Istanbul has a rich culture and history, making it a great destination to run a marathon. It is the only marathon that covers two continents, and running across the Bosporus … MORE
Istanbul has a rich culture and history, making it a great destination to run a marathon. It is the only marathon that covers two continents, and running across the Bosporus bridge – between Asia and Europe – was a highlight. The course has some inclines, both at the start and towards the finish – with the steepest being in the last 500 meters. Plenty of water stations with bottled water, and many with sponges, apples, bananas, and sugar cubes (no sport drinks). Route is mostly along the river, and while scenic, I don’t recall many prominent landmarks. It ends at the Hippodrome, fittingly the place of gladiators and chariot races. Very good crowd support in spots. Best part was experiencing Istanbul in the days leading up to the race, the food before and after, and treating myself to a post-race Turkish bath and massage. One hassle was that the exhibition hall to pick up the bib was a hard to reach by public transport, but we managed. Overall, a fun and unique cultural experience and a well-organized race where I did a personal best (after Vienna, Florence and NYC).
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Great destination marathon
Istanbul has a rich culture and history, making it a great destination to run a marathon. It is the only marathon that covers two continents, and running across the Bosporus … MORE
Istanbul has a rich culture and history, making it a great destination to run a marathon. It is the only marathon that covers two continents, and running across the Bosporus bridge – between Asia and Europe – was a highlight. The course has some inclines, both at the start and towards the finish – with the steepest being in the last 500 meters. Plenty of water stations with bottled water, and many with sponges, apples, bananas, and sugar cubes (no sport drinks). Route is mostly along the river, and while scenic, I don’t recall many prominent landmarks. It ends at the Hippodrome, fittingly the place of gladiators and chariot races. Very good crowd support in spots. Best part was experiencing Istanbul in the days leading up to the race, the food before and after, and treating myself to a post-race Turkish bath and massage. One hassle was that the exhibition hall to pick up the bib was a hard to reach by public transport, but we managed. Overall, a fun and unique cultural experience and a well-organized race where I did a personal best (after Vienna, Florence and NYC).
Good Experience
I went with Marathon Tours. I ran in Athens the week before. Istanbul is worth it if you like history. You stay steps from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia … MORE
I went with Marathon Tours. I ran in Athens the week before. Istanbul is worth it if you like history. You stay steps from the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia. I stayed at the Ottoman, and it had a distinct odor in the hallways.
Bag placement was actually dangerous due crowds and the nuances of the drop off location, again extremely crowded.
You start by running over the Bosphorus Strait. This bridge is awesome. There is not much crowd support during the race and there was no professional photography. You end the race steps from the hotels, and the crowd support at the end is worth it, kind of like a slim gauntlet for 200 yards.