| 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
| H (°F) | 64 | 51 | 48 | 48 | 62 |
| L (°F) | 40 | 40 | 40 | 36 | 48 |
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This is by far the best half marathon I have run as far as scenery. You run all throughout Philly and the streets are shut down for you. It's amazing- … MORE
This is by far the best half marathon I have run as far as scenery. You run all throughout Philly and the streets are shut down for you. It’s amazing- if you do any running events- you cannot miss this one!!
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- did this back in 2012, so don't remember too much about it, other than it was well organized, lots of spectators - finished at the Rocky steps MORE
– did this back in 2012, so don’t remember too much about it, other than it was well organized, lots of spectators
– finished at the Rocky steps
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A decent race with a big start, like a lot of races. The course was good but Chicago, Marine Corps and Boston are all better for big races. Not much … MORE
A decent race with a big start, like a lot of races. The course was good but Chicago, Marine Corps and Boston are all better for big races. Not much else to say except if you’re doing a race in every city, it’s ok.
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I did the Marathon to complete the freedom challenge. The first half the course goes around downtown then the second half is an out and back Manayunk. I was working … MORE
I did the Marathon to complete the freedom challenge. The first half the course goes around downtown then the second half is an out and back Manayunk. I was working on getting a PR, but the weather did not cooperate, we had all 4 seasons during the race so I missed out on my PR. But the race medals were awesome. The Freedom challenge medal is huge. I had my bib shipped to me, but from what I saw the expo was well organized.
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I ran this right after the half-marathon so I ended up having to walk it. But it was a nice out and back course. This is a very scenic course. MORE
I ran this right after the half-marathon so I ended up having to walk it. But it was a nice out and back course. This is a very scenic course.
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Who knew Philly had hills?! Luckily the course was also prettier than expected. The early miles are crowded and I can barely remember passing the city sights, but the hills … MORE
Who knew Philly had hills?! Luckily the course was also prettier than expected. The early miles are crowded and I can barely remember passing the city sights, but the hills and Schulykill path at the end are pretty (albeit never ending). Overall an enjoyable city marathon.
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Not so luck on my day, as it was very cold and raining throughout the race. One big positive item is the abundance of bathrooms along the course, I would … MORE
Not so luck on my day, as it was very cold and raining throughout the race. One big positive item is the abundance of bathrooms along the course, I would say that every 3-4 miles there was something. They should change the course on the second half, as it is very boring to run down and up the same street for 10-12 miles, it also plays a big mind game on the runner. After party is not so good, either.
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Pros: Great crowd support. Very nice finisher's medal. Huge expo. Scenic course. Cons: Long lines at the security checkpoints. Horrible port-a-potties. Many of them were unbalanced, so when you walked … MORE
Pros: Great crowd support. Very nice finisher’s medal. Huge expo. Scenic course.
Cons: Long lines at the security checkpoints. Horrible port-a-potties. Many of them were unbalanced, so when you walked in, the entire port-a-potty swayed violently. Gross and scary.
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The hills on the elevation map look severe, but are not that bad. Total elevation gain is about 640 feet. There are 3-4 decent hills and many small hills. A … MORE
The hills on the elevation map look severe, but are not that bad. Total elevation gain is about 640 feet. There are 3-4 decent hills and many small hills.
A late November race in The North can be cold and this one was. We had a high in the low 40s, some wind and some rain. It actually snowed on the way back to the hotel!
We took the train from Boston. Much more comfortable than a flight and we were 5 minutes from City Hall which was next to our hotel. It’s also a 5 minute walk from this area to the start/finish area.
Bag drop and porta potties were not very convenient. They ran out of food and I was in the middle of the pack! Plenty of water stops and porta potties. Handed out gel at 3 locations.
They used a virtual swag bag which I am all for, but there was nothing worthwhile in it.
The Expo had many empty tables/booths but I saw Med and Dessy speak!
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Meb and Des launched the marathon after imparting their words of wisdom and well-wishes. Then, they high-fived runners at mile 14. To be cheered on by elites is an incredible … MORE
Meb and Des launched the marathon after imparting their words of wisdom and well-wishes. Then, they high-fived runners at mile 14. To be cheered on by elites is an incredible feeling.
