In Philadelphia, we redefine the experience of what a marathon should be. A beautiful, fast and scenic course, an engaging atmosphere—it’s no wonder we’re consistently listed among the top ten marathons in the country, recognized for mellow weather and spirited fans. Expect beautiful views through Fairmount Park and along the …
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In Philadelphia, we redefine the experience of what a marathon should be. A beautiful, fast and scenic course, an engaging atmosphere—it’s no wonder we’re consistently listed among the top ten marathons in the country, recognized for mellow weather and spirited fans.
Expect beautiful views through Fairmount Park and along the Schuylkill River and neighborhood residents cheering in University City and Manayunk. Weave through the well-traveled streets of our historic district, passing sights familiar to Franklin, Washington and the rest of the gang, and end your race speeding towards the steps of the majestic Art Museum.
Or have the time of your life completing 13.1 miles! Athletes will start along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in the cultural Museum District and wind through Philadelphia’s most scenic and historic neighborhoods.
From the history-steeped streets of Old City, through one of the liveliest stretches of Center City, across the Schuylkill River into University City, up through the bucolic trails of Fairmount Park, and back down to canvas the banks of the river before finishing in front of the renown Philadelphia Museum of Art. The course is also sanctioned by USA Track & Field.
The Rothman Orthopaedics 8K (4.97 miles) is a fantastic way to take part in the race weekend excitement and follows the scenic banks of the Schuylkill River and Kelly Drive.
It’s usually perfect running weather too, with fall well underway and temperatures averaging around 54°F/12°C. Don your autumn apparel and join us for this enjoyable race where we redefine the standard for an 8K.
Up for a challenge? Then register for the Patriot Challenge (half marathon and 8K), the Independence Challenge (full marathon and 8K), the Liberty Bell Challenge (full and half marathon), or, for the ultimate fitness challenge, go ahead and sign up for the Freedom Challenge (full marathon, half marathon and 8K).
LESS
Great crowd support
-Great expo, crowd support and race-day execution Impressive speakers at the start -Good views and route -Some quieter areas towards the end but you never feel alone and always have … MORE
-Great expo, crowd support and race-day execution
Impressive speakers at the start
-Good views and route
-Some quieter areas towards the end but you never feel alone and always have some support !
Phantastic Philly
This race was incredible - so much so that I don't know if I want to do another marathon because I don't see how it could top this one. I'm … MORE
This race was incredible – so much so that I don’t know if I want to do another marathon because I don’t see how it could top this one. I’m a hometown Philadelphia runner, and this was my second marathon ever, first in Philly. The course is fantastic, taking you through the biggest sights in Philly from the Art Museum to the Ben Franklin Bridge to City Hall to the Zoo to the Please Touch Museum to Fairmount to Manayunk. There were a few uphill moments, but nothing close to Heartbreak Hill in Pittsburgh. I saw so many friends along the way and never went more than 2 miles without seeing someone I knew. Race hydration stations were perfect, and the out and back to Manayunk was beautiful (not killer like some people say). Overall 10/10 – not sure how else to improve.
Course Around the Edges
The Philadelphia marathon was a homecoming of sorts for me. My parents and brother were born there. My grandpa lived most of his life there. It was a place I … MORE
The Philadelphia marathon was a homecoming of sorts for me. My parents and brother were born there. My grandpa lived most of his life there. It was a place I had visited often as a kid and wanted to commemorate that connection.
Organization:
Arrival/Finish Line. Busy and packed. All the drawbacks of a big race (hard to get to the finish line. Security entrances to race area throttle how you can getting to the starting area and made it hard for my cheering section to see me start. Correspondence said to bring only liquid-less containers, which makes it difficult to full race prep, but this was never checked.
Swag:
Medal. Loved the medal. It had a free swinging Liberty Bell in the center as well as imagery of Philadelphia pop culture. Fun and distinctive, a stand out in my collection.
Expo. The race has been growing in the last few years and it was pretty evident here. A lot to see and a bit of a cluster. Lines snaking every which way, a million booths, and a speaker system inaudible above the din. Expo sign up required runners to select a specific time to visit, but it was never checked.
Post-Race Food. A couple fun snacks and fruits, but nothing memorable.
Course:
Aid Stations/Support. Support on the road was pretty great. There are only a few times when you are without a large cheering crowd along both sides of the path. I usually run with headphones, but they died on the first mile. Luckily the cheering, signage, and audience participation were enough to distract me from the twenty-six miles I was trudging through. Gu, Water, and Electrolytes at every station. Alcohol and snacks were readily available for people along the trail, but I wouldn’t depend on it.
