Baltimore Marathon

First of all, The weather this year was picture-perfect!! And I really enjoyed how many people were out cheering on the runners for this race. Loved that I could grab a beer if I got tired of dodging slow half-marathoners and just wanted to ease my pain with a beer or jello shot. Got to love that! People were everywhere, and some were out for political reasons like wanting to hold up No Kings signs. I'm not sure if they thought they were supporting the runners or just making themselves feel better. I totally get the whole No Kings thing, but is a giant sign talking about Trump along a marathon route meant to motivate a runner or make yourself feel like you've done your civic duty in some strange way? Or are you trying to influence the way the runners think? I just wasn't sure what the goal was there. Alas, it was fun having so many people out even if they weren't all cheering for the runners!

Now for the course: It's challenging, but not insane. The hills make it pretty challenging, and if you are a seasoned runner with many flat/fast marathons under your belt, I can't imagine how you'd PR on this route. But I know it happens! The hills aren't a show stopper, but just know they are there.

Again, I want to say I really enjoyed this race. The porta-potty issue at the start meant I needed to do a bush-pee before the start. I didn't count, but my guess was there were lines 50-people deep for each porta-potty 10-20 minutes leading up to the race. It might be a logistics issue that prevents the race organizers from having enough, but luckily you can find 10,000 places to pee all around Camden Yards if you're not shy. Nobody cares, I think it's just a right of passage to a certain extent. When you gotta go, you gotta go.

Here's the only big challenge I had with this race:
I'm not going to lie, this was the most confusing race I've ever run. I tried to figure out who all I was running with at times, and it was just painful. I'm not sprinting any marathon and I'm not the fastest guy in the world, but for my last few years I've always finished in the three-hour-something arena. This year was different, partly because the course is more challenging. (Hills, etc). But I was ready for that. What I wasn't ready for was the massive number of super slow runners in my way along the marathon route. I couldn't figure out what the heck was going on. Some of the oldest, heaviest people I've ever seen out in running shoes were walking five-abreast talking and having a good time. Good for them, I'm super happy they were out. But how are they in a tight marathon lane at the same time the marathoners are running? At some point I think the marathoners merged with either an AARP parade, or some form of Weight Loss Palooza convention. I'm not hating on old people, because I am old. And I'm not the thinnest guy in the world either, so I'm happy everyone is out exercising. I'm just not sure how that makes sense to have us all tripping over each other at the same time. I've run marathons all over the world, and I've never had to compete with pace-challenged runners from other race distances as much as I did in this race. You've got to find a way to mitigate this in future years. If we all have to use the same roadways, especially thin ones like on the way out and around Lake Montebello, please use some sort of cone and sign system to attempt to get the half marathoners who are running a 3 or 4 hour half over to one side so the marathoners running in the 3s and 4s aren't tripping over them or zig-zagging the entire race. It's hard enough with the Baltimore hills, please don't make us dodge pedestrians as well!

Definitely check out the race profile, and start conservatively. This is a big race, so odds are good you won't be able to go out fast even if you wanted to. People starting out were super courteous in the marathon. No one being a jerk that I saw. No one cutting anyone off - it was oddly diplomatic for Baltimore. The first climb up to beautiful Druid Hill Park is challenging, but you won't feel it because your legs will be fresh. Just remember to keep your pace in check because you head back south downhill, and then come back north (uphill) later in the race. Don't go out fast or you'll regret it on this course more than any!

Lastly steel your mind for hills when you don't even expect it. I thought the last 20% of the race would be mostly downhill, but that was because I didn't check the profile well enough. I laughed out loud at a couple of points in the last few miles wondering if it was an elaborate practical joke or something. Unexpected hills kept popping up all over in the last few miles of the race!

There were a zillion people trying to use the porta potties at the start. And there were only 1/40th of a zillion porta potties. If you are like me and you really rely on emptying your bladder within ten minutes of the gun, I highly suggest bringing one of those pilot-tested "Little Johns" with you. It's like a small bag you can go in without getting yourself wet, and then you just throw it away. I think the official name at Walmart is the Travel John Resealable Disposable Urinal Bags. (https://www.walmart.com/browse/0?facet=brand:TravelJohn)

Just a thought of course. It's easy to tuck in your belt and take near the warmup area, and then you don't need to worry about staying loose while you are standing in line for 30 minutes.

I was excited to run this marathon, and I was generally left somewhat disappointed.
Where it is true that the support can be great, I found it was mostly found in the second half , while in until mile 13, it's quite spotty.
The event itself, while it attracts a very large crowd, still feels pretty small. The expo is extremely underwhelming, very quiet and with just a few general vendors and very few sponsors.
Water stations were great until we merged with the half marathon runners. After that, there were lines of people at most water station, or stations where the volunteers were pouring cups for each runner as you approached, in general this aspect should definitely be improved by the organizers.

Coolest part of the race is by far the marathon.