Packet pickup was mayhem. You had to stand in a different line to get your corral sticker. I’m used to being assigned to a corral prior to race day. Also, you don’t get assigned to a corral at all if you’re in a challenge. I was in a challenge so this added to the confusion. Do I get a corral? Do I not? To add, I was assigned to the wheelchair division, which was a mistake on their part. This meant I had to stand in their customer service line for a long time because only one person manned that station.
Good stuff about packet pickup: we were given the option of ordering merchandise prior to expo day and have our things waiting for us. This was meant to keep you out of those long checkout lines. This worked out well!!! I was in and out of the pickup line in minutes! Highly recommend!!! Plus, I didn’t overspend.
The starting line was a bit of a secret. Not well marked. I heard this was for safety after what happened in Boston years ago. There were also security lines to go through and we were advised to appear an hour and a half prior to race start. It was not difficult nor slow though.
The first half of the course is hilly. Not enormous but not small either. Nice sized. The aid stations were about 2 miles apart, well-manned, and enthusiastic. Each one had water and Gatorade. Some had gels. The spectator aid stations were awesome. Jim Beam and chocolates! The scenery was gorgeous throughout. Monuments and sights. Or Schuykill River. Just beautiful.
The second half of the course is an out and back to Mayanuk, which is a world all its own. This was mentally tough. When you enter this, you know you are seeing 12 miles of runners ahead of you. Talk about mind-blowing. But the crowd support is amazing.
Portopots: they are especially disgusting and scarce here. Bring your own tissues. I’ve not seen it this bad at a marathon.
Swag: the medals are AMAZING! Shirts are okay.
Overall, a wonderful marathon. Truly loved it. It’s quite an experience and the course is amazing. The people of Philly are especially nice.
It was a cold rainy day which didn't help. There're some hills, not steep, but long. There's also a very long part of the race where you go down, down, … MORE
It was a cold rainy day which didn’t help. There’re some hills, not steep, but long. There’s also a very long part of the race where you go down, down, down while you see the early finishers going up, up, up. Then, obviously, you have to go back up, up, up. It’s a very long straight line besides the river. If it was a beautiful sunny day, I wouldn’t have felt so bad. But it was cold and rainy which made it hard and kinda depressing.
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This race is the race to run in Philadelphia. The expo was easy to navigate and all the info you needed was right there. I liked the long sleeve shirts. … MORE
This race is the race to run in Philadelphia. The expo was easy to navigate and all the info you needed was right there. I liked the long sleeve shirts. The only bad thing about the race was the very long and slow security lines to get into the race corrals, it was very disorganized. The course is really good, with some inclines starting at around mile 8. The crowd support was excellent and water stations were well placed and staffed. The finish line food was ok and the medal was really nice and well designed. As far as I am concerned this race blows away the Rock n Roll half in September.
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Easy packet pickup, there is a 0.5-1+ mile walk from hotels to start/finish. Show up early as security was not well orchestrated. There were no volunteers to tell you what … MORE
Easy packet pickup, there is a 0.5-1+ mile walk from hotels to start/finish. Show up early as security was not well orchestrated. There were no volunteers to tell you what line to get into (bag or no bag) I was in line an hour before i got to a volunteer who provided directions, make it to my corral with <5 minutes to spare. Course was scenic, mostly flat and no traffic to deal with. My GPS showed 13.54 miles… looked at others, they were 13.4+ miles… so that was odd. Great city to spend a weekend in,
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This was my first year running the half marathon. I ran the full marathon back in 2016. The race expo is relatively large, with speakers like Meb and Des Linden … MORE
This was my first year running the half marathon. I ran the full marathon back in 2016.
The race expo is relatively large, with speakers like Meb and Des Linden being presented by Bart Yasso. There was also a meet and greet with Meb and Des, but you had to pick one (though you could get on line to meet the other after). I chose to meet Meb and, despite being told it was either a photo or an autograph, Meb both signed my bib and took a photo with me. The race shirts are tech long sleeves and are pretty nice, the marathon ones being light blue and half marathon being Navy.
