Copenhagen Marathon - Race Reviews

PRO: Alles BESTENS. SUPER LAUF CON: Aber - Es gab keine Fotografen an der Strecke. Es gibt nur ein paar Fotos vom Zieleinlauf. Sehr schlechte Qualität, unterbelichtet. Nicht druckbare. Dies war der erste meiner bisherigen 35 Marathons, wo es keine brauchbaren Fotos gibt. Schade! Google Translate (to English): PRO: All the best. SUPER RUN CON: But - There were no photographers along the route. There are only a few photos of the finish line. Very poor quality, underexposed. Not printable. This was the first of my 35 marathons so far where there are no usable photos. A pity!

Highly recommended marathon: very well organized, extremely beautiful city, the atmosphere is incredible (a lot of people cheering all the course, bands, chors, etc..). Just amazing! The course has a lot of curves. We had good weather so it was not slippery at all. I ran in total 42,56 kms. Sometimes you have to cross some bridges, otherwise it is flat. The refreshment station at km 10 is installed in an extremely narrow passage. It must be changed!

I got a new PR but worst than what I expected. Course not very flat but biggest problem was the 43.2 km that I had to run due to the many turns. City is very expensive and hotel prices were insane. Otherwise nice race

First. The course is okay, and it is fast. I have set my two fastest times here. But there is a lot of loops, and I would love a new course. Spectators are good not Berlin or NY good, but still up there. Organization is the best in the world. Try the app and you will see. Everything just work. Will do it again but no next year.

In comparison with my other 35 marathons, I can say I have mixed feelings about this one. On the upside: Copenhagen is a beautiful and relaxed city, with an average amount of - rather enthusiastic - spectators. This start was by far the most relaxed one, due to the absence of starting sections, and the rather limited amount (<10.000) of competitors. After the finish enough free snacks and drinks to fuel up some new energy. On the downside: the website displays a BIG - or should I say 'elevated' lie - by saying 'The course has a complete flat elevation profile'. Especially the big railroadcrossing after 22 km was rather tough! And if you spilled all your energy before the last part, the little climb after 41 km won't be a treat either. Another important thing you should realise: if you're not into a 'loopy' course, you really should skip this one. In fact: there are so many loops that of all the 42 km, not less than 31 km of the course you run 2, 3 or even 4 times ! In this way it's not the most varied course at all ! And it's because of this, that this marathon has a lot of corners. Some of them being rather tight and slowing you down. All-in-all I would come back for Copenhagen, but not for it's marathon. But if you do: rent a bike and enjoy the city in a easy way, ánd it's ideal to get to and from the start/finish !

This was my 28th big city marathon in the past few years. I've run all the world majors, of course, and by this point some of the larger North & South American and European would-be majors (such as Paris, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, San Francisco, and Madrid). BUT, I have to say that the Copenhagen Marathon will definitely stand out as one of my all-time favorites! Keeping in mind that the weather cooperated well this year (it was sunny and 60 degrees Fahrenheit/ 15 degrees Celsius), I could not have asked for a nicer, happier running experience than I found here. The city is BEAUTIFUL, lively, and spotlessly clean, and the Danes (who the U.N. designates as the happiest nation on earth) are the absolute perfectly joyous fans. Not only does the flat course cleverly twist and turn in such a way that you will rarely notice that a few, not all, parts of it are looped (as compared to say the Stockholm Marathon, where the double loop is a major bummer in an otherwise lovely race, or the Amsterdam Marathon with its tedious long leg out and back along the river), but there is so much music and fan support, Copenhagen often feels like a giant street party. Plus, the race stays thoroughly inside the city neighborhoods, showing off its actual streetscapes (none of that 'sending you into a park or down a highway' to conveniently dispose of large segments of miles/meters (Hmmmm...Philadelphia Marathon and/or the Las Vegas Night Marathon? I'm talking about the likes of you!). LOL. Anyway, the Copenhagen organizers owe it to themselves to get out there and market this just a bit more as this is quite an undiscovered GEM, one which I was totally surprised and delighted by; truly, one of the nicest races in the world!!

