"Having failed to secure a spot in the NYC Marathon (the only marathon I've run -- and only once), I looked for a race that would be close to home, and have good crowd support. I read up on Philly, saw that it was fairly flat, and that there was

Beautiful course. Perfect weather. The park is an oasis. A patriotic race. Well organized. Nice race officials. Participants are fantastic! Overall, great race!

Easy to get there, easy to manage. Great crowds but also plenty of quiet stretches. Great medals. Great array of food at the finish including coffee cups of chicken broth, much appreciated on a cold, windy day. I could come to Philly and do this race every year.