The weather for the half was gorgeous and the crowds definitely came out because of it. Course support was awesome. The race is not flat, but the hills on the course are more inclines (and some long inclines) than steep and short. I’m convinced that mile 11 was just about all uphill.
After the race, the food options included juice (apple and orange), water, chips, Nature’s Valley granola bars, and my personal favorite street pretzels. We also got pretty awesome medals (silver in color for the half, gold for the full, otherwise identical) that include the Liberty Bell (which rings!).
Definitely a more enjoyable race and course than Rock n Roll in September, especially because it was not hot and humid.
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Was very impressed with this event. Check in was quick and painless. Shirts for marathon were excellent quality and design (cannot say the same for what I saw on the … MORE
Was very impressed with this event. Check in was quick and painless. Shirts for marathon were excellent quality and design (cannot say the same for what I saw on the 8k). Medal was very cool (and I am not big on medals). Their e-mail and Facebook posting were extremely helpful. Particularly liked the daily videos of 26 days to 26.2 miles. The course has some hills, but is still mostly flat-challenging for a runner like myself (only my second full marathon) but more than fair. A great route as you get to see a lot of the city; fan participation was fairly sizable despite the rain. A treat getting to hear Bill Rodgers and Bart Yasso speak at the expo. Also, how many races do you get to high five someone lie Kefleghizi on route or have him place the medal on you after you cross the finish line? A lot of nice little touches to this event-spend at least three nights so that you get to do the expo, see some of the city, do the race, and still relax. I won’t do this next year because I am already gunning for the Marine Corps Marathon, but I will do this one again in a couple of years.
The course was nice and flat. Only a few hills. The medal is amazing. Its huge. The water stations were good for the most part maybe the 10 miles one … MORE
The course was nice and flat. Only a few hills. The medal is amazing. Its huge. The water stations were good for the most part maybe the 10 miles one should be moved to mile 9. Other than that, I loved it. I had my race bib mailed to me so I didnt have to go to the expo, which was nice.
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Really disappointing this is my hometown race. Logistics sucked, gear check, security, organisation, all very bad. I've run in a few large cities, NYC, Chicago, DC, Baltimore, and no one … MORE
Really disappointing this is my hometown race. Logistics sucked, gear check, security, organisation, all very bad. I’ve run in a few large cities, NYC, Chicago, DC, Baltimore, and no one is as inempt as Philadelphia. The only bright spot were the aid station volunteers.
Course was fun, logistics were smooth. When I ran this, in 2015, lines for security checks were long, but other security gates were almost empty. Race officials could have smoothed … MORE
Course was fun, logistics were smooth. When I ran this, in 2015, lines for security checks were long, but other security gates were almost empty. Race officials could have smoothed this bottleneck (maybe they have in recent years!). That said, I don’t have any other negative memories of this event. The liberty bell medal remains a favorite. Weather was great. I still remember this race very fondly.
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Pros: -Pretty flat course, with only one section with incline (even that wasn't too bad) -Easy access to start line and easy navigation to the front of the pack at … MORE
Pros:
-Pretty flat course, with only one section with incline (even that wasn’t too bad)
-Easy access to start line and easy navigation to the front of the pack at the start line
-TONS of crowd support near the finish and throughout the course
-Lots of history surrounding the course – so cool!
-Finisher medal and gear is great!
Cons:
-No corrals (at least the year I ran it), which might be irritating for some
-Food at the finish could have had more substance/variety
-Bag check/metal detector is far from the race start, so if you need to leave warmer clothes in your bag, you have to walk awhile without them (i.e., in the cold) to the start line and deal with being cold until the race starts
Overall, I’d absolutely recommend this race. The course is interesting, with the exception of a few monotonous park-like areas, and the swag/support is fantastic. Plenty of hydration throughout the course, and the chance to visit a cool city in the U.S. Will be back!
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This is a great race! The course is pretty flat and the weather is usually perfect for running. There is one big hill by the zoo but other than that … MORE
This is a great race! The course is pretty flat and the weather is usually perfect for running. There is one big hill by the zoo but other than that it is pretty flat. It is awesome running through Center City around the college campuses and down broad street. Love this race!
