Amsterdam Marathon - Race Reviews

If you are looking for an easier race in Europe this is the race for you. Course relatively flat a bit narrow in spots which make it a little tough for a perfect PR attempt. Weather this time of year usually cooperates with the exception of a hail storm + major downpour 30 minutes before the start. Course is scenic but does not go through city center but around outer portion. Running through Rijks museum tunnel was very cool. Spectators at end were fantastic and finishing in the Olympic stadium was amazing. A well known DJ played which is great for Spectators waiting for their runners.

The start is very well organised. The bagage drop-off allows any type of bag and is secure and easy to use. Lots of toilets around the stadium and if you arrive on time you shouldn't have to wait too long. The course itself is pancake flat but the streets are very narrow which makes it hard to overtake and I ended up being behind a big group for most part of the race. Especially the part around the Amstel river is very narrow. The crowds are OK I would say and most of the race has not many spectators and I think this has to do with the fact that the course doesn't go through the city center. The last 5k is where you really notice the crowds and they will help you push for the the final part of the marathon. The finish in the Olympic Stadium is amazing with all the people in the stands and I will forever remember this moment. Overall it's a great race to run a PR.

Amsterdam offers nice sights, great crowd support, and a well-run event. However, a stadium start and narrow streets make for a crowded course. Even so, cool temperatures and a flat course with few turns make for a recommendable race.

The course was nice, but on the whole this race was a letdown. I live in Amsterdam, and I'm very glad I didn't make a special trip for this - it's not worth it unless you're already planning to be in the Netherlands. The course was poorly supported with many gels/energy drinks running out quickly, leaving most of us with just banana pieces and water for the 1st 15K. It felt like they paid more attention to entertainment than actual race support. The porta-potties were nice to have though. The crowds were dull - most people only turn out to cheer for a specific person/group and then leave. Perhaps the worst bit, I used 3 separate trackers and all had me finishing 1k before the official finish - which means my 'official' time is 6 minutes slower than my actual finishing time.

I had a great time in Amsterdam. For Americans considering going, everyone spoke English and were very friendly. Great city to visit. Easy to get around. The course was OK touching the fringe of the outer canal and then heading into a farming area where I saw my first legit windmill. I loved the start and finish in the Olympic Stadium; however, it is very crowded and getting in and out of the stadium is challenging. The port-o-urinals was a great idea and something I'd wish they do in the USA to cut down on standing in line and open urination. I'm glad I went, would do it again. Great destination marathon. Smallish expo, nice shirt (although I'm not a shirt/medal guy).

Pros: super-flat course nice finish in the Olympic stadium Amsterdam is a great city reasonably-priced entry fee it's a good course, with only a bit of out-and-back (mostly at the river, and it's along the other side) Cons: the medals are terrible (and they look the same for the marathon, the 1/2, and the 8K) the t-shirts are ugly too the marathon expo is nothing special, but I don't really like them anyways it's bottlenecked for the first few miles, partly since the road there is split for the out-and-back, so all runners are crammed into a single lane water stations are every 5K (maybe that's Euro-standard, but Americans are used to more) if you finish in <4hrs, expect to fight your way through 20K half-marathoners (who run in the afternoon) when going from the finish area to the subway relatively more Europeans don't believe in deodorant (compared to the US), so expect to get some unpleasant whiffs the post-race is very disappointing, with a cup of water, a bottle of a gross orange energy drink, and a granola bar tips: buy your roundtrip subway cards beforehand so that you don't get stuck in a really long queue on raceday the bag check is secure (that wasn't clear from the website); any bag will do, and they'll put a numbered sticker on it (with a matching one on your bib)

It is fun, that course starts and finishes at Olympic stadium, but actually good part is only the finish. Start procedure is very crowded and difficult as stadium is too small for such number of people. Course is flat, as promised, but very boring. In the middle of the race you have to run ~20km literally in the middle of nowhere, with small support and boring views. It is getting better just last 5km. Organization is not top notch, some parts market not clear, medal is a joke (worst I have in my collection, even counting all 5K races), no finishers buffet at all. Also take note, Amsterdam is crowded and hotels are expensive during the marathon. Still, you could expect quite high temperatures if you are running more than 3 hours.