Scenery. It’s Philly in all its glory. Starting at the picturesque Art Museum (near the infamous Rocky steps, the grand historic buildings of downtown, the businesses of South Street, the bridges along the Schuylkill, and the rowhomes at the edge of Manayunk were some of the points that highlight the architectural diversity of the city. And everything against a gorgeous, golden fall background. The last 7 or so miles doubles back and you repeat scenery for a while, which is a bit arduous, but the benefit is the supportive crowd is also the same.
Difficulty. My gear set me up for failure. I wore a slippery pair of cheap socks that slid in my shoes and overworked my muscles, so I can’t be a completely impartial judge, but the trail did seem more difficult than I expected. Many more rolling hills than I was banking on and the last few miles maintained a slight but steady incline. Save some energy for the final section. We were lucky enough to have a sunny day, but it still never warmed up enough for my liking.
Uniqueness. As unique as Philly, but not much else. An honor to run through American history, but it isn’t especially highlighted.
Tip: Even though the marathon is on Sunday, road closures start Friday night, so getting to the Expo and around the city can be costly and timely. Hoof it if you can.
Tl;dr Gorgeous architecture and scenery. Last few miles are a bit of drag. Organizational growing pains.
No-frills race but should be better
The out-and-backs in the course need to be eliminated — entering mile 16 while seeing others go down the other side of the road at mile 24 is really demoralizing. … MORE
The out-and-backs in the course need to be eliminated — entering mile 16 while seeing others go down the other side of the road at mile 24 is really demoralizing. It’s Its also crazy they don’t give you a bag for all the goodies at the end of the race. The shirt is also just okay.
Great first marathon
I believe this was a really good choice for a first marathon. Lots of crowds and enthusiastic spectators, interesting course with lots to look at and some small profile variations. MORE
I believe this was a really good choice for a first marathon. Lots of crowds and enthusiastic spectators, interesting course with lots to look at and some small profile variations.
Good big city race, but could be great
The only downsides of the Philadelphia Marathon weekend were the packet pickup and the security before entering the starting corrals. Expect long, long wait times for both. However, the racing … MORE
The only downsides of the Philadelphia Marathon weekend were the packet pickup and the security before entering the starting corrals. Expect long, long wait times for both.
However, the racing itself was awesome! You go all throughout Philly, see all the sights (Liberty Bell, Independence Hall, the river, etc.), and the course itself isn’t too difficult besides a few solid hills at the end. The medal and t-shirts were sweet. I would love to do this race again but I would give others a try before doing so.
Crowd shows Brotherly Love
This was state #43 on my 50 States journey. Pre -race communication was awesome. Lots of email that keep you in the know. Expo was a disaster, you were told … MORE
This was state #43 on my 50 States journey.
Pre -race communication was awesome. Lots of email that keep you in the know.
Expo was a disaster, you were told to select a time for packet pickup to not cause congestion. It did not work. The line to get into the Expo wrapped around an entire block. We were in line for almost an hour. Once inside it seemed to be organized to get a bib, but getting your shirt was crazy. Volunteers had a rough day. They had anything and everything that you would need for race day.
We stayed at Four Points Sheraton across the street from the convention center where the expo was located.
We ate pizza at Philly Steak & Pizza about a 4 block walk from the hotel. It was just ok.
Race day started with rain, we had to walk 3 blocks to the bus that shuttles you to the starting line. 15 minutes ride
Strict security at the starting line.
Crowd support was Awesome!!! The best I have ever experienced!
Aid stations were plentiful and well staffed with water, NUN hydration, and gels
Course was mostly flat until about miles 8 to 11 then the hills were very challenging.
Awesome finisher’s medal with a Liberty Bell with a nice long sleeve dri-fit shirt.
Post race snacks including chicken broth, bananas, bottled water, fruit bars, popcorn, orange juice, and apple chips.
Finish line was near Rocky Statue which was cool.
Almost 12,000 runners in the half marathon and another 3,700 in the 8K that started at 11am made the finish line area seem super crowded.
I would recommend this race.
Beautiful Philly Half
Pros: -Race app for tracking and information. - The expo was a nice size with lots of vendors. - A course review and information panel - Security check line went … MORE
Pros: -Race app for tracking and information.
– The expo was a nice size with lots of vendors.
– A course review and information panel
– Security check line went quickly.
– Plenty of port o potties throughout the race village and the course.
– Amazing crowd support
– Very scenic course
– The course was a little hilly.
– Great medal
– Great after party
Cons: Race village layout was confusing. It was hard to find gear check.
