Got there about 1 hour before race time. We parked down the street less than half a mile from start line at the Franklin Institute. High recommend. Paid $25 and … MORE
Got there about 1 hour before race time. We parked down the street less than half a mile from start line at the Franklin Institute. High recommend. Paid $25 and tons of parking available.
Immediately hit the porta-potties that had no line at all. Did my warm-up and then they lined us up. No real space to do strides just within the coral. If you left the corral, it would be difficult to work your way back inside. So, make sure you are warmed up good before entering corral.
The race itself: First 5 miles you are in the city just one big loop because the 7K runners take off same time. As the 7K finishes within the city, HM go straight to the outskirts. Overall good Philly city scenary. Miles 5-9 were mostly flat and down hill with only one slight uphill (less than 150m). During these miles you go down a big hill which was good because in my mind i knew we had to go back up it so paid attention to the tough spots. Mile 10 is the uphill, which by the way is tough but it’s not all that tough its about 200m long and steep. You just need to push through it. I was in about 20th place and a lot of people just gave up. You are rewarded for climbing it because once you do it’s all flat and downhill coming in. Good crowds last 2 miles. Will do again. I liked the course, the crowds and it was rather organized. Good amounts of coffee food trucks and food at the start line as well as beer.
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PR or DNF Your Choice
Got there about 1 hour before race time. We parked down the street less than half a mile from start line at the Franklin Institute. High recommend. Paid $25 and … MORE
Got there about 1 hour before race time. We parked down the street less than half a mile from start line at the Franklin Institute. High recommend. Paid $25 and tons of parking available.
Immediately hit the porta-potties that had no line at all. Did my warm-up and then they lined us up. No real space to do strides just within the coral. If you left the corral, it would be difficult to work your way back inside. So, make sure you are warmed up good before entering corral.
The race itself: First 5 miles you are in the city just one big loop because the 7K runners take off same time. As the 7K finishes within the city, HM go straight to the outskirts. Overall good Philly city scenary. Miles 5-9 were mostly flat and down hill with only one slight uphill (less than 150m). During these miles you go down a big hill which was good because in my mind i knew we had to go back up it so paid attention to the tough spots. Mile 10 is the uphill, which by the way is tough but it’s not all that tough its about 200m long and steep. You just need to push through it. I was in about 20th place and a lot of people just gave up. You are rewarded for climbing it because once you do it’s all flat and downhill coming in. Good crowds last 2 miles. Will do again. I liked the course, the crowds and it was rather organized. Good amounts of coffee food trucks and food at the start line as well as beer.
Well run, solid race
Organization was good. T-shirt was great, especially the women’s cut tee shirt. The post race finish video was outstanding!!!! Expo was pretty small. Weather was soooo cold for this Florida-gal. … MORE
Organization was good. T-shirt was great, especially the women’s cut tee shirt. The post race finish video was outstanding!!!! Expo was pretty small. Weather was soooo cold for this Florida-gal. Post race was jam-packed … I couldn’t handle it in the cold so didn’t stay – can’t comment on the quality of the party. 3 hills, 1 longggg one; none unmanageable.
Great spring race in Philly
Flat course (apart from crossing a bridge twice), beautiful city tour of Philly, great production, good swags (medal, nice T-shirt which runs small, mug, and beer). Perfect weather. MORE
Flat course (apart from crossing a bridge twice), beautiful city tour of Philly, great production, good swags (medal, nice T-shirt which runs small, mug, and beer). Perfect weather.
Love the Love Run
I enjoy visiting Philadelphia and enjoy larger, urban races so this one was on my bucket list. I decided to do it this year but two reasons. The first is … MORE
I enjoy visiting Philadelphia and enjoy larger, urban races so this one was on my bucket list. I decided to do it this year but two reasons. The first is I was looking for a double half weekend and this worked perfect with First State Half in Delaware and the second is the Bruins were playing the Flyers in the afternoon on Saturday. There is no race day packet pick-up but luckily there is the option to pay to have your packet mailed before hand as I could not go to packet pick-up and the game. However if I was not going to the hockey game there would be plenty of time to get my packet on Saturday after the race in Delaware. There was good pre-race communication and a helpful athlete guide. One thing I appreciated is they communicated when the packets were mail, when to expect it and what to do if you didn’t receive it leaving out a lot of the stress of worrying if it gets lost in the mail. It came on time and included a nice polyblend shirt with a cool design. I heard they ran small in other reviews so I got a size up and it fits well maybe a bit big which is better than tight. I stayed outside the city to make driving to Delaware easier but was about a 15 to 20 minute drive from the start. They did give directions for where you can park but as I know maneuvering around Philly the morning of a big race can be a pain I just took an uber to and from the race. This was less stressful but it was a chilly morning so it’d have been nice to have a warm car to wait in. The race starts and finishes near the Rocky stairs in the same area ever race I’ve done in Philadelphia starts and finishes. The race area was set up nice and porta potty lines were shorter