I ran Amsterdam marathon just last Sunday. That was my 5th marathon after New-York, Paris etc.. PROS: easy and flat route, as promised. Nice sightseeing, and lovely finish in the stadium. CONS: not the best organisation I have seen. Street signages to get there were very confusing, not clear enough. The water and food stations were messy. The crowd is not the most excited one I have seen... but it gets better on the last 2 km. The worse for me was at the finish: you don't even get a bottle of water, or a proper cereal bar. No you just get a poor plastic cup, and only small bits of cereals bars or banana. No goodies bags, nothing. As if we just ran 10 k, not 42. Last but not least: the route is actually 42,6 km, and not 42,2. Which can make a difference of 2 to 3 min on a personal best. The whole thing looked cheap and un-organised. TCS used to do things better than that. I probably won't do it again.

Course is fine except for the cobblestone part which is smooth enough but not my favorite surface. Streets around the stadium were closed for ALL traffic starting hours before the race. As a result, I (and MANY others) had to walk about 3 km. But the really bad part was that we were not notified that this is the case, waited on the tram stop until it became clear that nothing is coming and then walked (or ran) to the stadium; I was lucky to have gotten up very early but I wonder how many runners missed the start because of this. Otherwise, the organization was good. I was somewhat disappointed and surprised that in addition to the medal I only got an energy drink after the finish line and nothing else. Did I miss something? Spectators were very supportive, especially the last few kilometers. They were there even when I arrived, which was hours and hours after the winners :-(

I really liked this course, it is broken up into different sections - the run along the river followed by the business district etc. Start and finish in the stadium are great - love the techno music. Some bits have few spectators but that doesn't bother me. A pb course if you can avoid the odd bottleneck near the start.

I had the pleasure of running in the 2015 TCS Amsterdam Marathon. I'll admit that having read the less than enthusiastic reviews beforehand, I was a bit apprehensive going into this race. For those looking for a race with the energy of NYC, Chicago, London, etc. this may not be the race for you. The field is noticeably smaller than the larger marathons, and the course goes through some pretty quiet patches in regards to spectators. That being said, I will say that after having ran in the big city marathons, I found it refreshing to find myself running in the countryside amongst some spectacular scenery. Like I mentioned above, there were some spots that were sparsely populated by crowds; however, when there were crowds they were extremely supportive and raucous! The course is also extremely flat, which makes it ideal for those seeking that PR or Boston qualifier. In regards to things that could be worked on, the thing that stands out in my mind the most is the fact that the aid stations were only on one side of the road, which lead to some bottlenecking and some runners getting tripped up. Also, the solar blankets at the end, were not in fact solar blankets, but merely sheets of plastic that did little to shield one from the chill and the rain coming down post-race. Overall I'd recommend this marathon to anyone, from first time marathoner to seasoned veteran. Great job to the organizers for showcasing the charm and scenery of Amsterdam!

Great city, Great crowd. Some parts of the course can be a bit dull but the start and finish in the Olympic stadium are amazing.

