Some make the pilgrimage to Berlin every year, others swear by the fast races in Spain, and others rave about the Dutch top marathons in Amsterdam and Rotterdam,... Without a doubt, the Amsterdam Marathon is one of the most attractive marathons in Europe. A fast course on windless days, a good atmosphere in some sections and a beautiful city, in general, speak for a start in the Dutch metropolis. Together with Top4Running (additional discount with the code "BlaueAusdauer") we were at the start in Amsterdam for the first time and came to the conclusion: Amsterdam can do something. We will be back!

Unfortunately, Natalie caught a slight cold on the journey, so she couldn't run as freely as she would have liked. Instead of a place at the very front, she finished as the 31st half-marathon runner in the Amsterdam Marathon 2023, which had a total of around 50,000 starters. I was also just outside the top 30 in the men's race in 1:12:09 hours, which was very satisfying due to the strong competition. On a windless day, I'm sure I can do even better in Amsterdam next time.

In terms of atmosphere, the last third of the race was particularly convincing. In front of the Rijksmuseum and in Vondelpark, the most famous and second-largest park in Amsterdam, the atmosphere was brilliant. This was only topped by the finish into the Olympic Stadium of 1928. Great moments! We also had a lot of fun together with our Top4Running colleagues outside the 21.1 kilometres, for example at the Mizuno Shake Out Run.

Would we prefer Amsterdam to start at the Berlin Half Marathon or a fast race in Spain such as the Mitja Marató Barcelona? Hard to say, as all the races and cities mentioned have their strengths. If you've never been to the Amsterdam Marathon, you should definitely go!

Foto: Florian Kurrasch

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