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Love the run scenery
This is by far the best half marathon I have run as far as scenery. You run all throughout Philly and the streets are shut down for you. It's amazing- … MORE
This is by far the best half marathon I have run as far as scenery. You run all throughout Philly and the streets are shut down for you. It’s amazing- if you do any running events- you cannot miss this one!!
Nice big city fall race
- did this back in 2012, so don't remember too much about it, other than it was well organized, lots of spectators - finished at the Rocky steps MORE
– did this back in 2012, so don’t remember too much about it, other than it was well organized, lots of spectators
– finished at the Rocky steps
Go see the liberty Bell
A decent race with a big start, like a lot of races. The course was good but Chicago, Marine Corps and Boston are all better for big races. Not much … MORE
A decent race with a big start, like a lot of races. The course was good but Chicago, Marine Corps and Boston are all better for big races. Not much else to say except if you’re doing a race in every city, it’s ok.
Awesome course
I did the Marathon to complete the freedom challenge. The first half the course goes around downtown then the second half is an out and back Manayunk. I was working … MORE
I did the Marathon to complete the freedom challenge. The first half the course goes around downtown then the second half is an out and back Manayunk. I was working on getting a PR, but the weather did not cooperate, we had all 4 seasons during the race so I missed out on my PR. But the race medals were awesome. The Freedom challenge medal is huge. I had my bib shipped to me, but from what I saw the expo was well organized.
Fun Race
I ran this right after the half-marathon so I ended up having to walk it. But it was a nice out and back course. This is a very scenic course. MORE
I ran this right after the half-marathon so I ended up having to walk it. But it was a nice out and back course. This is a very scenic course.
Hillier than expected
Who knew Philly had hills?! Luckily the course was also prettier than expected. The early miles are crowded and I can barely remember passing the city sights, but the hills … MORE
Who knew Philly had hills?! Luckily the course was also prettier than expected. The early miles are crowded and I can barely remember passing the city sights, but the hills and Schulykill path at the end are pretty (albeit never ending). Overall an enjoyable city marathon.
Improve the second half portion
Not so luck on my day, as it was very cold and raining throughout the race. One big positive item is the abundance of bathrooms along the course, I would … MORE
Not so luck on my day, as it was very cold and raining throughout the race. One big positive item is the abundance of bathrooms along the course, I would say that every 3-4 miles there was something. They should change the course on the second half, as it is very boring to run down and up the same street for 10-12 miles, it also plays a big mind game on the runner. After party is not so good, either.
Great crowd support.
Pros: Great crowd support. Very nice finisher's medal. Huge expo. Scenic course. Cons: Long lines at the security checkpoints. Horrible port-a-potties. Many of them were unbalanced, so when you walked … MORE
Pros: Great crowd support. Very nice finisher’s medal. Huge expo. Scenic course.
Cons: Long lines at the security checkpoints. Horrible port-a-potties. Many of them were unbalanced, so when you walked in, the entire port-a-potty swayed violently. Gross and scary.
Philadelphia Marathon 2019 Review
The hills on the elevation map look severe, but are not that bad. Total elevation gain is about 640 feet. There are 3-4 decent hills and many small hills. A … MORE
The hills on the elevation map look severe, but are not that bad. Total elevation gain is about 640 feet. There are 3-4 decent hills and many small hills.
A late November race in The North can be cold and this one was. We had a high in the low 40s, some wind and some rain. It actually snowed on the way back to the hotel!
We took the train from Boston. Much more comfortable than a flight and we were 5 minutes from City Hall which was next to our hotel. It’s also a 5 minute walk from this area to the start/finish area.
Bag drop and porta potties were not very convenient. They ran out of food and I was in the middle of the pack! Plenty of water stops and porta potties. Handed out gel at 3 locations.
They used a virtual swag bag which I am all for, but there was nothing worthwhile in it.
The Expo had many empty tables/booths but I saw Med and Dessy speak!
Better than most World Majors
Meb and Des launched the marathon after imparting their words of wisdom and well-wishes. Then, they high-fived runners at mile 14. To be cheered on by elites is an incredible … MORE
Meb and Des launched the marathon after imparting their words of wisdom and well-wishes. Then, they high-fived runners at mile 14. To be cheered on by elites is an incredible feeling.
