Amsterdam Marathon 2024
Amsterdam (Amsterdam, North Holland, Netherlands)
Next Event: Sunday, October 20, 2024
Last Event: Sunday, October 15, 2023
8 km / Half Marathon (21.0975 km) / Marathon (42.195 km)
The event in a few words
Meet us at the port of Amsterdam, on the third Sunday of October for one of the most important running events in Europe: the Amsterdam Marathon (or TCS Amsterdam Marathon, its official name).
Scheduled annually in mid-October, shortly after Berlin 🇩🇪 and Venice, Dublin, Frankfurt and Valencia 🇪🇸 (just to give you a clear picture of the European marathon calendar), this fall. , Amdamho The inaugural race was held in 1975, offering a classic yet highly organized race format! On the agenda of this internationally renowned foot race (with only one Rotterdam Marathon in the Netherlands): 3 distances. You can choose between the 8km, half marathon, and marathon, the latter being, of course, the crowning event.
The event is extremely popular and sells out every year, sometimes two to three months before race day. So if you’ve marked this race in your racing calendar, don’t be alarmed! Bibs sell fast, very fast…only at the start of sales for certain distances! Our Dutch friends are very organized and book their precious tickets almost a year in advance! In total, around 35,000 runners tackle the Dutch capital. Less than Berlin, London, or Paris, you might say 🥸. And you would be right! Currently, the organizing team does not want to increase the number of participants in order to keep the event in line with the size of the city, allowing everyone to enjoy the event that is still “on a human scale”. The roads, lined with canals and closed for the occasion, will be your playground (paved all the way, except for a few green spaces and parks). You’ll see: despite the crowds, you’ll have plenty of room to show off your running skills without feeling lonely in the little “Venice of the North”.
Let’s get down to business and talk about courses! The Amsterdam Marathon is famous for many reasons. First of all, it is worth noting that 3 races are famous for their speed: It is flat, very flat! Makes sense, we are below sea level. Yes! The Netherlands is the flattest country in the world… so, no surprise there. A great opportunity to set a personal record if you are in good shape! Then, it should be mentioned that 3 events are concentrated in the south of the city (even in the extreme south, for marathons) with notable checkpoints: Windelpark (green lung of the city), Olympic Stadium (strange finish line for all distances for), and the Rijksmuseum (equivalent to the Louvre Museum) prominently towards the end of the course. That’s it! The streets will be reserved for you, and you’ll get to walk the arteries that are usually taken by Amsterdam’s famous trams (like to overtake them?). For a little history, the course has seen a lot of changes over the past few decades, with many updates in the 70s, 80s and 90s. Other features of the Amsterdam Marathon and Amsterdam Half Marathon are the green spaces and parks and of course, the banks of the Amstel (not the beer, the river) with its canals and mostly flat bridges, like the Toronto-Berg However, since the race is not exactly in the center , so bridges are mostly flat, not raised! For marathoners, passing through the Amsterdam Polder, in the south, will even offer a glimpse of windmills!
As for the weather, it’s no news to you that Amsterdam is not Ibiza… So, you have to prepare accordingly and anticipate different scenarios. Most likely? Gray skies and light rain, with a light breeze or tailwind, depending on your position on the course. As you can imagine, it is important to be aware of humidity and be prepared to encounter raindrops. However, it is worth noting that in the Netherlands, Scotland has something similar, after all! The weather is changeable. The sun can appear quickly. As was the case in the 2022 edition, where rain was expected until early evening, only for the sun to emerge and take center stage at the last minute.
But no matter the weather conditions, trust us, you’ll have a great time! Because the TCS Amsterdam half Marathon 2024 is also known for the quality of its organization over the weekend (with the opening of the expo for bib collection on Thursday), the city of Amsterdam lives up to the rhythm of the marathon, especially on Sundays. Be sure to enjoy every minute of the race, because it will fly by… and for your race recap, head to the Olympic Stadium, where all the finishers meet.
After experiencing all that the race has to offer, and when everyone has had a chance to collect their thoughts, you can immerse yourself in the palette of Van Gogh, whose museum is 2 kilometers from the finish line. Located at a distance. For a trip down memory lane, the Anne Frank House is a must visit, as is the Rembrandt House Museum. Your legs will be heavy after the race, with significant difficulty navigating the stairs… lucky for you, there are none in Amsterdam! You can wander and explore the canals of the city effortlessly (ideally). If you’re too tired, you can sit comfortably on the boat to see all the parts of the city you haven’t seen yet! We almost forgot the most important part: the cooking experience. To refuel after the race (or carb-load before the start, it’s up to you 🫄), you must try the Bitterballen (a local classic)! Like a herring sandwich or gouda cheese! As far as drinks go, the local star is, as you might guess, beer…Enjoy responsibly, of course.
Now, it’s your turn! At least, that will be the case when you decide to come to the capital to experience one of the best marathons in Europe 🇪🇺.
6 reasons to join this race
You will see many sights while running, but be aware that there are many monuments and neighborhoods to explore outside of the run. To truly experience Amsterdam and understand the city’s lifestyle philosophy, you can wander the grand canals, get lost in the Jordan, be a hipster in the Nord, have lunch at a café-bistro in De Pijp, or Plantation will need to rest. And this is just the beginning. For a touch of uniqueness, don’t hesitate to explore alternative places: NDSM, REM, Amaze, Plekk… the list goes on.
An episode of walking together…
The initiative of running is good for the body and mind of people who participate in this type of sport, I would like to congratulate those responsible for this project
Great initiative, which is good for both participants.
Great initiative from the parents involved.