Signed up for the full, but ended up running the half (due to injury). This race has so much potential. Great city, good signage, etc - however, I found it to be a bit amateur (when compared to other big races I've done). PROS: Nice start and finish inside Olympic Stadium. Flat (flat!) course and easy terrain (no cobblestone, or terribly narrow bits, etc). Fair amount of water stations; liked the sponges. Lots of nice music/bands along the way. CONS: The expo was rather boring. Little energy and the branded marathon gear was rather pathetic (and quite overpriced!). The course itself included very few real 'sights.' No canals or scenic spots that made me feel as though I was running somewhere unique/historic. Also long stretches with no crowds whatsoever. Water stations were only on one side of the road, which doesn't bother me tremendously, but can cause some serious bottlenecks. The finish line was a real letdown. No recovery drink for over 30 minutes and only after waiting in two long lines to exit the stadium. We were given one bottle of drink, half a banana and ONE orange wedge (I was yelled at when I grabbed two wedges, then forced to put it back, even when I indicated that I'd wrapped my fingers around it). We were then herded on like sheep and out of the finishers area. Having run London, Dublin, Boston, Honolulu, Philadelphia, Prague, Vienna, Paris - this race was a bit disappointing. Thankfully, it was a beautiful weekend to be in Amsterdam and the city itself made me thankful that I'd signed up. Don't think I'll do it again however.

Flat course but hard to break PB due to a lot of bottlenecks at water stations etc. Great crowd support. Only downside is the public transport. Not enough trains run on the Metro.

The Amsterdam Marathon is long established with this being the 37th edition. The Dutch seem to pride themselves on their organisation and this is one slick event. Entries in the marathon distance vary between 12,000 and 15,000 runners. However, when combined with the half marathon and 8km events, that figure rises to around 37,000. Importantly, the marathon is kept completely separate from the other events. Similar to the Vienna City Marathon, it was possible to download an app to your mobile phone in the week preceding the race, providing every conceivable piece of information. The registration expo is also efficient, taking place at a large sports exhibition hall out beside the 1928 Olympic Stadium, on the south western fringe of the city. The Olympic Stadium is where the start and finish for the marathon are located, so it was helpful visualising this at the time of the registration process. The only criticism would be that due to its peripheral location, getting to and from the expo does take time. Meanwhile, the event merchandise is nice with Mizuno acting as the official technical supplier. The weather forecast ahead of the event was very mixed. Thankfully, it settled down in time and race day conditions were not as bad as feared, with it generally being a grey, overcast autumnal day. There were a few spots of rain, but nothing significant. However, the main issue was a biting cross-wind that knocked the temperature down significantly and running into this wind was hard work. The temperature all day hovered around 12C / 54F, but the real feel was well down on this. The course is somewhat disappointing. The highlights being the start and finish area inside the Olympic Stadium. You complete half a lap at the start, before exiting the stadium, whilst at the finish; you do the same again, albeit in front of thousands of cheering spectators. Unfortunately, due to the intrinsic network of canals running through the heart of Amsterdam, the course tends to take place very much within the city suburbs and along the River Amstel, which feeds the city. One highlight during the race was running through Vondelpark, the largest and most famous park in Amsterdam. The stretch along the river was the toughest, not due to the terrain, which is pretty much flat throughout the course, but down to the aforementioned strong cross-wind. Runners were very exposed, with absolutely no cover at all. Had it been pouring with rain, then conditions would have been brutal. If you are looking to post a personal best (PB) time, then Amsterdam is perfectly set-up for this. However, you will need the weather to be on your side for running conditions to suit. Combine the history of the event, the superb organisation, the welcoming Dutch people, together with the prospect of posting a fast time and it is clear to see why the Amsterdam Marathon comes recommended. The event appears to be growing and going from strength to strength with every passing year.

I agree with all the other 2012 comments. I really enjoyed this one and got a PB 11 minutes faster than my previous. The tram situation is shocking. We took a taxi. Great course, great spectators. Start and finish in Olympic stadium is epic. Amsterdam is an amazing place. I would highly recommend this one.

I ran the 2012 race having previously ran this in 2005. Though the organisation is good, with plenty of drink stations, sponges, etc., I noticed a lot of congestion and pinching causing runners to stop in some places along the course. This most affects 'mid pack' runners expecting to finish around 3.30-4.00hrs. Its all fine if you're running for the pleasure of it but frustrating if you're looking to get a PB on what would otherwise a fast and flat course. I guess that faster runners will not experience the same problems of crowding. In my opinion the race has too many people crammed into some narrow streets and should be rerouted. Would I do it again- perhaps, but if you're only doing one European race -- go for Berlin... It's perfect.

