Overall Rating
Overall Rating (68 Reviews)
4.2
(68 Ratings)  (68 Reviews)
DIFFICULTY
2.9
SCENERY
3.9
PRODUCTION
4.3
SWAG
4
Whether you’re a seasoned runner or a first-timer, Philadelphia Marathon Weekend has an event for you. The AACR Philadelphia Marathon, the Dietz & Watson Philadelphia Half Marathon, or the Rothman Orthopaedics 8K gives runners options to push themselves. Up for a challenge? Then register for the Patriot Challenge (half marathon … MORE
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Recent reviews

    Manda FIRST-TIMER '23

    Not my best race since I ran sick, don't recommend it. I wasn't the last to finish but it was close. The hardest part was seeing people getting swept out … MORE

    Not my best race since I ran sick, don’t recommend it. I wasn’t the last to finish but it was close. The hardest part was seeing people getting swept out of the race or flat out quitting. After mile 16 there weren’t any more water stations or first aid stations available for runners in the back of the pack. Luckily some of the spectators who were left, helped runners get water and something to snack on. If it weren’t for them, I’m not sure myself or others that were around me would have finished.

    Security was probably the worst part of the race to be quite honest. They made everyone throw away their waters and there weren’t water available to refill your bottle again that I’ve seen. The lines for security were long and slow, that the marathon started and you’d see masses of people still in line trying to get through to start the race. Luckily I got there in just enough time to start.

    The medals were honestly awesome! I did the freedom challenge and that was HUGE!!

    Also, my husband who’s a front of the pack runner, who ran this race, had an entirely different experience. Lots of crowds, plenty of water stations, etc. So even though it wasn’t my day, he had a blast! I still recommend people to try it out, just don’t run with bronchitis like I did.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    Alexandrarose1 FIRST-TIMER '23

    By far, this marathon has had the craziest spectators (in a good way!). I could not believe how many spectators there were screaming for us. They were so supportive. I … MORE

    By far, this marathon has had the craziest spectators (in a good way!). I could not believe how many spectators there were screaming for us. They were so supportive. I ended up running faster than I planned. I think it was because of the high energy from the spectators. The expo was nice. It was also nice staying in the city. They provided shuttles to and from the hotel I stayed at, which was super helpful.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    elvinriel16 FIRST-TIMER '23

    This is a very well organized race and a lot of positive energy from the people around. I think they were trying something new with the checking of bags, it … MORE

    This is a very well organized race and a lot of positive energy from the people around. I think they were trying something new with the checking of bags, it didn’t work. Race started and there were still too many people in line to check their bags. The race merchandise and expo were very good….a very nice idea having hot chicken broth at the end.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    4

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    alvarezvegajr FIRST-TIMER '23

    Definitely, the amount of spectators, and how they cheer you, it is unbelievable. It is clear that the Philly people love their marathon, and you feel cheered like nowhere else. … MORE

    Definitely, the amount of spectators, and how they cheer you, it is unbelievable. It is clear that the Philly people love their marathon, and you feel cheered like nowhere else.
    Medal and race shirt were really good.
    The course is beautiful, but challenging because of the rolling hills. The total ascent is more than 600 ft.
    There were very long lines to use the portable toiles at the start, even just 5 minutes before the start. Early arrival is highly recommended.
    After the finish line, the food variety was sort of limited.

    DIFFICULTY
    5
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    RunnerGirlKT REPEAT RUNNER '23

    This year's expo seemed to be a little thinner than last year's, but the race weather was perfect. I hear that security was a nightmare, but I got there right … MORE

    This year’s expo seemed to be a little thinner than last year’s, but the race weather was perfect. I hear that security was a nightmare, but I got there right when it opened so breezed through and got a seat in the warming tent to pass the time until the race started. This year’s weather was perfect (I even wore shorts!), and the medal as always was very nice…though unfortunately the race ran out for the slower runners (I started early since I was doing the challenge). I’m sure they were disappointed, but the race is doing all they can to make up for it and promptly addressed the issue which was caused by record race turnout. This year’s shirt was again a long sleeve tech shirt featuring a running Ben Franklin kite and all. The challenge medal is huge and the entire reason I do the challenge when I run this event haha.

