iWelt-Marathon - Race Reviews

I ran in the Half Marathon this past weekend and really enjoyed the race and Wurzburg. Due to a previous commitment, I was unable to get to Wurzburg until the morning of the race. I arrived at the expo in the Congress Center at 0700, and picking up the race packet was easy and not crowded (crowds picked up about 0730 to 0800). The bag dropoff was downstairs and was easy and organized. Race started at 0900 about a half block down the road, with the Half Marathon and Full Marathon runners starting at the same time (half marathon a single lap of the course and the full marathon two laps). It was a rather warm day this year (70 and sunny), but the course had ample refreshments (water every 2.5K, and water, Iso drink, bananas every 5K...cola about 3K from the finish). Overall the course was fairly flat, with a few small hills up and down here and there but nothing too strenuous. It was a nice course mixing in the urban areas with a stretch in the outlying park areas. Some of the course was a little dull, but overall I enjoyed it. The crowd support was good in the city center and in certain pockets along the course. As others have noted, some cobblestone roads within the last mile and a half or so but really not too bad for a half marathoner. The crowd support picked up quite a bit around the area the cobblestones started so locals helped me forget about the cobbled road. Wurzburg is a cool little city and the people were really friendly. This is a great small city Marathon/Half Marathon and is worth considering when planning a run. I know I'll be back.

The race organization is much improved since I last ran this in 2008. Lots of spectators, very motivated volunteers, and an interesting course.

Loved this race. Well organized, and efficient but friendly. Got a bit hot on the day, but the bands and support kept you going. Two loops with a choice of stopping at a half gave you a choice. If you're looking for a medium-sized, good-quality race, you could do a lot worse. Smashing city as well. Oh, and the medal was a cracker!

I've run 83 marathons and this one ranks in the top 5. Beautiful, fair, interesting course for all but one 5K stretch. Extremely enthusiastic and vocal spectator support, with music. And although it's a matter of personal taste, the best t-shirt ever.

This was my first half-marathon, and even though I don't have much to compare it to, it was a great experience. The packet pick up and expo were very organized; I was in and out in a few minutes. I found all of the volunteers to be helpful and friendly. My German is not perfect, and everyone was very patient with me. The course was generally flat, with one long incline around 14K in. It was extremely warm, so I was not envious of the full marathoners passing the finish to do a second round. The views from the course are beautiful, and the course covers all major sites of the city. I didn't think the spectator support was all that great (like I was hoping it would be) - there was only some live music and people yelling from windows - but the other runners were so much fun! Near the finish, as you run through the city center, there were however lots of people, which I needed for the last 2K. The massages at the finish were wonderful, and I think it was the reason I could get in the car and drive 2 hours home. I am so excited to run my next half and eventual first full marathon.

I ran the half-marathon yesterday. The crowd support was not as good as I remembered it being last year (when I was a member of the crowd, not a runner) and I was a little disappointed by that. The weather actually got quite hot so I was thankful that at least half of the race was in shaded areas, which was quite nice. Course was relatively flat with only two small hills (up a ramp to cross a bridge). I set a new PR but practically passed out at the finish line so I can attest first hand that the medics there were quite good and attentive - I'm thankful for their care. It seemed well organized, although it was crowded on race morning. I registered the night before and it was much less crowded. I used a Garmin GPS watch to time and pace myself. I was surprised that my GPS told me I hit 13.5 miles at the finish line - not 13.1 - pretty big error in distance. Not sure if it's due to my GPS or the route being miscalculated but it really threw me off. Overall, a nice race... with a dramatic ending for me!

I ran the 1/2 marathon and had a great time. The course was crowded at times, mainly due to only having 1/2 the street available to the runners. The course surface varied from paved streets to gravel paths to cobblestones, but overall I thought it worked well. Lot's of food/water/beer at the end. I would run this again.

I only ran the half marathon, having just completed a full marathon the previous week. Wuerzburg is a beautiful city, and this is a great way to see it. Views of the Fortress were great. Overall the course was flat, and not congested. Crossing the Alte Mainbruecke pedestrian bridge near the end of the loop was painful (crowded, cobblestones), I can imagine how much worse it was at the end of the full marathon. Water stations were small and it was not well-marked what kind of beverage you were taking. At one point I thought I was getting electrolyte drink and wound up with Apfelsaftschorle! (Which I love, just not while I'm running!) Crowds were very sparse and not overly enthusiastic. It seemed that most people were doing the half, so the second loop was probably even more lonely. I registered that morning, and apparently so did a lot of people. It was crowded, and people were very pushy. Nice medal (and a Lebkuchen Mother's Day cookie for the ladies!), inexpensive race shirts (technical or cotton), and the race photos from Mueller Foto Team were the best I've had from any race. I might do the full marathon, if I am looking for a small, low-key event. I would definitely run the half again.

This was my second marathon, having run Mainz last year, and I really enjoyed it. There were plenty of water stops and the people were very friendly. Pictures were taken all along the course and were sent to me at my email address so that I could share them with family and friends. I even got a Mother's Day cookie at the end of the race!

This was my second marathon. I did Berlin 7 months prior to this one. The participants were less and there was adequate parking and facilites. The route allowed you to see some historic sites, the river and some parks. The course itself was basically flat and fast. I ended up taking off too fast and paid for it the second time around. I didn't mind going twice because it gave me an idea where the finish line was. Overall I would run it again.

My tenth or more marathon; I've lost count. I think this was the 2nd or 3rd time the marathon has been run in this city. There's still room for improvement. It's no fun to run a half-marathon course twice - déjà vu? Some stretches had little/no spectators, but in areas where there were fans, they were very enthusiastic. Support was adequate, though volunteers lacked experience (water ready, reaching out, not getting in the way...). Beautiful, historic city, the Residence, the fortress, the churches... But, I won't run a '2-loop' marathon course again. (PS: Did run a qualifying time for 2004 Boston).