I ran the Baltimore Marathon for the first time in 2023. Its advantages are the volunteers, city and police support, and enthusiasm from residents. Disadvantages are many: road hazards, race congestion, overcrowded water stops on the course, and not enough restrooms at the start.

If you're focused on getting a personal best or if you don't want to be walled in by slower half-marathoners, this race isn't for you. As advertised, the course has lots of long, rolling uphills and these will cut into your time, and a few surprisingly steep downhills that may tire your quads.

At mile 14 or so the half marathon field merges with the marathon, which in 2023 was twice the size of the marathon field. Many roads are simply too narrow for this when runner numbers are at their peak, creating bottlenecks. As a result, you can't see large potholes or traffic cones placed along the center line until you're right upon them. Some metal dividers place along some stretches have supports jutting into the course at ankle level. If you're near the front or the back of the field you should be ok.

Plenty of free parking around the stadiums for the marathon. Don't count on a last-minute bathroom stop at the start. The few Camden Yards stadium bathrooms that were open were way too few.

It's hilly, good crowd support but the pacers were terrible! He was so fast-way faster than the pace should have been. I would think twice about doing this race.

Practice running on hills

Experienced runner but this was my first marathon (also my hometown marathon). The thing I heard most often in the start area were other runners asking me somewhat incredulously "This is your first marathon?" I loved the first 15 miles. You get to see much of Baltimore -- both low and high income neighborhoods -- and everyone is out cheering on the runners. at around mile 14, the half joins up with the full and it gets a lot busier.

If I were to do this again I'd go out much slower at the beginning. Baltimore's harbor is a basin, and the race starts at the bottom. From there it climbs up for about 3 miles, and then about 6 miles are downhill to the flats around the harbor. Then, around mile 16, the climb back up the basin to Lake Montebello (a reservoir). Mile 20 in are rolling hills that really got me.

This race should be called the "Baltimore Half-Marathon (with full marathon added)." Logistically it is confusing because there are so many start areas for all the different races. Just make sure you read the guide you get at the expo. If you're in the full you start first and it is not difficult to get your bag checked because there are so few runners.

Very well organized race that even brings you through the Baltimore Zoo! Spectators throughout the course have tons of energy and volunteers provide you with plenty of nutrition.

Don't go out too fast. This course is hilly, but moreso in the second half of the race.

The course is hilly, but not impossibly so. I trained on much harder hills-however, the course changed this year and it ended in the Inner Harbor, and had a few trying if not small hills after Lake Montabello. The course was busy throughout due to the relay teams and their exchanges and the half marathoners joining in at mile 16. For a "small" marathon, it felt pretty crowded and I spent plenty of time and energy dodging people. The crowd is upbeat, and I enjoyed the experience despite the aforementioned things.

Save energy for the last push after mile 20. The roads are hilly and not perfectly smooth, so tread carefully. The beer tents had a long wait, and the inner harbor felt a bit crowded for me, if not festive. Easy to walk to food places.

Stay local and walk to the starts, due to high fees for parking and many road closures making cabs and rideshare less efficient. Each race has a different starting line and time.

See above.

Considering the volume of people there, it was fairly well managed. There are different starts for the different course which made it extremely difficult for an out-of-towner like myself to find the start line... I also found other people in the same situation. People were pointing me in several different directions due to the varied starts and finish lines and I had to start five minutes after everyone else. This made dodging people a nightmare for the first half of the race and then just when it started getting better at mile 16, we merged with the half marathoners going at a much slower pace. There are also a lot of relay runners and many of the teams did not run a consistent pace, which worsens the weaving problem. As a result of all of this weaving, my GPS clocked my distance as my longest marathon. So be on time, or you will pay more than necessary.

Those first three miles straight uphill really messed up my pacing. I just couldn't get my proper flow after that slow, long, gradual uphill run. I don't know if there is a way to prepare yourself for that though...

The Baltimore is a hilly beast that takes the greatest toll on you after the calm loop around Lake Montebello-as mentioned, the 2017 course changed and the last 5 miles were hilly, and the roads had lots of bumps and potholes, making the last few miles agonizing when coupled with the extremely packed course. Had to dodge people the entire race, especially after merging with the half marathoners at mile 16. However, great crowd support and cool views of the city and neighborhoods kept it from being boring or overly exhausting. It was my first marathon-and I am glad I chose a hard one for my first as after that I feel I can fly on flatter and faster courses. I am glad I did it as it is my "hometown marathon" but I probably wouldn't do it again.

Just run lots of hills. Be prepared for a busy course. Save juice for the 20's.

Definitely stay in Baltimore. All races as mentioned have different start times and locations.

It's in Baltimore, duh!

Be prepared to party afterwards and experience the friendless of the locals

A city marathon with a small, friendly atmosphere! The full marathon field is small enough there are no waves, and runners are allowed to self-seed by pace. The course offers a great tour of the different neighborhoods of Baltimore, decked in fall colors if the weather is right. There are supportive spectators from the community all along the course, with especially exciting crowds at the Inner Harbor (miles 9 and 13) and Patterson Park (mile 16).