Cracking race in a stunning city. I had read a number of reviews on the internet where they had made a big deal about the cobbles and uneven surfaces round the course, to be honest did not encounter any of these issues as I watched where I was putting my feet. The support from the locals was fantastic, the route took us round all the city sites, the course flat as a pancake, I got a PB (3:27:43) at the age of nearly 51 and I have been running for 20+ years and I am 15st and 5ft 11in, so bit of a fatty, so recommend it, it's a must do in a great city, you will definitely get a PB.

First time, I tried the marathon in my 'hometown'. Very surprised about the spectators, they were amazing. Better then other races in Denmark. And the Organization had managed to have a lot of Hot Spots on the route, which was helpful. The course, could be better. Missed the little mermaid and Frederiksberg. Also, not helpful, that after 9 km, there is a sign with 40 km. Oh 31 km to go. The last 2 km, was good and a lot of tents after the finish line. Loved the PB bell, that I hit after the race. I'm doing this again.

Copenhagen is a great city and the course takes you along some great sights. This was my first marathon and I am glad I chose this one. The crowds were great too. The only downside was that at the finish -when cold rain was pouring down- there was no place to shelter or warm-up, the insulation blankets were gone too, so everyone was rushing away from the scene.

Nice flat course, good organised, very good pace-setters. All in all a five star marathon.

Copenhagen is a very beautiful city, and so is the course that takes you through all of these wonderful places. Very enjoyable! The course is very flat, but not all that fast. There are several cobblestone areas, none of which are a killer, but one after the other ends up being pretty hard on the legs. That is the tradeoff for designing a very scenic course in the old city. The race is quite competitive with plenty of sub 3-hour runners, and amazing pace-setters. Given the large number of 3-hour runners, they had at least 3 pace-setters for this target, doing an amazing job. The overall organization is very good, but there is one very big problem: only 10 water stations. In the US, water stations at every mile is the standard. I do not understand why they do not do that in Copenhagen. Overall, I still highly recommend this marathon in a great city.

Anyone looking for a personal best (PB) time should consider running the Copenhagen Marathon. The course is as flat as a pancake and if the weather conditions allow, then you can go well! The race is medium-sized but retains a small and friendly feel. The organisation is good although the finish area could be improved with more space for the runners to meet up with their friends/families. The registration expo was ok, although more race merchandise could be available to buy. The only downside with this marathon is that with the May scheduling, it does coincide with numerous other marathons across Europe especially. Overall, I would recommend this marathon as Copenhagen is a lovely compact city and you can definitely post a fast time here.

It would be great if the finishing area were better organized. It was chaos - too many strollers. Otherwise, a great run. In 2011, I'm running in a hot air balloon.

This was my first marathon and it was a great experience. I was made very welcome as a foreigner and the Danes are very effecient at organizing things without a big fuss. For a capital-city race, it is small, and therefore a pleasant experience without a huge number of runners. Everything on the day went very smoothly and it was very enjoyable. I recommend it.

This race was well organized. My only complaint was the bottleneck of runners leaving the finishing area caused by waiting families. Perhaps a designated meet-up area would help. Everything else went off without a hitch for me. There were plenty of porta-potties and all aid stations ran smoothly. There were cobblestones, but only for a very small portion of the race, and I think it's largely unavoidable if you want to include the more scenic parts of the city. The course is flat and fast, and the Danish were friendly - both the residents and the runners.

A fast, flat marathon course in a truly beautiful city. It's well organized and well supported, with a nice finish along the waterfront. My only grumbles are that they don't promote the race better by selling any marathon merchandise, and certain sections of the course aren't closed to traffic.

A very good day out, as long as you managed to avoid all the hazards on route. Not one to consider if you are a girl who likes a comfort break in private.

I ran this marathon, and though it was a beautiful city and course and well organized, there were many winding turns and some unmarked kilometers. The loop around was better than I expected. The middle loop was different and we re-ran the last part twice to the finish line. Parts of the course were narrow pathways; that's my only complaint. There were pretty warm temperatures. The fans were great. I would run it again!

This was my 14th marathon and I will definitely run Copenhagen again in the future. A really nice run and you will have good chances to do a PB due to the course being flat. Good pace-keepers. My only complaint is about lack of energy bars, bananas, or anything else other than water/energy drinks at the end of the race.

