Philly Half Course Guide & Plan

The Philadelphia Half Marathon is less than a week away and I am so excited! I am studying the course and planning my race strategy.

Race Course & Plans

I am splitting the race into four parts in my mind:

Miles 1-4

• Course: Straight & flat to start. Love Park, Chinatown, Waterfront.
• Fuel: Water stations at 2 & 3.5; take a gel around Mile 4.
• Plan: Don't start out too fast. Warm up, notice the sights.

Miles 5-7

• Course: Great crowd support. Independence Hall & Liberty Bell.
• Fuel: Water stations at 5 & 7. Stay hydrated.
• Plan: Find a groove. Enjoy the sights & crowd.

Miles 8-10

• Course: Hardest stretch - Miles 8 & 10 are each steady uphills. Zoo at Mile 9.
• Fuel: Water stations at 8 & 9.8 (Clif Shots here); take a gel around Mile 8.
• Plan: Anticipate the hills. Focus on maintaining effort, not pace.

Miles 11-13.1

• Course: Quiet section, could be windy by the river. Art Museum(!) at finish.
• Fuel: Water station at 11; take a gel around Mile 11.
• Plan: Pick up the pace. Don't sprint too early, the crowd noise can fool you.

Elevation profile for the half marathon

Goals

• A Goal: finish faster than 2:45
• B Goal: finish faster than 2:50:27 (Nike Women's Half Marathon time)
• C Goal: enjoy the race

Race Mantra

Embrace the Journey