Pros: -Flat and fast: No exaggeration here, there is, at most, one ramp at an incline. That's it! -Large expo -Well-stocked and frequent aid stations -Very thrilling to start and finish in the Olympic Stadium. -Well-organized gear check -Great place to visit! Cons: -The course was not quite as stunning as some of the other reviews make it out to be. The parts in the city parks were very nice, as was the 15K or so along the Amstel, but the course also goes through some residential and industrial areas, and does not really go into central Amsterdam. Not a huge deal, but be prepared that parts of the course are very boring. -There were frequent bottlenecks at the start of the course, partly from the narrowness of the streets, partly from the fact that the starting corrals did not do a particularly good job of sorting people by pace. (The starting groups are in 30 minute increments, so that someone who runs a 3:30 is in the same area as someone who runs a 3:00.) -There was not enough food at the end. You were allowed one quarter of an orange, and one half of a banana. -The morning of the marathon the trams and buses completely shut down, even with routes that do not appear to go along the course. This goes more under the classification of a warning than a complaint, but plan to walk, bike, or take a cab to the nearest metro stop. (For us, it was 2.5 km, and although we left plenty of time, we had to rush to get there because of this.)

Brilliant. The course starts and finishes in the old Olympic stadium, makes you feel like a hero! This year there were just under 10,000 runners, so it felt like a bit city event but still small and friendly. Course is interesting, a scenic run through the park and down the Amstel river and then back into town. Only dull point was a kind of business/industrial area around km32. Crowd support was good but not massive. But generally I was very pleasantly surprised at how friendly, laid back and welcoming the atmosphere was. 2011 was blessed with absolutely perfect weather (sunshine, cool temps and gentle breeze). In the wind and rain it would have been a different story.. a bit miserable perhaps. The course is flat, except a little underpass at km35. Finishing in the Olympic stadium was really special. Race t-shirt was excellent quality. Race results give you nice stats and diagrams. Race photos and videos were good. The expo was nice enough but didn't hang around to be honest. A package arrived in the post before the race and with it came discount vouchers for the tram system, a nice thought. All in all I though organisation was first rate. Everyone I knew who ran it PB'd on the course, myself included. Absolutely loved the event and would not hesitate to recommend it as a fast, flat & friendly autumn marathon.

