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Shanghai International Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Shanghai International Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 3.0 
Organization 3.5 
Spectators 3.8
Number of comments: 29 [displaying comments 1 to 11]
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D. C. from Shanghai, China
(12/7/2019)
"Good experience but overlooked many details" (about: 2019)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Shanghai International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I ran this (3rd time) because it's convenient more so than memorable. Weather is getting hotter in November (21-25*C race morning). How about we deal with air pollution in December or climate change or both? The Goods: - emphasis on running etiquette in the several SMS received pre-raced (a lot more education to do) - 25min from metro station to standing in the start corral. Included toilet, gear check and stretching. Many details missed: - English website is improving but still unfriendly and missing basic details - I got into the 3:45 coral but ran for 20min before seeing the 5:00 pacers (?!) - Why do all 3 races start at the same time?! Resulted in many different paces running all together. - Runner name on bib was printed way too small. Impossible to read. - Several toilet stations placed right on the course (Why not a side street?!) so bathroom-goers lined up into the path of runners. - Water and sports drinks used same cup. Stations weren't clearly marked in advance so many runners suddenly cut across the route. - Disposal bins were put next to the water stations instead of staggered down course. - Water misters were put on the side of the course, not accounting for wind direction so few actually sprayed onto runners. - A waste of a stadium finish. Completely empty (except runners) and without atmosphere, after which everyone was quickly herded out. Why not issue some family passes and pack out the stadium for a rousing finish? That would be truly memorable and worth returning for. - No Small shirts left by Saturday morning. | |
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P. A. from London England
(11/21/2019)
"Great Organisation but I felt seen off." (about: 2019)
50+ previous marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 I am an international runner and I didn't realise until the day before that my race number was in the starting block E. As a 3hrs 30 minutes marathon runner, I found myself at the back of 5hrs.30minutes runners. This was a big nightmare and cruel to be subjected to this experience. It ruined what would be been a great experience having travelled all the way from London and possibly the only black man in the mass race apart from the elite runners. | |
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W. S. from Asia
(11/9/2015)
"Can only recommend!" (about: 2015)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Shanghai International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon in China and Shanghai. Overall a great experience. Great, fast almost flat course, organization along the race course very good with plenty of supply of water stations, energy drinks, cold sponges, medical coverage...! And a very engaged crowd of supporters and spectators. The only downside is the congested starting area and slow runners get there way in into the A block which caused a lot of unnecessary slowing down the first km's and annoyances. But this can be easily improved! I think the race has a lot of further upwards potential and could end up as one of the ' bigger ones' moving forward. Singapore-watch it! | |
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Yeow Heng Lim from Singapore
(12/7/2013)
"My first marathon overseas" (about: 2013)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Shanghai International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Having done several full marathons my home country Singapore, this is my first attempt at an overseas marathon in 2013. My previous best time had been a slow 5:41 for a night marathon and given the cut-off time for this Shanghai Marathon was 6:00 I was certainly taking a big gamble by signing up for this. The course was better than the Singapore marathons in terms of the amount of space for running as the crowd support. I have never experienced having so many bystanders watching and cheering runners on back in Singapore. The atmosphere at the beginning was great too. The only thing I didn't like was the congested access to the start point. Other than that it was a great marathon experience and I managed to improve my FM PB by 30 minutes, 5:11, and could have been better if not for dehydration. The course is demoralising in the second half, having to make several u-turns, and crossing a huge bridge. Along the way I also took to encouraging fellow strugglers in persevering. It was indeed a memorable experience for me. | |
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D. C. from Shanghai, China
(12/5/2013)
"Air quality overrides otherwise good race" (about: 2013)
11-50 previous marathons
| 2 Shanghai International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 2 A nice city course, modest entry fee, complaint-less organization (both pre- and post-race), quality race shirt, several invigorating drum/cheer groups along the course BUT... 1) the air was terrible this year. Air Quality Index fluctuated between 186 (Unhealthy) and 275 (Very Unhealthy). Shanghai Marathon Organizing Commmittee, please advocate for some social and political change! Otherwise, your venerable IAAF Gold Road Race will become the biggest showcase for one of China's ugliest, most disgraceful flaws possible, its disregard for the environment. 2) the running etiquette amongst racers was infuriating. Endless numbers of plastic panchos were just discarded in the middle of the street for all to trample and trip on. 3) no solid food at any official station. No bananas, raisins, cookies. Post race spread was equally paltry. I guess the 300RMB entry fee justifies this. 4) the subdued, conservative Chinese crowd. I felt a bit like a spectacle on display for their curious viewing. Definitely not an athlete worth celebrating and cheering. | |
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Y. H. from Shanghai