Nice city, friendly people, well organized marathon. Few niggles organisers should sort... winding through the streets there were many obstacles left unmarked, (e.g., metal posts to waist height, curbs not obvious, bottlenecks) - and I saw several people fall over as a result. Too many bikes and cars alongside narrow sections or cutting through runners - race literature claims race to be traffic-free, but it's not. Didn't detract from the race, but some items could be improved. Beautiful city for a marathon.

This was my 4th marathon and I am about to run Copenhagen again this coming weekend. A really nice run - a small enough field to run your own pace without tripping over people, good pace-keepers, no hassles at registration or the start and finish. I was initially dubious about a 3 lap race, but only the first and third are the same, and it splits it into nice, easily managed sections. Easily a PB for me too!

The Copenhagen Marathon is one of best marathons I have ever run. I love the city of Copenhagen, the atmosphere, the organization that seems to get better every year, and the course. Now we even get free beer at the finish line! (And of course, a lot of fruit and beverages). A friendly atmosphere, no hesitation, no nervous lining up for start-numbers and so on - perfect! It is worth running this marathon with such friendly organization at least once in your lifetime!!! -Claus Ehlers

My 3rd marathon. I was not in top condition, but finished anyway. Pretty warm day, but a very nice course through the city, with varying views. Tried 2 times to see The Little Mermaid, but it was too little for me, obviously. Cozy atmosphere, friendly, low-organizational-scale marathon - not those mega-manifestations like Berlin, London or Rotterdam. Good timing of refreshments, thanks to all the volunteers. Congratulations to Sparta Lobklubben. I will return!

Well organized race. The speed 'rabbit' runners that help you control your speed/time are a good idea. But the spectators are absent or downright depressing. 2004 was my second time in Copenhagen and I will do it again, but the atmosphere along the route could be improved.

Upsides of the marathon: Interesting 3-loop course (with 1st and 3rd loops almost the same). No really 'dead' areas, and you pass most of the city`s highlights (including the Little Mermaid). Good support, marshalling and excellent finish area with lots of food, space and loads of masseurs. Downsides: Chaotic water stations (cups not bottles and too small), tight route with quite a few obstructions (parked cars a pest), naff goody bag and expo, no pasta party. Best bit - running through the Carlsberg Brewery!! Worst bit - a bit warm this year. The Danes are a fabulous people, give the marathon a go!!!

A beautiful city needs to offer a better marathon to runners. Why not to close the city to traffic? Why bikes so close to runners? Why only water at 35 km?

Very well organised. Easy and no-nonsense registration. The route is nice. It takes you through a variety of charming Copenhagen neigbourhoods and the participants are a nicely mixed crowd of experienced runners and first-timers. In 2003, there were 6000 participants. Plenty of food and water. I will definitively run this one again.

Copenhagen was my first marathon and I ran it almost without training. The start area was pretty packed and it took me a couple of minutes to pass the start. The course goes then out of town and through the town back again. The weather was very nice, but there was only at the lake a bigger crowd. Towards the end it was a bit annoying as you had to run among a couple of cyclists. And one part across the city was on the boardwalk along cars. What I like about the event is that there is no big prize money, means there are no big stars and it is more a race for the average runner. Organisation was great, plenty of water stations and the food after the finish was great, I wish other events had that as well.

Since the race is in my hometown, I have been attending twice, 1996+1999. The course goes through Wonderful Copenhagen and you actually get to see a lot of the sites that Copenhagen is famous for. Average temp in Denmark in May is 10-15C during daytime. The course is not very fast, as there's quite a lot of sharp turns and loops. The spectators are entusiatics and especially one place (where you cross 3 times) it's really crowded. Several live bands which of cause attracts spectators. For those of you who have been running Madrid Marathon, I would say the the number of spectators are about the same. The race is very well organized. Hope to see some of you in copenhagen. Rgds Morten Holm

I participated in 1999. The course is beautiful (the last few kilometres is by the harbour) and very flat. Only problem is that it is not fully closed for traffic so if you are unlucky you may have to wait for cars to pass by at 1 or 2 places on the course. The orginazation is ok considering administration, refreshments etc. They are not using chips at the moment but hopefully they will do that in the future. The spectators are not the best in the world... if you compare with races in Germany and other places. People go to see the race, but they are very quiet - I would like spectators to clap and yell a lot more for the racers.