Strongly consider Amsterdam if you are chasing a Boston time or PR, want a European destination race or to celebrate at the finish with family and friends. The majority of marathon entrants are from outside the Netherlands, giving the global feel of a London or Paris in a much smaller (and more manageable) field. It also means this race anticipates the needs and concerns of visitors to a higher degree. Website and email communications earn high grades. The envelope with the competitor letter (for number pickup), which arrived in plenty of time, also had a detailed course map and tram-subway discount coupon. Expo pickup went smoothly and the arena was filled with a variety of exhibitors. Several Italian restaurants in the Leidseplein (tram lines 1, 2, 5) are terrific for pre-race dinner. The only significant race-day problem was with the trams, which was outside the race directors control. The GVB re-routed the 16 as the main transport to the Olympic Stadium, but there were not nearly enough trams in service on that line. In a 35-minute period, five full trams passed the Leidseplein station without stopping. At 8:20 a.m. a supervisor in a GVB car stopped, and looking a bit panicked apologized for the big problem before continuing toward the stadium. At that point I doubled back to the hotel and shared a cab with another runner (14 euro with tip). We reached the stadium in plenty of time but leaving the room much earlier than normal proved beneficial. Leave extra time for entering the stadium, too. All runners funnel through the main entrance (you run through it entering and leaving) so there's a logjam. There were plenty of portable toilets and urinals along the track, the ones outside the stadium are not the only option. As noted, the bag drop was inconvenient; it's not by last-name letter or bib number so find the shortest line at any tent. The course is flat, fast and scenic and the kilometers really do fly past. There were no pace runners, instead you received a target-time pace band that's color-coded for corral entry. The km signage could use an upgrade, there is a meter-high sandwich board at each km, easily obstructed. Teardrop banners would increase visibility and provide additional sponsor signage. As noted, there are places where the course is incredibly narrow, in some spots 2 meters wide. There are a number of curbs, tram rails, traffic islands and other street furniture that cut into the course, and there were a few stretches where spectators ignored the barricades and stepped into the street. If you remain aware you'll be fine. Most of the southbound portion beside the Amstel (14-19k) is a one-lane road, but the return (19-25k) is a narrower exercise trail. Use your head, pass when the opportunity presents itself, simply churn out the km in this section and you'll be fine. As a bonus, there were a few boats on the river blasting out music, which was a nice touch. The fluid stations have plenty of supplies and would operate more efficiently if volunteers stayed beside the tables to hand out cups instead of walking a few paces into the street. Better yet would be the volunteers staying behind the tables and allowing runners to grab their own cups. Starting in the Olympic Stadium is one thing, finishing there is tremendous. It's a rush to run into a bowl jammed with thousands of raucous spectators, including anyone who has accompanied you on the trip. Logging a PR by nearly five minutes and a first Boston qualifying time is fantastic, but looking up in the stands and seeing my better half cheering like crazy was one of the best moments we'll ever share. If you are sightseeing the next day, consider online advance ticket orders for the Anne Frank, Rijksmuseum, Stedelik and/or Van Gogh. The ticket lines that day are longer than a usual Monday (30 minutes at the Van Gogh mid-morning) but you gain immediate entry with an advance ticket. Your legs will thank you.

Starting and finishing in the oldest olympic stadium, which is still in its original state, is quite astonishing in its own right! Add to that Amsterdam, flat course, great organization and you are in for a real treat. Weather was phenomenal in 2011 (55c, sunny, no wind) and guaranteed a good time..

If you're looking for a well organised, flat/fast course with lovely surroundings, you can't go far wrong with this marathon. The start and finish in the Olympisch Stadion is a real buzz! The first 1km is quite tight leaving the stadium and also on the narrow streets at first but it quickly thins out, especially if you're running 3 hours pace. The aid stations are well stocked and come thick and fast. The volunteers do an amazing job and were very supportive, which is much needed in the last 10km of the race. The crowds are plenty in the urban sections of the race but support is a little thin running along the Amstel and then again between 25km and 30km (the only ugly section of the course). This is where runners really need to be mentally strong. It's ugly with little or no crowd support. Hang in there though, post 30km the crowds start to appear again and can help push you through to the finish. Make sure you save something for het Vondelpark, it's got some inclines at 39/40km. Overall the race itself is a real gem. Those of you looking to run a PB or fast time, this marathon is as flat as a pancake. I was a little undertrained and overweight for my normal marathon condition yet still managed to run my second fastest marathon time ever finishing a cruel 6 seconds behind my PB. We were lucky with the weather too, 12c, no wind and dry. I would recommend to anyone doing this next year to arrive at the Olympisch Stadion early as the bag drop can take a while. Also, do not be confused by the letters at the bag drop tents. These are not corresponding to surnames, runners can drop their bag off at any stall. The volunteers will give you sticker to put on your bib. Pick up is simple post race. The only real complaint I have is that the Marathon Expo is not at all well sign-posted from the metro when picking up the bib number. The expo itself is quite poor. There are quite a few stalls but mainly of low quality brands selling cheap and/or surplus stock. Overall though Amsterdam is a fantastic race and lovely city to see post race. Highly recommended. Will definately be going back in the future.

Overall, a very enjoyable race. As you would expect in Holland, a very flat course. The segment out along the Amstel River was not as dull as I'd feared, and the kilometers just fly by, but the course at the start when exiting the stadium and heading through the Vondelpark are very narrow, making running dificult in the opening sector, and the bag deposit for such a large field was so incredibly disorganized that despite joining the queue a half hour before the start I still almost missed the start. But these are minor quibbles over what was a very enjoyable run.