than usual for a race this size. There was close to 10000 runners between the half and 7K. The only issue is I wish there was someplace warm. Weather was at least sunny and much better than yesterday but there was some wind and it was about 10 degrees colder. There is a big start corral and you are assigned waves by predicted times. It takes about 30 minutes for everyone to be through so it’s not too tight with so many runners. The first approximately 4 miles are through the city and pass a lot of landmarks including the LOVE sign. I liked that this varied and was not just the river path the other two races I did in Philly were. The 7K shares this part and honestly all the best parts were shared with the 7K so if you aren’t a crazy half fanatic this a race where you won’t be missing out much doing the shorter distance. Then at around the 4.5 mile mark the half go on the typical river path whereas the 7Kers go to the finish line. The next section is similar to the Hot Chocolate 15K and Rocky Run course I have done. It is not as iconic or urban but it is pleasant. Well that is until the end where there are some big hills. The course is overall relatively easy and I’d say a bit below average for a half but all the hills are in the later miles which is the worst place for them. Oh well I wasn’t really looking to PR today. The race is very well organized and there were lots of aid stations with water, Nuun and a few had Gu. It was very well marked and streets were closed. There were a good amount of spectators though it wasn’t like Richmond or OKC where there were spectators everywhere. This course has a stated time limit of 3:30 though they don’t seem strict at all. On the out and back section of the river path there was a sweeper behind the last participants who were definitely walking at a slower pace than needed to make 3:30 and I saw the aid stations didn’t get shut down until they passed and there were finishing times slightly over 4:00 so this seemed very back of the pack friendly. There were a good number of back of the packets. However I did notice there weren’t quite as many back of the packers as some similar urban races with a 4 hour time limit such as Pasadena or Memphis St Jude so it wasn’t quite a party at the back vibe. My finishing time was okay. I just wanted to be under 3:30 which I was. There is an announcer at the finish line and the medal is really nice. I did think the finish line could be set up a little better and it’s my only production complaint. I didn’t see water bottles. I had a handheld one so didn’t really look. There was a tent with food. The food was an interesting assortment of snacks and I can’t say was my favorite snack bag but almost all of it was vegan. There were also some food trucks including a Monster Energy Drink Truck which I needed for my long drive home. Half marathoners also got a mug which you could pick up after the race. Overall I thought this was a very good race and probably my favorite half I’ve done in PA although I also really loved Gettysburg. If you like larger, urban races this is definitely a great choice for PA. I’d consider doing it again though I think I will be even colder in Antarctica next year
Fun in a great city
A really well-organized run even with over 12000 participants. Booking a hotel through the race website was easy and provided a lot of perks (late check out, cheaper parking and … MORE
A really well-organized run even with over 12000 participants. Booking a hotel through the race website was easy and provided a lot of perks (late check out, cheaper parking and overall cheaper rate). Swag was great and really unique. Loved getting a coffee mug as well as a shirt. Expo was smaller than I expected (but fine). Starting and Finishing near the “Rocky Stairs” made for great photo shoots! Fairly flat course until one near the end (when your tired!) Plenty of aid stations.
Probably not running this one in 2024
I have no issues with this race from beginning to end except for the actual course. The hills on this race were ridiculous and could have been very easily avoided … MORE
I have no issues with this race from beginning to end except for the actual course. The hills on this race were ridiculous and could have been very easily avoided by the race coordinators. I was looking forward to running this again in 2024 but the hills just suck whatever life you have remaining out of you. The Philadelphia Distance Run (Half Marathon) appears to have cracked the code and extended the run past the 8 mile point to avoid making people run up hills elsewhere on the course. I was looking to set a PR but as soon as I saw the hills I knew that I was SOL. Everyone wants to run a flat race. Leave the hills to the Spartan races.
Philly Love
What can I say? Philly always show the love and support on the course. I ran the Rocky Run last year, but I will say although the courses are similar, … MORE
What can I say? Philly always show the love and support on the course. I ran the Rocky Run last year, but I will say although the courses are similar, the Love Run Course is better.
Awesome Time, would do again for sure
Only small complaint was the expo was pretty small for such a large race (12K runners). I'm not that big into expos so wasn't a huge deal for me. I … MORE
Only small complaint was the expo was pretty small for such a large race (12K runners). I’m not that big into expos so wasn’t a huge deal for me. I read reviews from past years about the shirts being too small and need to order up a size, but the RD must have read these reviews because this was not the case this year, perfect fit imo. The start area was great. Lots of porta potties, lots of music and the atmosphere was great. Lots of great views of downtown philly the first 4-5 miles and lots of scenic views the last 7-8 miles. You get to finish near the “Rocky steps” and the “Rocky statue” which make for a bunch of great photo opps. If you’re a fan of bigger runs, this is the one for you to knock off Pennsylvania for sure.