    The course itself is a nice running tour of Philly and while it has some hills of note, I wouldn’t call it hard just challenging at times. Due to the weather, crowd support along the race course was amazing. My disappointment from this year is no street pretzels at the finish. Those I missed, but the other usual post race snacks were there and I had to run along to the 8k anyway.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    M_Sohaskey Nov 22, 2023 at 8:25pm

    Katy, congrats on another successful Patriot Challenge, love those medals! 🔔 I'm hoping to be able to join you in Philly next year. Happy Thanksgiving!

    Katy, congrats on another successful Patriot Challenge, love those medals! 🔔 I'm hoping to be able to join you in Philly next year. Happy Thanksgiving!

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    breanashane11 FIRST-TIMER '23

    The expo was pretty large. The swag wasn’t anything spectacular but the medal was cool due to the bell actually ringing. The security lines were very long so many people … MORE

    The expo was pretty large. The swag wasn’t anything spectacular but the medal was cool due to the bell actually ringing. The security lines were very long so many people didn’t get to start the race on time. I fortunately got there very early to avoid this. There also was not very many portapottys.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    scheserek FIRST-TIMER '23

    This was my first big city marathon. Expo was ok. The bus shuttle to and from the race was well planned and the process ran smoothly. They even let spectators … MORE

    This was my first big city marathon. Expo was ok. The bus shuttle to and from the race was well planned and the process ran smoothly. They even let spectators ride. I didn’t like having to go through security in the runners zone. Spectators weren’t allowed in. Plenty of aid stations and volunteers. Course was somewhat flat with some rolling hills in the middle. I ended up with about 700 feet of elevation. A ton of crowd support made the miles fly by. Huge medal! I would definitely recommend.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    hseitz FIRST-TIMER '23

    My 27th marathon, but the first I've ever run in my city of residence at the time. The expo is in Center City, and it's probably a good idea for … MORE

    My 27th marathon, but the first I’ve ever run in my city of residence at the time. The expo is in Center City, and it’s probably a good idea for out-of-towners to take public transit there, since Center City parking is not great. This was my largest marathon to date, with about 13,000 marathoners and triple that for half marathoners. Long lines at the expo on Friday afternoon. I was disappointed that so many of the expo vendors had a purely business motive (“sign up for our service!!”) and there weren’t more free samples.

    The half-marathoners run the day before, which keeps the marathon crowds manageable. I had never run a marathon with a pre-race security checkpoint before. Arrive at least 30-40 minutes before start time, because the checkpoint lines are as long as a baseball game.

    We were set off in waves, separated by about 90 seconds. We start on Ben Franklin Parkway, next to the Museum of Art, and run east to the Delaware River, then west across Center City again. The first six miles are thronged with fans, and it’s awesome. At mile 7, we cross the Wissahickon River into University City, where college kids from UPenn and Drexel cheer for two miles. Miles 9-12 are lonely with some hills, saved by a score of fans at mile 13.

    Save your mental strength for miles 16-24. A four-mile out-and-back up the east bank of the Wissahickon River, with almost no turns. It’s 10 am by now, so the sun beats down. From miles 19-21, we enter the northwest Philly neighborhood of Manayunk, with some tough hills. Thankfully, miles 23-26 are mostly downhill, and I dragged my exhausted legs to the finish line next to the Museum of Art.

    More fans than I had ever seen before, which is great. The fall leaves on the east side of the Wissahickon River are pretty, but I wish we could change the four-mile out and back. A security checkpoint with a metal detector is understandable for spectators, but *why* do we need to do it on runners? It created such a massive choke point into the race corrals, and I’m sure it made some runners late and unhappy.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    3

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    radumasmk FIRST-TIMER '23

    I stayed less than a mile from the venue so logistics on race day were a breeze. The weather was ideal, and the city was awesome, with enthusiastic spectators just … MORE

    I stayed less than a mile from the venue so logistics on race day were a breeze. The weather was ideal, and the city was awesome, with enthusiastic spectators just about everywhere. Nice enough expo, but the experience not to miss is the Reading Terminal market across the street. Cheesesteaks and pretzels galore.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    2

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    joeverellen FIRST-TIMER '23

    Easy taking train from and to the airport. Expo is well organized and there are a lot of places to eat. The start and finish area was very well organized … MORE

    Easy taking train from and to the airport. Expo is well organized and there are a lot of places to eat. The start and finish area was very well organized including warming tents for before the race. A few more portapots would be nice especially for the last second got to goes.