In nearly every respect this was an excellent marathon and one that I enjoyed very much. I don't share the two criticisms below. For me, the bag-drop was very easy to find and use, being located in a huge marquee right by the way in. I suspect, though, that it may have been more difficult to locate if one didn't use the suggested route from the metro station via the Sporthallen, and it may not have been signposted from the other direction. And, at the end I was offered banana, orange, water, AA drink, a native Dutch energy bar (can't remember the name)... lots of things. And you could buy sandwiches and other food in the stadium bar. (And HOT CHOCOLATE!!) Personally, I'd have liked a muffin, but never mind! Great course; fast; attractive scenery; excellent crowd. Highlights: the live band on a river boat; the djembe group; the DJ at the stadium. Mostly good running surface (though there were a few potholes and rocks on the road - I nearly twisted my ankle on one that was not the organizers' fault). Fantastic city. Good camaraderie with other runners and a very supportive crowd. Weather was absolutely perfect. Transportation was very easy and cheap, not least the metro on race day. All highly recommended! A few minor criticisms. The official sports drink, AA, was not good. Even the label said, "for after exercise" - not ideal, I'd think! And it didn't taste great, in my view. The water stations were plentiful and well spaced, but I had a few problems with them. Firstly, they always seemed to be at narrow stretches, so the bunching up was bad! Secondly, there was no labeling of where to get water, AA or fruit, so many people ended up making a grab for whatever they could see. (They were always in the same order but it wasn't clear where the boundaries were.) People who wanted water were getting AA. Lastly, the drinks were given over in plastic cups. Highly impractical because it's very hard to drink and you lose a lot on the floor. You certainly can't carry the thing for more than a hundred paces so no good if you want a drink in a mile. Why not bottles?!?! Luckily some legenday residents had set up independent water stalls at intervals between official ones. Hats off to them - they saved my bacon! In summary: Everyone should do Amsterdam once. I thought it was brilliant!

This was the second time I ran "Amsterdam." It has gone through a marked improvement. The number of runners completing the marathon has doubled in recent years to 10,000+, but more importantly the number of spectators has hugely increased. Amsterdam always had a reputation for being a race devoid of spectators, but no more... the crowds were out and very enthusiastic. This made the race very pleasurable to run. The course is flat, fast and comes past some choice spots. On the negative side: no goody bag, and as others have noted, very few refreshments at the finish - just a single bottle, some pieces of banana and orange parts....

This race was excellent! The course is great, flat and fast, through a large and pretty part of the city itself, and then along the rivers and parks, past two old windmills. The spectators were very enthusiastic and cheerful. The expo was quite a decent size, and in general, I enjoyed the race very much. Unfortunately, there are a couple of negative comments about the organization. At the start I could not easily figure out where to deposit my bag and ended up asking some Japanese support group to keep it with them for me. Also, at the finish I would expect more food and drinks. I was given a small bottle of the sport drink and when I asked for the second one I was given a dirty look instead. It is OK, so I drank more water.

Great to be able to run in Amsterdam at last. We had perfect weather: 10C, very bright sun, and a small breeze from the coast. The course took us through Vondel Park, headed south down alongside the Amstel River. The barges going up and down the river blasting out music were great fun, even if I had my head down for a fast time. Generally, running congestion was never bad. I didn't like the paper cups at the drinks station, but I found that by stopping to drink I got more water in me than over me; I didn't cough and splutter, and I only lost 10 meters on the people in front. All in all, OK. The stadium finish was brilliant, and the photo and video service was quick and comprehensive. After-race food and drink was limited to be honest. But I PB'd by 13 minutes and broke 3 hours for the first time. I loved this race. Hartelijk bedankt naar de Nederlanders!

