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Istanbul Eurasia Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Istanbul Eurasia Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.2 
Organization 3.5 
Spectators 2.8
Number of comments: 35 [displaying comments 11 to 21]
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J. J. from Chicago, IL USA
(10/30/2011)
"Well organized and easy course" (about: 2011)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I found myself in Istanbul for work right before the weekend of the marathon so thought-why not? The organization was good-easy to catch the bus to the starting line, regular water stops, no traffic issues on the course. It would have been nice to run a bit more in the historic area, but most of the course is run along the Bosporus so that's a plus. This was my second marathon outside of the US and I thought it matched up well to a mid size US race. Only thing it didn't have was gu and only one gatorade station very late in the race. But I was prepared with my own so no big deal. Race was fun and I'd recommend it for anyone who is in town or can get to Istanbul easily. | |
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J. M. from Adana, Turkey
(10/20/2011)
"Great First Marathon!" (about: 2011)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was my second Istanbul Eurasia event. Last year I completed the 15k and this year the full marathon. The expo was much better this year and included a pasta dinner for full marathon entrants. Busses to the start line were provided, but we got there with 2 hours to kill in cold, wet, windy weather. Dressed with layers and placed excess clothing into the provided bag and then put the bag on a bus that awaits you at the finish area. As this was my first marathon, I took it easy and finished in 4:23:49. There are a few hills and a couple very long out-and-backs, which had little to no crowd support, probably due to the rainy weather. Water and wet sponges (not needed on a wet day!) every 5k, Powerade in a few 'marathon only' locations, but you will only get some if you run under 4 hour pace! They also had apples and sugar cubes. All in all, a great race, with outstanding coordination, and the best part is it's only 40TL, if you sign up early. Oh, and the tech shirt this year was a Nike running shirt! | |
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Adalet Eldegwy from Cairo, Egypt
(11/2/2010)
"unforgettable course, great organization" (about: 2010)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 A wonderful experience in an unforgettable city. The course was super, the stations generous and plentiful, and the sights magnificent. it was a great privilege to run across the Bosphorous Bridge. The care taken to make this event successful was clear and it made me feel so important and taken care of. I did hit all of the lines early, including the expo, which was brilliant. The weather was unfortunately too hot and sunny for a perfect run for those with a goal. Altogether a very successful event and I will definitely run Istanbul again for the beauty of the course and the great organization. I was the only Egyptian there and it was my first marathon. Thank you to the municipality for making it a special day for us. | |
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A. F. from Zurich, Switzerland
(10/31/2010)
"Nice race, but not very well organized" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 Organizing anything is not Istanbul's strong point, especially buses to the marathon expo and to the start. For some reason the official bus to the expo was not running on Saturday, so it took us quite some time to get there. Bus on Sunday morning it brought us to the wrong start; we realized that due to the fact that there was no baggage bus for the marathon run. Some official guy was helpful and guided us to the correct start, which was about 3K away. There weren't many spectators and no music at all. I can recommend Istanbul, but not the marathon. | |
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R. F. from Istanbul
(10/24/2010)
"Good race with some fantastic views" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 The 2010 Istanbul Marathon was well organized and the majority of the course was spectacular. While the event bills itself as the only marathon where you run from Asia to Europe, the truth is that you start 300 meters from the bridge on the Asian side. The rest of the point-to-point course is run on the European side. Running over the bridge with a view of the entire city and the Bosporus is breath-taking and the initial crossing into Sultanahmet offers much to see. However, this is where things get bad. The run to the airport on Kennedy Caddesi and back - which by the way incorporates miles 14 to 23 - is desolate, with no crowd support and little to distract. The reward is crossing back into Sultanahmet and running past the Hagia Sophia and into the Hippodrome, which really is amazing. A few things to know before you register: 1) expect most of the spectators, especially at the narrow finish, to be smoking. There really isn't much respect for others concerning second-hand smoke in Istanbul and don't expect much during the race. 2) The aid stations are ok, and volunteers dedicated, but they will hand out bottles of water as opposed to cups. They were also handing out apples this year, which seemed rather odd to me. Also, be aware that although the course map shows toilets at certain points, don't expect more than one port-a-john; and 3) the expo and the swag dont compare to other big-city races. Despite the lack of bells and whistles, the race was well organized. On the morning of the race, buses drove participants from Taksim to the start point and they would hold onto your bags. Security was taken very seriously, and the police were positioned all along the course to assist. Despite some of the obvious issues, it was a good race. | |
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D. A. from Warsaw, Poland
(10/19/2010)