SHIRTS are ALWAYS TOO SMALL
I've run 27 half-marathons since 2016 and 4 of those were this race--and I don't live particularly close to Philadelphia--I live in Texas! But that's just how much I love … MORE
I’ve run 27 half-marathons since 2016 and 4 of those were this race–and I don’t live particularly close to Philadelphia–I live in Texas! But that’s just how much I love it. It seems to me that “the City of brotherly love & sisterly affection” shows up big time for this event…truly–everyone (from runners to race workers to the people in the crowd) seem to be having the best day of their life which creates the happiest energy. Course is not difficult & portopotties are plentiful. I don’t care about the medal but I do care that shirts are typically tiny. (I’m a solid M but in this race, I require an XL so beware!)
Big field in a well organized and fun ra
There were more than 12,000 runners in this event, but race day didn't feel too crowded or congested for anywhere. I credit the race organizers and plenty of helpful volunteers. … MORE
There were more than 12,000 runners in this event, but race day didn’t feel too crowded or congested for anywhere. I credit the race organizers and plenty of helpful volunteers. The aid stations were great! They were clear on what was a Nuun drink and what was water. Some of the mid to later course aid stations had a gel pack.
The race course started at the Eakins Oval where there was plenty of space. We were in clearly marked colored corrals for a wave start. I wouldn’t have known there were so many runners if it hadn’t been for the out and back section of the course. The course was a mix of city center, museums and monuments, and alongside the Schuylkill River. There were a couple hills including a big one between 10 and 11 mile, but overall not very hilly. Post race area was spread out.
The medals were huge and specific to the race you ran, which I think is very good.
My only criticism is the food was a good bag with several dry snacks. Some had a plant protein drink, but mine didn’t have it. I really didn’t want much of the dry cookies or bar. I was really hoping for chocolate milk (or the protein drink that eluded me) and a piece of fruit.
In all, wonderful bling. I received a nice tech shirt, a mug, and a pint glass with the infamous 2020 year on it. Also, hats off to the spectators with some clever signs and lots of cheer.
LOVED The Love Run! ❤️
Awesome, super well-organized race! All the way from the expo to the finish line. I love bigger races, and this one had 11,000+ runners from 44 different states. Scenery on … MORE
Awesome, super well-organized race! All the way from the expo to the finish line. I love bigger races, and this one had 11,000+ runners from 44 different states. Scenery on the course was great! Went from Center City to the river and ran past many monuments. Mostly flat with a couple bigger hills sprinkled in. The aid stations were well-stocked with Nuun (Nice change of pace from typical Gatorade.) and water and friendly volunteers. Easy Gear Check and plenty of port-o-potties (wish I could say this about more races). Everything was located in close proximity of start line. Lots of spectators all along the course made it entertaining the entire route. Nice finisher medal and t-shirt (runs small). Besides the race, there’s plenty to do within walking distance (or take the city tour bus), so if you’re from out of state like me, plan an extra day for sight-seeing and learning about American history.
Great SWAG!
This race takes you a little through center city and through Fairmont Park- for the majority of it. There is one road up that takes you to an overpass which … MORE
This race takes you a little through center city and through Fairmont Park- for the majority of it. There is one road up that takes you to an overpass which is a little steep- but doable.
The medal is cool and the shirt (runs small) but is really nice.
The best scenery for Philly is the Philly half by far! This is a good race though- I have done it for a few years.
Fun race
This was a fun race that I did with friends. It's close to the Rocky statue which is a challenge to run up after completing a half marathon :) MORE
This was a fun race that I did with friends. It’s close to the Rocky statue which is a challenge to run up after completing a half marathon 🙂
Best half in philadelphia
The medal is beautiful every year. However, the finisher shirts are always a little snug (order a size bigger). The race itself is very well organized and leads through Philadelphia's … MORE
The medal is beautiful every year. However, the finisher shirts are always a little snug (order a size bigger). The race itself is very well organized and leads through Philadelphia’s downtown and other scenic spots. The aid stations are always well stocked and the supporters are friendly. Also the sideline cheering squads are awesome and entertaining!!!
Good course
Good course. Water stop was in them middle of the biggest hill. It was fun to run downtown and then the out and back of the course was a nice … MORE
Good course. Water stop was in them middle of the biggest hill.
It was fun to run downtown and then the out and back of the course was a nice change. I would recommend this race to others.
Well Organized
Except for one hill, mostly flat course. The race was well organized and the expo was fine. I appreciate that the organizers actually made some attempt to enforce corrals (which … MORE
Except for one hill, mostly flat course. The race was well organized and the expo was fine. I appreciate that the organizers actually made some attempt to enforce corrals (which were color coded to your bib). Helped reduce the number of walkers in front. The medals were decent and the shirts are comfortable except that I guess I ordered the wrong size and there was no shirt exchange. I was given an email address to see about getting a new shirt but they have responded yet (only 4 days). Hopefully they will. Philly was nicer than I had anticipated (or maybe I just stayed in the right part of town). Was a nice race for marking Pennsylvania off my list of states.
Fun Run
One big hill and that is it. Long sleeve tech shirt was awesome. The expo was big. Organization was great. The medal was big for a half marathon. MORE
One big hill and that is it. Long sleeve tech shirt was awesome. The expo was big. Organization was great. The medal was big for a half marathon.