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    RunnerGirlKT REPEAT RUNNER '23

    I ran this one as the second piece of the Patriot Challenge. I must say that my performance was better than years past having run 13.1 miles beforehand. We got … MORE

    I ran this one as the second piece of the Patriot Challenge. I must say that my performance was better than years past having run 13.1 miles beforehand. We got beautiful weather for our run along the Schuykill River. I wouldn’t call the course challenging, but it’s a big loop so you will retrace most of your steps. That being said, it’s a fun time, with people dressing up and plenty of spectators along parts of the course to keep you motivated. This year, the shirts were tech long sleeve which was a nice change. If I had one critique it’s that there was less variety of food than last year, but there was still plenty.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    4

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    neon8919 FIRST-TIMER '23

    Course limit = 7 hours, My Finish = 6:08:21 What I liked: The Marathon is a stand alone event. This makes a big difference on the later miles. I loved … MORE

    Course limit = 7 hours, My Finish = 6:08:21

    What I liked:
    The Marathon is a stand alone event. This makes a big difference on the later miles. I loved that Philly had the Marathon as it’s own event it meant for more support because everyone was completing the same race. The start/finish line being at the Art Museum was really cool. I loved the medals. All the workers/volunteers I interacted with were wonderful.

    What I didn’t:
    It felt like there weren’t enough water stops. Also, buy the end some of the water stops ran out of cups, and were only helpful to people who had water bottles. The post race offerings were skimpy by the 6hr mark.

    The city of Philly was supportive though, that was a very nice part of the race. The last out and back (~17 mi – ~23 mi) was along the river and into Manayunk – Manayunk showed up!!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    3
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4

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    brianrocknj FIRST-TIMER '22

    Philly is an amazing big city race, but the logistics run smoothly and it doesn't have the hang-ups that the larger majors do. The course meanders through downtown and historic … MORE

    Philly is an amazing big city race, but the logistics run smoothly and it doesn’t have the hang-ups that the larger majors do.

    The course meanders through downtown and historic Philly before taking a trip out and back along the Schuylkill River. It’s exciting and scenic. There are a few hills in the middle of the race, but nothing terrible. The miles out along the Schuylkill River are tough, but it feels great when you turn around to head towards the finish.

    The energy along the course is amazing. There are large crowds throughout the first half downtown. The crowds thin out a bit in the middle through the park, but it’s never completely dead. People play music along the course, and you’re bound to hear “Eye of the Tiger” a few times. When you pull into Manayunk at the turn around, it’s packed shoulder to shoulder. You can even stop for beer and pretzels if you like. The last mile or two along Kelly Drive is crowded with supporters as you finish.

    There were plenty of aid stations, and they were well stocked and well manned. It was extremely windy the day I ran, and a few tables did blow over. But the volunteers managed to get things together. There are large banks of porta potties at the aid stations, as well.

    The logistics getting in weren’t too bad. It’s a big event, so there is tight security. There were pretty long lines at the main entrances on Benjamin Franklin Parkway, but if you go around to the left or right you can find much shorter security lines. I left my hotel downtown, around a mile away, at 6am and got to the start with plenty of time to spare. The gear check looked like a madhouse, but the lines moved quickly. You should try and use a bathroom before you go through security, though, because the lines at the porta potties after security were very long.

    The start was quick and efficient. You’re assigned to a corral based on your estimated finish time, but they only wait a couple minutes between corrals. So everyone starts shortly after 7am – it’s not like Boston or New York where it takes all day for the waves to be released.

    The post-race festivities were nice. As soon as you cross the finish line, they have hot broth waiting for you. It’s amazing. They had some other vendors in the area giving away other food and drinks. Your family will have to go through security to meet you, but they can get to the secure area at the end. I would have stayed longer, but it was freezing.

    The weather is a wildcard for this race. It’s November, so it shouldn’t be too hot. But you never know if it’ll be a nice 40’s fall day, or a frigid winter morning. The day I ran, it was ~30 degrees with heavy winds. I loved the race, and I’ll take cold over heat any day, but it put a damper on the post-race festivities.