Packet pickup was mayhem. You had to stand in a different line to get your corral sticker. I’m used to being assigned to a corral prior to race day. Also, you don’t get assigned to a corral at all if you’re in a challenge. I was in a challenge so this added to the confusion. Do I get a corral? Do I not? To add, I was assigned to the wheelchair division, which was a mistake on their part. This meant I had to stand in their customer service line for a long time because only one person manned that station.
Good stuff about packet pickup: we were given the option of ordering merchandise prior to expo day and have our things waiting for us. This was meant to keep you out of those long checkout lines. This worked out well!!! I was in and out of the pickup line in minutes! Highly recommend!!! Plus, I didn’t overspend.
The starting line was a bit of a secret. Not well marked. I heard this was for safety after what happened in Boston years ago. There were also security lines to go through and we were advised to appear an hour and a half prior to race start. It was not difficult nor slow though.
The first half of the course is hilly. Not enormous but not small either. Nice sized. The aid stations were about 2 miles apart, well-manned, and enthusiastic. Each one had water and Gatorade. Some had gels. The spectator aid stations were awesome. Jim Beam and chocolates! The scenery was gorgeous throughout. Monuments and sights. Or Schuykill River. Just beautiful.
The second half of the course is an out and back to Mayanuk, which is a world all its own. This was mentally tough. When you enter this, you know you are seeing 12 miles of runners ahead of you. Talk about mind-blowing. But the crowd support is amazing.
Portopots: they are especially disgusting and scarce here. Bring your own tissues. I’ve not seen it this bad at a marathon.
Swag: the medals are AMAZING! Shirts are okay.
Overall, a wonderful marathon. Truly loved it. It’s quite an experience and the course is amazing. The people of Philly are especially nice.
Long way down and back
It was a cold rainy day which didn't help. There're some hills, not steep, but long. There's also a very long part of the race where you go down, down, … MORE
It was a cold rainy day which didn’t help. There’re some hills, not steep, but long. There’s also a very long part of the race where you go down, down, down while you see the early finishers going up, up, up. Then, obviously, you have to go back up, up, up. It’s a very long straight line besides the river. If it was a beautiful sunny day, I wouldn’t have felt so bad. But it was cold and rainy which made it hard and kinda depressing.
The Philly half to run!
This race is the race to run in Philadelphia. The expo was easy to navigate and all the info you needed was right there. I liked the long sleeve shirts. … MORE
This race is the race to run in Philadelphia. The expo was easy to navigate and all the info you needed was right there. I liked the long sleeve shirts. The only bad thing about the race was the very long and slow security lines to get into the race corrals, it was very disorganized. The course is really good, with some inclines starting at around mile 8. The crowd support was excellent and water stations were well placed and staffed. The finish line food was ok and the medal was really nice and well designed. As far as I am concerned this race blows away the Rock n Roll half in September.
Nice course, nice people, great temps...
Easy packet pickup, there is a 0.5-1+ mile walk from hotels to start/finish. Show up early as security was not well orchestrated. There were no volunteers to tell you what … MORE
Easy packet pickup, there is a 0.5-1+ mile walk from hotels to start/finish. Show up early as security was not well orchestrated. There were no volunteers to tell you what line to get into (bag or no bag) I was in line an hour before i got to a volunteer who provided directions, make it to my corral with <5 minutes to spare. Course was scenic, mostly flat and no traffic to deal with. My GPS showed 13.54 miles… looked at others, they were 13.4+ miles… so that was odd. Great city to spend a weekend in,
A great time
This was my first year running the half marathon. I ran the full marathon back in 2016. The race expo is relatively large, with speakers like Meb and Des Linden … MORE
This was my first year running the half marathon. I ran the full marathon back in 2016.
The race expo is relatively large, with speakers like Meb and Des Linden being presented by Bart Yasso. There was also a meet and greet with Meb and Des, but you had to pick one (though you could get on line to meet the other after). I chose to meet Meb and, despite being told it was either a photo or an autograph, Meb both signed my bib and took a photo with me. The race shirts are tech long sleeves and are pretty nice, the marathon ones being light blue and half marathon being Navy.