– There was no inflatable arch over the finishline. It was hard to see where the finishline was from a distance.
I recommend the Dietz & Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon.
It was very scenic and pleasant
Dope medal! Great staff that was incredibly helpful. Plenty of water hydration stations with Nuun electrolytes. Really great spectator presence. Only thing I was bothered by, only a little, was … MORE
Dope medal! Great staff that was incredibly helpful. Plenty of water hydration stations with Nuun electrolytes. Really great spectator presence. Only thing I was bothered by, only a little, was that the course runs a little long. My watch ticked almost 26.6 which made my marathon time a little off with my biometric data. Could be an issue with my Garmin, not totally sure.
Amazing course, but don't check a bag
Great course, flat for the first half and friendly rolling hills the second half. Awesome crowd support! Nice quality long-sleeves with a unique color (goldish-beige) and beautiful medal with a … MORE
Great course, flat for the first half and friendly rolling hills the second half. Awesome crowd support! Nice quality long-sleeves with a unique color (goldish-beige) and beautiful medal with a jingling liberty bell.
Friday: The expo was disorganized and staff were saying conflicting instructions which led to long wait times just for packet pickup
Saturday: Security was no issue in the morning, just pay attention to the prohibited vs allowable items list. Unfortunately, the bag check was a huge disaster. Rather than use the tear-off provided on the bib for a quick drop-off and dividing pick-up after the race by bib numbers like nearly all other races, instead they used a separate wristband system that took over 30 minutes to drop off the bag and another 45 minutes to pick up the bag. It also meant needing to wear a thick, wide wristband for the race.
At the start, corrals were not checked so they were mixed with people in all different corrals, and the announcers were calling out incorrect corral information. Definitely need more, smaller, corrals for an event this size because they had A through H and spaced each one out by 5-10 minutes.
Fun Race!
I really enjoyed this race and would come back for it again! I’m slowly working on a 50 states goal (such an expensive hobby :) and this was my PA … MORE
I really enjoyed this race and would come back for it again! I’m slowly working on a 50 states goal (such an expensive hobby 🙂 and this was my PA race. Mostly flat terrain with a bit of hilliness (I’m from the Chicago area – our hills are the bridges over expressways) around mile 9/10. My only fault for this race was the organizers struggling to keep up with hydration at the final aid station for us not fast runners, but that happens at a lot of races. Really strong organization overall and thank you for the warming tent at the beginning when it rained before the race!
Organized, huge, great city views
About 23,000 people. It is huge. Long lines. However, the view of Philly was beautiful, the root was great. However, it was a little bit over 13.1. Definitely would recommend … MORE
About 23,000 people. It is huge. Long lines. However, the view of Philly was beautiful, the root was great. However, it was a little bit over 13.1. Definitely would recommend this race if you’ve done a couple before. Go slow, pretty flat with some hills. Rocky steps.!!!
Great spectator support
A beautiful course with top notch spectators holding some goofy signs. One of the fastest courses I’ve run on, with lots of wide streets. Nice, cool weather. Organization not great … MORE
A beautiful course with top notch spectators holding some goofy signs. One of the fastest courses I’ve run on, with lots of wide streets. Nice, cool weather. Organization not great though – package pickup unnecessarily slow and awkward; same with passing security into the start area – took over 30 minutes.
Hills and Loops
The race start was chilly, and it took a bit of time to get through security and to get the waves started. The race was well organized once you got … MORE
The race start was chilly, and it took a bit of time to get through security and to get the waves started. The race was well organized once you got into the runner area. The course overlapped itself several times, and we looped around a park for a bit. There were more hills than I anticipated. I completed the half the day prior with my 14 yo son. The marathon the next day repeated a lot of the half. It was an all around good experience. dress warmly!
first marathon!
what a lovely race to run my first marathon! good weather, generally smooth logistics, and a hilariously obnoxious medal (in a good way) which i will cherish forever - it … MORE
what a lovely race to run my first marathon! good weather, generally smooth logistics, and a hilariously obnoxious medal (in a good way) which i will cherish forever – it is one of a kind! city sights were so fun and crowd energy was great. i slogged a bit both up and down kelly drive, but the finish line was unbeatable! overall good experience 🙂
You should run this!
Race Communication, Expo, and Misc Not much email communication overall after you registered. The mobile app was well done offering highlights of the course as well as the usual race … MORE
Race Communication, Expo, and Misc
Not much email communication overall after you registered. The mobile app was well done offering highlights of the course as well as the usual race info. Expo was typical, though merchandise seemed unusually expensive. I booked my hotel thru the marathon web site.