    All told, it is an amazing race. I would highly recommend it, and I wouldn’t be surprised if I end up back here again in the future.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    My Report
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5
    My Media

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    TatumBurke FIRST-TIMER '22

    This was my 11th consecutive marathon weekend in 11 different states. Philly Marathon, state #46, 69th marathon, 23 degrees and extreme gale alert in place! It was so cold but … MORE

    This was my 11th consecutive marathon weekend in 11 different states.
    Philly Marathon, state #46, 69th marathon, 23 degrees and extreme gale alert in place! It was so cold but those warming tents at the start and finish were amazing life savers! Finish time 3:37 and another Boston Qualifying Time!
    20+ mph winds that made it extremely difficult to run straight and not trip over your own feet. Loved running through the city with the energetic crowd! I felt strong, pushing pace through that wind, but made the rookie mistake of forgetting my training fuel at home. Tried taking one of their provide Gatorade gels only to throw it completely up a few miles later, knowing this was not good as my body would be depleted from the needed nutrients to power to the finish! 20 miles in and it was a crash and burn and suffer-fest and I relied heavily on my mind to just keep pushing. The crowd support truly carried me, as they were so excited!! The course was beautiful and the fans were spectacular braving those conditions to cheer us on! Also the medal we received was amongst one of my ultimate favorites! Definitely will be back to run Philly again! ❤️
    The only con: the hotel that was recommended on their site did not have a shuttle and several runners, including me, had to pay for transportation to the start line, on the website it had information that the shuttle would pick us up, but the one we stayed in said no upon our check in. Be sure to check with the front desk and not be caught waiting for a shuttle that will not come.

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    mikifo FIRST-TIMER '22

    This is a great race and was my first ever marathon. Philadelphia has great spirit and found a lot of great cheering, a full gospel choir, DJs, random singers and … MORE

    This is a great race and was my first ever marathon. Philadelphia has great spirit and found a lot of great cheering, a full gospel choir, DJs, random singers and drummers and lots of spectators offering candy, beer, even shots!
    The shuttles from the hotels were well organized as was the bag check. Race production was good even if there was some more lonely parts of the course everything was really well marked. I found the course also great to look at – lots of different views through the city central, different neighborhoods and through the botanical garden along the water. It was pretty cold and towards the end couple of the aid stations were packed up by the time I got to them even though there seemed to be a good amount of people behind me.
    I had a mishap around the mile 8 porto-potties. I am pretty slow but even so the line for the bathrooms was around 10 minutes and by the time I hit them they were pretty decimated and there was no toilet paper to be found which cost me several more minutes as I scrounged. Some amazing person spared me a few tissues (Thank you person!!) but definitely something i need to remember for the future. Unless you are lightning fast byotp!
    Provisions at the finish line included broth, bananas, and granola bars and thankfully the race blankets that shielded us from the crazy cold winds that kept blowing throughout the whole race. I also really like the long-sleeved tech shirt – definitely the women’s sizes run bigger than other tech shirts I’ve gotten so maybe size down? The medal is also very cool and has a fully functional bell! I also thought it was funny when I was getting lunch around town I kept hearing bells ringing :).

    DIFFICULTY
    2
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    5

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    RunnerGirlKT REPEAT RUNNER '22

    I have very few criticisms of this race. Again the weather was perfect, a little nippy, but perfect running weather. The expo could have more to offer, but I got … MORE

    I have very few criticisms of this race. Again the weather was perfect, a little nippy, but perfect running weather.

    The expo could have more to offer, but I got to meet Bill Rogers and Bart Yasso so I can’t entirely complain.

    The race started on time this year, despite the security lines being insane. They could use some policing on those lines as far too many people were just cutting in at the front, slowing down the whole process. The checkpoint I was on line for ended up with two lines that had to merge. It was frustrating to say the least.

    Once again, the medal is awesome. I did the Patriot Challenge (13.1 and 8k) and all three medals are quality, the half medal and challenge medal more so, but the 8k medal is solid.

    Staying on 19th st, I was able to walk everywhere. To and from the train station, to the expo, and to the race start/finish. If you stay in city center you’ll be able to walk everywhere, but the race does offer shuttle buses to the start/from the finish to hotels that are farther out.

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    4
    SWAG
    4
    My Media

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    TFox82 FIRST-TIMER '22

    First half through the city goes fast, lots of spectators and amazing architecture. Near halfway there's a good test of a hill going into the park. Second half out and … MORE

    First half through the city goes fast, lots of spectators and amazing architecture. Near halfway there’s a good test of a hill going into the park. Second half out and back Kelly Drive is much prettier than I expected and still had some good crowd support spread out in key places. Mayanuk was a highlight. The crowd rocked it out there. There is definitely some of that famous Philly grit and sports fanaticism evident in the cheers of the crowd, even calling you by name as they read your race bib as you run by.

