November 22, 2009
4:17:07
This is still one of my favorite marathons. I had never been to Philly, so my wife and I left on Thursday and made a long weekend out of it. We saw the historic sights of Philadelphia, of which there are many, and we ate at several fantastic restaurants. Oh yeah, there was a race, too.
The race starts by the Philadelphia Museum of Art, where the famous "Rocky" statue now resides. The course takes you through many different parts of town and winds through the expansive Fairmount Park, which is basically Philadelphia's Central Park. This part was quite hilly, but scenic.
I felt great during most of the race and was hoping to break 4 hours. This was my third marathon in as many months, and after the hills in Fairmount Park, I just didn't have the legs to carry me to a strong, sub 4 hour finish. Afterwards we hustled back to the hotel, grabbed our bags and a quick bite to eat, hopped the train to the airport, and flew home that night.
I generally prefer the large, urban marathons. Although Philadelphia does not have the reputation of Boston, New York, or Chicago, in my opinion the Philadelphia Marathon is in the same class at the US marathon majors and definitely worth a look.
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