Hard to find fault with this race. It was extremely well organized, the course is very flat, and although spectators are sparse, they make their presence felt. Getting to and from the race by tram was very easy. Finish line to hotel room in the city center took fewer than 35 minutes. The stadium finish was very inspiring. Easy to find space to run right from the gun.

I've done the full marathon once and the half marathon course once as well. This is a nice race through a beautiful, flat city. The full marathon and half marathon start at different times but end at the same time (that is, the slowest marathoners will finish about the same time as the slowest half marathoners). Vondelpark is beautiful, and the city supports the race well. And you can't beat Amsterdam for post-race fun!

Great expo. The start and finish at the Olympic Stadium were great. I would have liked to have started earlier. Race began at 10:30 a.m. The weather was great. The Amstel River part of the marathon was beautiful, with farm animals and beautiful Dutch Estates. It's a great, great city and a wonderful marathon. I wouldn't suggest this marathon for first-timers. It moves at quite a fast pace. I finished 4:56 and was in the back of the pack. A lot of runners never finished because they ran too fast in the beginning and hit the wall. The volunteers, water supply, Gatorade, sponges, and fruit were very plentiful. The field was mostly men. Highly recommend this marathon.

Whilst the riverside section was a little depressing (if only because it was a bit quiet, and the farther you ran out, you knew you had to come back!), the course is a good, flat one. The finish in the Olympic Stadium is great, and the whole thing was pretty well organized. Add in the fact that Amsterdam is a great city to visit, and I'd certainly recommend it.

Fantastic atmosphere at the Olympic Stadium, both at the start and the finish - great sensation. Good trick with the first loop through the park, so you know how long you have left the second time around. Beautiful course (and weather), at least for the first 25K - especially along the Amstel, with the cheering boats. It was very well organized, with good transportation, secure bag-check, and depots every 5K. Only my own preparation could have made it a better experience.

This was my 9th marathon, and I enjoyed every minute of it. It's a nice, flat course, and to be honest, it was more scenic than some of the other city marathons done. Although the fans were lacking in numbers, they made up for it in enthusiasm; finishing in the Olympic Stadium was a great buzz. I had no problem with transportation; I simply took the Metro form Central Station on race-day, as I was staying in the city center. I had a great weekend, enjoyed the city and got a PB as well. What more can you ask for? I'll definitely do this one again.

This was a great race. It was very well organized and is a mostly scenic course through Vondel Park, parts of Amsterdam and along the Amstel River in what seems like the countryside. Fans were not that numerous and were sporadic, but where present, they were very enthusiastic. This is a large race with close to 8,000 runners, and it has some very exciting elites with close to world record times. The course is very flat, making for good times all around. The marathon expo was a little smaller than other big marathons, but unexpectedly, I found some really good deals. This was my fifth marathon and one I enjoyed tremendously. From a North American perspective, this race had a very international feel to it, with runners I met from GB, Finland, the US, South Africa and Canada. Overall, a great race, a great day, and my second best marathon time. I would love to run this one again if I had the chance.

This course is flat in every sense of the word. Not much atmosphere compared to the other marathons I have run. And the course. Soooooo dull. There's a 10-15K stretch along a canal where you wind back and forth watching other runners... which is its own sort of torture. There are not enough drink stations and the instructions for the baggage are sketchy at best: Bring your own bag. Transport on the day of is a complete pickle, so sort out a taxi and be prepared to argue with your hotel if they refuse to get one for you. I did run a PB though.

This was a good marathon but having the half marathoners finish when some of us older, slower runners were trying to finish was chaos. The finish arena was very crowded.

The marathon course avoids the center of Amsterdam and a large chunk of the course is concentrated alongside the Amstel river. It's very fast & flat and the conditions in 2007 for a PB were excellent. Not too many crowds along the course except around the Olympic Stadium & Museumplein. Amsterdam is a great city to visit and I would recommend this marathon if you are looking for a well-organized marathon with a fast time.