    The race was well run, there was a nice big warming tent. Only complaint would be portapotties… the lines were so long before the race and many stops throughout the race for them included people waiting in lines of 7-10 people. Food afterward is not as good as some but you can get yourself a cheesesteak so that’s a plus!

    Overall, awesome city and great event. Really interesting course that went by quickly and a good test of will in the last 10 miles. Start and finish being in the same spot is a plus logistically. The vibrancy of Philly is noticeable, the city is alive and welcoming. Took the family and made a weekend out of it and they all enjoyed it.

    Even on one of the coldest marathon days on record for Philly and with wind constantly in the 15mph range it was a blast! If you’re considering the Philadelphia Marathon, don’t hesitate. Do it!

    DIFFICULTY
    4
    PRODUCTION
    4
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    3

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    sirians REPEAT RUNNER '22

    Race day was bitter cold, low 30’s and gusts of wind went right through you -hand warmers weren’t enough for me. Medal is always solid for this race , large … MORE

    Race day was bitter cold, low 30’s and gusts of wind went right through you -hand warmers weren’t enough for me.
    Medal is always solid for this race , large size of race participants, big city, scheduled later in season so training of long runs avoid summer heat, and could drive there are all the reasons I chose this race.
    Morning of race I was happy to learn there were shuttles – spot on and post race too.
    Pre race energy was lacking for me.
    No announcers or direction other than to get through security making it very uneventful.
    Heating tent was appreciated.
    Bathrooms were ok… some were so far away – why not just line them all up in one row and not on top of the warming tent where it blocked those trying to leave tent .
    Start time and line was confusing to me. I was last wave of 11, very UNMOTIVATING and learned the start line was much further down than a ton of us realized . Our wave was small , I wish I lied to get another wave ..horrible feeling with small crowd .

    I do believe the gear check process was nice but confused to why we had a tag on our bib …and no signs directing or in general no volunteers helping to direct runners on where it was.
    On course review-water stations were good.
    Bathrooms on course I don’t usually use but needed one and it was so disgusting and standing solo so I had to keep running but found some later (not sure what is normal for marathon).
    Scenery was decent , manyunk was cool.
    Fairly flat course but few times I felt I was going in wrong direction and nervous I missed a turn but had to trust I was in right lane. As a slower runner it was motivating seeing other runners ahead of me until it wasn’t after 2nd , 3rd, 4th time and was never ending for turn around . Didn’t realize this was how this course was and in several areas of the course.
    Post race – banana and juice ..granola .. that’s it? No volunteers anywhere .. heard there was broth but I didn’t see any.
    Photo people were plenty and stayed out there for all of us slower runners. I appreciate that.
    Announcer of my name coming in was nice.
    I’m grateful for this race but wish they had little more energy /management of process.
    I appreciate late expo hours and decent merchandise and being close to hotel ..
    lastly I didn’t like that we didn’t get to start or finish by Rocky statue… or the steps.

    DIFFICULTY
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    4

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    Overall, great scenery and great crowds but there were a few things that weren’t planned out very well. I arrived an hour before start time and waited for close to … MORE

    Overall, great scenery and great crowds but there were a few things that weren’t planned out very well. I arrived an hour before start time and waited for close to an hour to get thru security which was a “free for all.” Not organized at all with 1-2 security guards manning the entrance for thousands of runners. There also wasn’t any signage letting runners know where to go which was frustrating. Another frustrating aspect as a runner was the lack of bathrooms from mile 15-20. There were ZERO (there were some on the other side of the road but you couldn’t cross or you’d run into oncoming runners/traffic). That made it hard as a lot of other runners were struggling that late into the race as well. Great volunteers and energy though! Medal was creative and nice too! Hope the organizing gets a little better and I’ll be back!

    DIFFICULTY
    3
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    2
    SCENERY
    3
    SWAG
    3

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    dchaplin1990 FIRST-TIMER '22

    Spectacular views of the views of the city and West Philadelphia, and even got to pass by the zoo. The medal is super cool, and I would definitely come back … MORE

    Spectacular views of the views of the city and West Philadelphia, and even got to pass by the zoo. The medal is super cool, and I would definitely come back and do it again

    DIFFICULTY
    3
    PRODUCTION
    5
    SCENERY
    5
    SWAG
    5

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  1. Races
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