The weather for the half was gorgeous and the crowds definitely came out because of it. Course support was awesome. The race is not flat, but the hills on the course are more inclines (and some long inclines) than steep and short. I’m convinced that mile 11 was just about all uphill.
After the race, the food options included juice (apple and orange), water, chips, Nature’s Valley granola bars, and my personal favorite street pretzels. We also got pretty awesome medals (silver in color for the half, gold for the full, otherwise identical) that include the Liberty Bell (which rings!).
Definitely a more enjoyable race and course than Rock n Roll in September, especially because it was not hot and humid.
Excellent
Was very impressed with this event. Check in was quick and painless. Shirts for marathon were excellent quality and design (cannot say the same for what I saw on the … MORE
Was very impressed with this event. Check in was quick and painless. Shirts for marathon were excellent quality and design (cannot say the same for what I saw on the 8k). Medal was very cool (and I am not big on medals). Their e-mail and Facebook posting were extremely helpful. Particularly liked the daily videos of 26 days to 26.2 miles. The course has some hills, but is still mostly flat-challenging for a runner like myself (only my second full marathon) but more than fair. A great route as you get to see a lot of the city; fan participation was fairly sizable despite the rain. A treat getting to hear Bill Rodgers and Bart Yasso speak at the expo. Also, how many races do you get to high five someone lie Kefleghizi on route or have him place the medal on you after you cross the finish line? A lot of nice little touches to this event-spend at least three nights so that you get to do the expo, see some of the city, do the race, and still relax. I won’t do this next year because I am already gunning for the Marine Corps Marathon, but I will do this one again in a couple of years.
Awesome course
The course was nice and flat. Only a few hills. The medal is amazing. Its huge. The water stations were good for the most part maybe the 10 miles one … MORE
The course was nice and flat. Only a few hills. The medal is amazing. Its huge. The water stations were good for the most part maybe the 10 miles one should be moved to mile 9. Other than that, I loved it. I had my race bib mailed to me so I didnt have to go to the expo, which was nice.
Terrible
Really disappointing this is my hometown race. Logistics sucked, gear check, security, organisation, all very bad. I've run in a few large cities, NYC, Chicago, DC, Baltimore, and no one … MORE
Really disappointing this is my hometown race. Logistics sucked, gear check, security, organisation, all very bad. I’ve run in a few large cities, NYC, Chicago, DC, Baltimore, and no one is as inempt as Philadelphia. The only bright spot were the aid station volunteers.
Fun "big city" marathon
Course was fun, logistics were smooth. When I ran this, in 2015, lines for security checks were long, but other security gates were almost empty. Race officials could have smoothed … MORE
Course was fun, logistics were smooth. When I ran this, in 2015, lines for security checks were long, but other security gates were almost empty. Race officials could have smoothed this bottleneck (maybe they have in recent years!). That said, I don’t have any other negative memories of this event. The liberty bell medal remains a favorite. Weather was great. I still remember this race very fondly.
Finish near the Rocky steps!
Pros: -Pretty flat course, with only one section with incline (even that wasn't too bad) -Easy access to start line and easy navigation to the front of the pack at … MORE
Pros:
-Pretty flat course, with only one section with incline (even that wasn’t too bad)
-Easy access to start line and easy navigation to the front of the pack at the start line
-TONS of crowd support near the finish and throughout the course
-Lots of history surrounding the course – so cool!
-Finisher medal and gear is great!
Cons:
-No corrals (at least the year I ran it), which might be irritating for some
-Food at the finish could have had more substance/variety
-Bag check/metal detector is far from the race start, so if you need to leave warmer clothes in your bag, you have to walk awhile without them (i.e., in the cold) to the start line and deal with being cold until the race starts
Overall, I’d absolutely recommend this race. The course is interesting, with the exception of a few monotonous park-like areas, and the swag/support is fantastic. Plenty of hydration throughout the course, and the chance to visit a cool city in the U.S. Will be back!
First marathon and one of my favorites
This is a great race! The course is pretty flat and the weather is usually perfect for running. There is one big hill by the zoo but other than that … MORE
This is a great race! The course is pretty flat and the weather is usually perfect for running. There is one big hill by the zoo but other than that it is pretty flat. It is awesome running through Center City around the college campuses and down broad street. Love this race!