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Race Reports for Philadelphia Marathon

[26]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Nothing beats Musselman yet...but I liked having my name on my bib, I LOVED being shoulder to shoulder with other runners the whole race (kind of like drafting in the swim in a tri...I just tried to keep up with the flow, but pick of person by person). That first bathroom pit stop within 2 or 3 miles of the start had me lose the 4 hour pace group, but I had it in my head that I would have done it at some point in the race...I guess when I want to try and qualify for Boston then I'll just have to hold it. I did for my HIM so I can do it for a marathon.
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[27]
Reported by:
Race rating (1)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Bad
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: The race itself is good, although they had the worst post-race food I've ever seen. There were scattered oranges, pretzels, and thin clear soup broth in the smallest paper cups I've ever seen. However, the reason I rate this race "worst" for me is that I really didn't enjoy it-- and I run because I enjoy it, and I can't say that I didn't enjoy any other race that I've run/biked/swum before. I enjoyed training for it, and I was proud of following a training schedule so well. So, I'm glad I did it, and I learned that I can endure a lot in the interests of finishing something, and looking back, I would say it was worth it. I'm not entirely happy with my race, even though I finished, because I sort of accepted that I _would_ finish as a given, and wanted to do well. It may be that mile goal time was unrealistic. I'll have to be satisfied with the fact that I actually got a PR for the half marathon (1:55)!
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[28]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: great race, very organized.
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[29]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Bad
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Can't really rate this race because I have nothing to compare it too, The energy was sooo positive. I've never done a marathon before- I have to do this again. I can do better in time now that I know how it goes.
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[30]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was way up there. They did everything I needed, but I wouldn't say they exceeded my expectations. The only bummers for me was the post-race food (pretty lame: cold pretzels, banana, juice and a tiny granola bar) and it was difficult to navigate the convention center. First it was hard to find the right building and then it was impossible to walk around the vendor area. Although the packet pickup was excellent. I would definitely do this one again.
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[31]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: It Philly, so its got a special place in my heart. I will do it again, probably multiple times. I know the course, know the town, have family there and its only 1.5 hours away.
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[32]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Good late season race. Nice flat course. Good cheering sections. I would recommened this to anyone who likes Philadelphia and wants to race in the city.
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[33]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Two things stick out for me, but it's my first marathon so maybe I'm being picky.. 1) Ice at the water stations. A little forethought could have limited the risk. Just a bucket or two of salt to toss down. I mean, it was nasty slippery. 2) Food. It's really pretty anti-climatic to cross the finish line and get your blanket and medal and then be faced with an anemic selection of bananas, pretzels, juick (in little cups) and warm chicken broth w/ or w/out rice. I mean the broth was good after the run and it was warm, but I think for the $$ spent they could do better somehow.
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[34]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Race seemed better organized than last year (when I ran the half) and the post-race food has made some modest strides forward (though still not the greatest). But even on a cold day the crowd support was great, the course is not dead flat but not overly difficult and it's local for me. It's my only marathon experience, but a good one.
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[35]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was a great race that was well organized with lots of volunteers and enthusiasm. I really enjoyed it!
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[36]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This is a great marathon and half-marathon course. It's got a few hills--the worst being the one at mile 9--but otherwise, it's fast and flat and goes through some of the prettiest parts of the city. The post-race activities are a bit "meh" and the post-race food isn't anything stellar either. But the volunteers and crowds are great and nothing will pump you up for a race than hearing the Rocky theme played as you start your run. Overall, an excellent race. Highly recommended!
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[37]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I really enjoyed this race. I was ready to do the Half-Marathon but I couldn't accept the $100 entry fee. Maybe if it was something like $60 or $75 even - but a $100? Too expensive. The 8K was just right considering the lack of training I have done. It was great running out on Kelly Drive past Boathouse Row and around Logan Circle and the Ben Franklin Parkway. I wish I had more time to spend after my finish. I will be doing the Half-Marathon next season regardless of the entry fee price.
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[38]
Reported by:
Race rating (5)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This was an awesome race. I highly recommend you do it, if you haven't. Had it not been for the cold weather, it would have been a beautiful day. Nice and sunny out. The other runners are super friendly and so were the volunteers. Great scenery during the run, and plenty of stuff to do afterward. We had lunch at a great French place afterward and I got the best blueberry pancakes EVER. I think I'll be back next year to race this! Plus, I think I'm ready to sign up for more races...this was exactly what I needed to get me back in the game. A big thank you to my wonderful, sleep-deprived hubby who came to watch my race and be my half-mary sherpa.
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[39]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: It was my 1st Marathon, and I didn't know what to expect. The course was marked great, there were plenty of volunteers and despite the weather it was a fantastic day.
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[40]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: This race was ok. Not enough fluid stations (1 every 2.5 miles), and not NEAR enough bathrooms. Post race food was pretty weak, and the expo was super unorganized.
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[41]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: biggest problem IMHO was no commmunication regarding course change, which was significant.
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[42]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?
  • Plenty of drink stations?

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability:

  • Comments: Who had the BT sign at about mile 5 or 6? I high fived whoever had the sign, but they looked at me like I was crazy.
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[43]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: PHENOMENAL volunteers. Plenty of them and they were great. Lots of drink stations. A COMPLETELY different experience from my first Marathon which had only 263 finishers. It was a lot of fun to run a marathon with thousands of other people.
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[44]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Good - Good course, volunteers and fans - Suprisingly easy to get to and park (granted we were earlier than most) OK - post race food (Bananas, oj, granola bars, chicken broth) Not so good - Packet pickup and expo far from race site - Poor race maps with no cue sheets
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[45]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Good
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: great race. great course. good support. good finish line and post race activities. just get to the bathrooms early.
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[46]
Reported by:
Race rating (4)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Philly did a fabulous job with this race. They really took the feedback from last year and made positive changes. There were lots of water stations. Plenty of food at the end. The volunteers were wonderful. Great organization. Terrific race. Even the weather held up until we finished. (Thanks to the Man above!) The full rain started as soon as we got to the car! How about that for timing?!!!
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[47]
Reported by:
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: This is my second time in the Philly marathon. I will do a different 26.2 next time.
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[48]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities?
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: No junk food station?! Needed oreos, best I got was a peep.
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[49]
Reported by:
Race rating (2)
User photo
  • Organised?No
  • Events on time?No

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Below average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: I gave this race a 2 since it just lacked organization. From the race number pickup, to the way the bags were handled. The course was nice. But the organization sucked. First of all, they had the expo and the number pickup in the same tent. So, you had to go all the way to the back of the tent through the people shopping at the expo to get your number. It just was not very organized, and the whole place smelled like hot dogs. Bag check or lack thereof. Apparently the trucks got shooed away by the police so instead of dropping off the bags in trucks, they just got dropped off on the side of the road. For lack of time, I couldnt drop it in the tent which was another mess. Lucky I didn't use the Philadelphia Marathon bag, but my own bright red bookbag. So I found my bag inside the tent in a random pile. No number check or anything. The race course was great. Volunteers and support were excellent. Everything before and after the race was mediocre at best.
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[50]
Reported by:
Race rating (3)
User photo
  • Organised?Yes
  • Events on time?Yes

  • Lots of volunteers to help?Yes
  • Plenty of drink stations?Yes

  • Post race activities? Average
  • Overall course based on my ability: Just right

  • Comments: Great course, great weather for running. The crowd support and volunteers were really good. I would say the race "extras" (Ie goodie bag, T-shirt, medal, expo) weren't too exciting, but the race was a great experience and a good value for the money (especially compared to a $440 IM price tag). A very good "small-big city marathon"
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