TCS Amsterdam Marathon 2012 Running Oct 20, 2012

Selling out nearly every year since it was first held back in 1975, the Amsterdam Marathon routinely attracts several thousand entrants, all flooding the streets in an attempt to run that magic 26.2-mile distance.

Actually, not quite all, because this great running race in Amsterdam also includes a half-marathon, an 8K run, and even a 1K sprint for the kiddies, giving long-time runners and newly-shoed newbies a wide-range of racing options.

Both the marathon and the half-marathon are capped at 15,000 participants each, with both selling out well in advance since many people consider the Amsterdam Marathon to be one of the Top Ten marathons in the entire world.

It’s also quite flat. Amsterdam: 1, San Francisco: 0!

The Amsterdam Marathon race route usually stays pretty consistent year-to-year, with marathoners typically beginning at the foot of the famed Olympic Stadium before passing many iconic buildings and sights, including the Rijks Museum (two times!), the Museum of the Tropics, the Amstel Hotel, and the lush expanse of Vondel Park.

Much of the race route also parallels Amstel River, and runners are sure to see tens of thousands of spectators cheering them on along the way.

During the same weekend that the Amsterdam Marathon is held, officials also host a Marathon Expo, a free running-themed tradeshow where visitors can check out hundreds of booths pedaling gear, publications, and everything else imaginable that involves running.

Amsterdam Marathon fees are €60 for the full marathon, €25 for the half, and €12.50 for the 8K. Tickets for the Pasta Party – a pre-race fuel-up involving heaping plates of the carb-heavy grub its name portends – run €15.

So if you find yourself in Amsterdam in October, try ignoring the infamous brown bars for a spell, and go with a runner’s high instead by giving the Amsterdam Marathon a shot.