(12/4/2013)
"I was amazed how well everything was organised:)" (about: 2013)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Shanghai International Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 A big 'Thank You' for all the people who worked so hard to make this event happen, without you it wouldn't be that perfect. I enjoyed every single moment of the race and all of you should also receive a medal for your volunteer work:) | |
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C. G. from San Francisco
(12/12/2011)
"My hometown marathon" (about: 2011)
50+ previous marathons
| 2 Shanghai International Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 It is not the best marathon in the world but will always hold a very special place in my heart. After all, Shanghai is my city by birth, and I have left my heart in Shanghai before moving to San Francisco. | |
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Sven Jacobs from Basel, Switzerland
(12/7/2011)
"28.000 Chinese runners and a few Long Noses..." (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Shanghai International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 For someone who has only run races on mainland Europe running in China was always going to be a memorable experience... And running the Shanghai marathon clearly was! From what I read from previous comments this race is coming of age! 28.000 runners in total, including 18.000 in the semi- and full marathon. 5000 runners from abroad, mainly Korea and Japan... During the race I sporadically spotted a Lao Wei (long nose - the general term for white people in China). The organisation was crisp and efficient. Lots of tables with ample water and a sweet tea drink along the course, bag drop-off simple and the finish easy and efficient. The only comment could be that entry into the race might be difficult from abroad - I was lucky to have a Chinese colleague arrange the entry for me (I had sent emails to the organisation with questions - but never got an answer!) The start is 'Chinese chaotic': lots of slower runners pushing to the front, racing ahead and then stopping to take pictures of the field bearing down on them! The spectators along the course are generally very enthousiastic - especially when I managed to catch their eye! This always got them to shout out encouragement... and there were teams of factory workers dressed in bright colours and waving pompoms, or rhythmically banging small drums. The course is good: starting at The Bund across 5 lanes of traffic and detouring through the Expo area. There are only two long boring bits - when you backtrack through the Expo area exactly the same way you came, and the last 10km which are also an Out 'n Back stretch... but the groups of spectators make up for it! I didn't make a PR - having arrived two days earlier my jet lag saw to that - but I sure am glad I ran this race! It's a memorable one! | |
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D. L. from South Korea
(12/5/2011)
"Exactly what you expect" (about: 2011)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Shanghai International Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Looking for a winter marathon in Asia and reading the reviews here, I chose the Shanghai marathon. The best way I can describe it is to say it was exactly what I expected from a race in China: organized, efficient, cheap, crowded, dirty. They announced 28,000 runners from 66 countries. No start corrals so there was lots of pushing, but while there were always lots of people around, there was always plenty of space, at least 2 full traffic lanes if not 4+. Easy to get to start line, stay in a hotel in the Bund and you can walk (the Peace Hotel is at the start, I stayed at the Blue Mountain Bund Hostel and was about 4 blocks away, hostel also allows for late check and to pay for a 1/2 day for check-out by 6pm). Good community support with groups of elderly out waving pompoms and yelling, more trafficked areas had families out, although they were tiring by the end. Plenty of aid stations with bottled water and sweet tea, though no gels or food. Not enough toilets, but there were some (carry your own TP). Lots of medics around, including every 50 yards for the last 2km. Nothing at the expo, and the expo is a bit of a hassle to get to, but not bad. Schwag was fine, you get half of it at the finish; shirt is tech fabric and ok, decent string backpack, 2 towels, a nice armband for music/phone. Finish line food is a bag containing a bottle of water, 2 fun-size Snickers, and a package of cookies like you get on a plane. The course was fine, scenery wasn't exciting, but not bad and at least the roads were in excellent condition. Mostly flat except a 3km climb up a helix and over the bridge, but that's at the 3km mark. Timing chips required a 100y deposit in cash at registration, which you got back upon returning the chip at the finish. Finish line is at a metro station, and there are plenty of taxis (legal and just enterprising car owners), but with cash you can be on your way back to the hotel less than 30 minutes after crossing the finish line. While there is definitely air pollution, I wouldn't say it effected the race. Can't guarantee it, of course, but the weather in 2011 was absolutely perfect, sunny and about 30F at the start, maybe 45 by the finish. The race only cost $40, hotel was cheap, as was food and transport, so price-wise it was a good deal, as far as traveling to races goes! I went in knowing I was under-trained and also at the tail-end of a bad cold, so I knew I wasn't going to have a great race, finish-time, but all in all, I had a nice time at the Shanghai marathon. | |
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J. S. from Shanghai, China
(12/5/2011)
"Better than 2010" (about: 2011)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Shanghai International Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 For 2011, the course changed somewhat with runners going up the spiral access ramp to one of the bridges spanning the river, the highlight of the race. The start was also better (on the Bund) as opposed to Nanjing Rd, and no choke point as in 2010. Supplies are largely limited to water and sweet tea. Worth it if you are in town. |
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