"Nice. But less impressive than I had hoped." (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Istanbul is a fantastic city! My expectations for running a marathon in this dazzling city were high. Too high? OK. It's a nice course - but not as spectacular as I had hoped, with two long stretches that you have to do twice. The organization is relatively poor, with no decent clocks along the course, no pace groups, no starting blocks. The shuttle buses that were supposed to bring us to the expo on Saturday were simply canceled, which means we had to find our own way out of town. The expo itself is relatively poor, with few stands. Spectators are sparse, except the last few Ks. At arrival water and a juice is available. Nice that the field is truly international and friends are easily made. All in all: a nice race to run if you are around or combine it with a city trip to this marvelous town. | |
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M. M. from Montreal, Quebec, Canada
(11/27/2009)
"An enjoyable marathon - very flat, very fun!" (about: 2009)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I was not at all sure what to expect, but was really impressed. The expo was a bit complicated to get to, but I did make it before the cutoff Saturday night. You just get a regular t-shirt, but for a $20 entry, I wasn't expecting much. This was the friendliest race I have ever run, and I had great connections with many fellow international runners. The morning of the race, they bussed us to the start from the center, and while it rained hard in the morning, it stopped just as the race was about to start. I personally love running downhill, and there was a good one early on, so that probably helped my time somewhat. Other than that, it was pretty flat. I have to mention that the spectator support was just phenomenal. Also, there were water stops every 2.5K (great for pacing) where they had water, sugar cubes, sponges and apple slices (which were delicious). I was in the 5:15 range and they didn't run out of anything. Also, there were sufficient porta-potties, so I believe organization has improved over the years. Spectator support was excellent, with lots of encouragement, and I gave out tons of high fives to the kids. It was my breakthrough marathon (I never got very tired) and that might be why I think of it so fondly. Just one thing: although there were a great number of pictures taken of me, I cannot find out how or where to get them from, and would love to have some of them. The medal is beautiful, and we got a finisher's pack with some nice snacks. I would gladly run Istanbul again - highly recommended! | |
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D. K. from Moscow
(10/24/2009)
"Great marathon in a great city" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 I took part in the Istanbul Marathon on Sunday the 18th and briefly, I really loved it. The course is just spectacular, and the scenery - starting at the Bosporus Bridge on the Asian side, passing along all major tourist attraction, and then going for a long time along the seaside - makes you forget all physical sufferings. Organization is OK; there was enough water (every 2.5 KM) and apples. I ran the race in 4:48, so even for the slow runners, there was enough water this time. This said, it is not an easy marathon, there are a couple of major rises, right at the start for the first 3 KM, then again around 18 KM, and of course the last 2 KM - right on the way to the historic center where you finish. So it's probably not a personal best marathon, but it isn't too hard either. A little problem, though, is getting to the start the morning of the race, as the Bosporus Bridge is closed to traffic. The organization provides for buses, but they seemed very crammed, so it's more comfortable with a cab, which will cost some $50 US, as it has to approach the marathon via another bridge. So all in all, it was a great experience. | |
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Gordon Ludt from Japan
(10/22/2009)
"Great city, great people, atrocious organization" (about: 2009)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 2 I loved Istanbul and everything in it - but organizing a marathon is not their strong point. There was incorrect info on the website regarding expo and transport to the starting area, and even more incorrect info even after phoning three times. There were a total of five toilets for about 2,500 runners at the start. Only water and (rock-hard) apples along the course, no water from 27.5 KM onwards for slower runners (4:30+), no signs pointing to baggage buses, and no food or drink in the finishing area. It's hard to believe that this was their 31st edition! I'd love to go back to Istanbul, but not for the marathon. | |
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D. K. from Moscow
(10/21/2009)
"Great run in a great city" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Istanbul Eurasia Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 I ran in Istanbul on October 18th, 2009. I loved it; it's great run in a lovely city. The scenery is just astonishing, starting at the Bosporus Bridge, passing all major attractions and many kilometers along the waterfront coast. The beauty of the course helps a lot to forget eventual physical suffering. This said, it's not a very easy marathon; it's not totally flat. There are a couple of important rises, especially in the first two miles or so, and another rise roughly at KM 18 (at the aqueduct), and then of course right at the end between KM 40-42, but you are more than rewarded with a great finish at Sultanahmet Square. So due to these rises, it might be hard to run your personal best. Still, it's not too hard either. The morning of the start you have to leave your hotel early; the Bosporus Bridge is closed very early in the morning. You can get there on one of the buses offered by the organization, but they're crammed, so you'd better go by taxi (about US $40), which is more comfortable. Count on taking 45-60 minutes to get to the start. Organization is great. They offer water and apples, so no problem there. I can really recommend running this race, the only two-continent marathon in the world. |
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