-johns and a more organized baggage claim area would have made this run perfect. | |
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l. b. from Princeton, NJ
(11/20/2005)
"More spectators" (about: 2005)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Between miles 14 and 18, there are next to no spectators. It is really quiet. Bleachers should be set up around mile 15, just after the bridge, to try to get spectators out there. On the way back, that would really help people finish hard too. | |
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T. C. from White Plains, NY
(11/20/2005)
"Great Marathon -- Knee Tendonitis Sufferers Beware" (about: 2005)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Philadelphia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I don't think I can add anything to the comments already posted on this website. This is a relatively flat, pretty, and very fast course. It's also a no-frills, well-organized race, with just the right number of participants. I just want to add my unique perspective. Over a year ago, I got knee tendonitis. After two months of therapy, I beat it. I trained all year, ran several 10Ks, half-marathons, did an olympic tri, and had no reoccurrence. I then ran Philadelphia. Even though the course itself is basically flat, the roadways are very, very sloped/concave. This means both legs are striking the ground at different impact points. It's hell on people who have a history of knee tendonitis. I only write this post to caution people like me -- by mile 22, I had to walk awhile. When I started running again, every step hurt. I sucked it up and still finished well (3:47, a PR) but could have done better. Hope this helps. This is an unsung but important feature of each marathon for persons like me. |
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