One thing I really enjoyed about this race was the close proximity of everything. My hotel was across the street from the Expo and Reading Terminal Market which contains restaurants of seemingly every cuisine. Race start was 1 mile from the hotel (easily walkable but I took the shuttle). Historical sites were also within a mile or so walk. I took an Uber from the airport to get into town ($55) but learned the SEPTA has a train line that would have dropped me a block from the hotel ($12). I took the train on my return to the airport and felt safe: Stops were well announced.
Race Day
I bussed to the start using the shuttle the race offered. No wait. Once at the entry gates there was a security line. It was long but moved fast. There were many porta potties, however many runners commented theirs lacked TP. (For context, the half marathon was the day before. We surmised the porta potties were not resupplied after that race.) Bibs listed your starting corral on it. This was loosely enforced from what I observed, and those who wanted to move up did so. I started in corral G around 7:40 which was about 35 minutes after the elites left.
Temps at the start were upper 40s with a 10-15 mph wind. The course itself had good variety to it: mostly flat, 3 hills of notes but all manageable. Last 10 miles were undulating terrain. Crowd support was AMAZING thruout! I did count 4 unofficial adult beverage stops offered by locals, if one wanted to partake.
Post race support was typical. Nice chicken broth at the end with the usual banana, etc. Race medal was awesome with a working little Liberty bell built into it.
Amazing crowd support
The marathon ran through some interesting and some not so interesting areas but almost every mile had a crowd of people cheering you on. Some areas the crowd was very … MORE
The marathon ran through some interesting and some not so interesting areas but almost every mile had a crowd of people cheering you on. Some areas the crowd was very loud. The race start was delayed for a few minutes and if you are slow like me, then the back of the pack didn’t start until approximately 45 minutes after the first gun. Each corral gets their own start, which is nice to get hyped back up after standing in the cold for so long. The course is not flat but I wouldn’t call it hilly either. There are some challenging inclines sprinkled throughout the course. My one big gripe was that the portable toilets seemed to be mostly towards the front of the race and became almost nonexistent as the miles progressed. If I was running the half it would have been fine, but us poor marathon runners need them on the back half too.
Overall it was a fun race and I would recommend it.
Awesome for a first Marathon
Porta potty definitely ran out of toilet paper, Bring some if you do the half or the full, I done the half marathon five years, this year I decided to … MORE
Porta potty definitely ran out of toilet paper, Bring some if you do the half or the full, I done the half marathon five years, this year I decided to dive into the 26.2 miles. Heating tent are good, if you get there early and there’s a long line move onto the next gate. I filled my empty water bottles when I got past Security. The weather was perfect this year you could not beat it. I wore shorts and you can see my videos on my YouTube channel. I’ve been running with an action camera since I started running in 2017. Start time is pretty close to on time. I usually start in the back which being there are so many participants. The H corral started about 7:45. You can see from my results.
Very Poor Logistics; Some Scenery
This was my first time in philly and I ran both the half and the full marathon - "The Liberty Challenge". Here are my pros and cons list I think … MORE
This was my first time in philly and I ran both the half and the full marathon – “The Liberty Challenge”. Here are my pros and cons list I think runners should know.
Pros: When in the city, it was great scenery. Cool historical stuff, old houses, etc. Rolling hills were manageable.
One medal was cool (dinging bell!)
The shirts are nice quality, long sleeve, and the designs are great.
Good crowds in some parts
Warming tents much appreciated.
Cons List:
Cannot bring in water which means you need to use their PLASTIC water bottles (16 oz) to fill up. They ran out of water. I know. Explain this to me.
Half Marathon course support was way smaller than the full – there was only one spot with the fruit bars and they were on the ground.
No other sugar provided on either course. Only Nuun and water.
The three medals we received (half, full and the challenge) are all the exact same with just different wording. Total bummer.
The porta-potty lines were INSANE.
The race on both days started 45 minutes late.
Amazing crowd support thru a great city!
The energy of Philly is electric, from the fellow runners to the city itself. I'm a back of the pack runner, and there were spectators cheering me to the very … MORE
The energy of Philly is electric, from the fellow runners to the city itself. I’m a back of the pack runner, and there were spectators cheering me to the very end, enthusiastically too! As other reviewers have stated, there were some aid stations that were broken down early or out of water of Nuun. The course through the city itself is fun and engaging, but the out and back along the river from mile 16 to mile 24 is a morale killer. It’s just a constant long rolling hill, with nothing too spectacular to look at. There were crowds out there cheering though! All in all, a great race. I would definitely recommend running it at least once 🙂