The Baltimore Marathon has awesome pacers who will guide you through the whole race, so your best strategy may be simply finding the right pace group. The biggest hill is a gradual ascent right from the start to mile 4, when you're feeling fresh. Miles 9-15 along the waterfront are completely flat, with occasional harbor views. But be sure to save some energy for the second major climb at miles 17-20, which feels much more taxing!

Hilly but lots of crowd support

Train on hills

Excellent expo

This is a challenging course with a tough uphill stretch on the back side, but it goes through some great neighborhoods and parts of Charm City. And the crowd support is sensational. It's a well-organized and fun event.

Don't go too fast early on. You'll be tempted to fly through the zoo area where there is a downhill stretch, but you have to remember that it is uphill from Miles 16-20!

Lake Montibello is at Mile 21 or so. Once you reach there, it's relatively easy coming home. So stay focused on getting to the Lake, then you know you'll be able to finish strong.

I would advise taking light rail into the city instead of parking. Give yourself plenty of time.

Community spirit, finishing through Camden Yards, the after party by the two stadiums.

Great crowd, great city, great course. Start by Ravens Stadium and finish by sprinting past Camden Yards. I PR'd my time by 11+ minutes!

Don't let the relay teams throw off your pace. They are well marked but can help push you too early if you're not careful.

Park at M&T was easy

It is a challenging course. It also takes you around the best sights for Baltimore. It is also very well equipped to handle the masses.

ONLY negative is that getting to the start is not well marked. Course is well marked though.

Train hills. Lots of them.

Stay in a hotel close to start.

Courses are available for all types of runners beginner to advanced!

Enjoy the views!

Arrive early, find your start line since there are several.

The crowd is awesome and the energy from the city keep you going!

Practice with HILLS! There is a lot of incline in this race.

Free parking runs out quickly. But plenty of places where you can pay about $15 to park for the day.

The weather was beautiful and there were so many supporters throughout the race. The medal is SO awesome! I will be running it again!

train if you're not a runner.

there were some inclines so definitely train in areas with some hills to be prepared.

lots of people but it was very well organized; prepare ahead of time how you will get to the start line.

This race had great crowd support & was a nice scenic course to get a good view of the city. Finishing at the stadium was very fun, post race snacks were good.

The marathon bumps into the half marathon runners when you get up into the teen miles, this made the course very congested & gave me no choice but to slow my pace down. Parking was easy at the stadium. Packet pickup was easy as well.

Baltimore is not the safest city, which is what made running through it feel enjoyable because it was well patrolled. Be safe, know where you are going so you don't look & act like a lost tourist.

Loved the course. Gentle uphill for the first 3 miles, then a nice coast down. The roads were large enough for the runners, but not so wide as to feel all alone. Some people did not like the merge with the 1/2 marathon crowd at mile 16. The expo was disappointing and difficult to navigate, but they promised to improve location for 2016!

Watch out for the loop around the lake near on the last third. It is only a mile (or less), but it is flat and feels like it takes forever.

We stayed within walking distance of Camden Yards. Hit the Inner Harbor and Little Italy!! If you like beer, Heavy Seas Brewery is about a 15 minute drive from Camden Yards. The Marathon is much smaller than the 1/2, so getting into the corral is not an issue.

Lots of uphill.

Love the underarmour sponsorship and running through the zoo!

This is a great, challenging and hilly marathon. The race takes you through all the great sites of the city, historical monuments and attractions. Allows people to see how beautiful this city really is - not how the media portrays.

This is a hilly course right from the start. Pace yourself and save your energy for the bridge at about mile 23. Once you climb that final hill you can use your saved energy to coast the last leg downhill straight through to Camden yards!

Plan to arrive about an hour early if you drive. Out of town runners have many hotel options close to the start/finish or have the option to take the light rail that runs all the way out to the suburbs. Night before the race head over to little Italy for great Italian food perfect to carbo load!

Lots of fan support and colorful neighborhoods. Funny signs and cheering crowds really kept me going. Loved getting candy throughout, because I'm such a sweet tooth. Healthier options, like bananas, were also available. The pacers are great, very encouraging and knowledgeable. The course is challenging with rolling hills, but hey, it's a marathon. It's not supposed to be easy. One thing I really liked were the changing rooms to put on clean dry clothes afterwards. Great race!

Take it easy in the beginning because there are some hills in the second half. Smile for the photographers, even if you don't feel like smiling.

Take the light rail instead of trying to park at the start.

Great race to see the wonderful city of Baltimore and Starts and end near Camden yards and Ravens stadium. Very scenic in many parts and every part of the marathon is a different section of the City.

Overall race environment, organization.

It's simply the best! Better than all the rest!

Settle in!