Marathon races could well be more fun for those watching than those running, especially in the later miles. Spectating takes less training and leaves muscles less sore, but it does take some planning to get it right.
Runners taking part in the Baltimore Running Festival (which includes a full marathon, a half-marathon, a 10K, and a 5K on Saturday, Oct. 17) will wind through dozens of city neighorhoods, including scenic parks, waterfront entertainment districts and some lonely stretches where the racers could use your love.
If you have a friend or family member running, you likely want to see them once or twice on the route and then head to the finish line. But others might want to spend a few hours on the sidewalk giving and receiving energy, joy and motivation—possibly accompanied by an adult beverage.
Baltimore Fishbowl has put together a list of the Top Nine Spots to spectate the Baltimore marathon, taking into account access around road closures, fun, and cameraderie. A full list of street closures can be found HERE. To track the runners you hope to spot, use THIS SITE maintained by the Baltimore Running Festival.
1. Druid Hill Park and The Maryland Zoo
At the 8 a.m. start, marathon runners will leave the starting gate and head north on Paca Street then onto McCulloh Street and into Druid Hill Park at about mile 2.5.
While the runners will pass through zoo exhibits, spectators can’t get inside the facility. Still, zoo and race officials say Druid Hill Park is a great early viewing spot, especially for those spectators who want to see their runners again later in the morning.
Time and access: The first runners will be in the park around 8:15 to 8:20 a.m. Cars will be restricted in the park, but it’s easy to access from the north or west sides, and walkable/bikeable from Auchentoroly/Parkwood, Penn North, Reservoir Hill, Woodberry, Hampden and Remington.
2. The Washington Monument and Mount Vernon
This year’s finisher medal features the Washington Monument, and the course passes near it twice, at mile 8 and again at mile 25, per the race organizers. The plus of this spot is its scenic beauty and the ability to see your runner at the start of the day and again, hopefully, as they close in on the finish. Mile 25 is where the pack is spread out from about 10:05 a.m. until mid-afternoon, so many runners are easy to find and can use a boost for their final kick.
Time and access: First runners will make their second downhill pass of the monument at around 10 a.m. But road closures mean this is a tough spot to get to without a lot of advance planning, and is probably better for those who already live close by.
3. Key Highway and Under Armour campus
The marathon route passes Federal Hill at about mile 9.5 and heads out Key Highway to a turnaround at the Under Armour campus before coming back. Federal Hill and the Museum of Industry have been great cheering spots in the past, and the Key Highway Extension turnaround, out past Under Armour, is much quieter, which makes it a prime “lonely spot” on the first half of the course. So if you really want to have your runner see your sign and give them a boost at a critical juncture, this is a good pick.
Time and access: Check for road closures, and see runners pass Federal Hill beginning at about 9 a.m. This might not be the easiest spot to get to, which explains the crowd thinness, but could be rewarding for your runners.
4. Fells Point and Max’s Taphouse
Is Fells Point a common party spot? Yes. Is marathon day one of the better times to be there? Also yes. Runners pass through Fells Point at Mile 14 right by the taphouse before heading north. At Max’s, a Baltimore landmark, specatators can sit outside with access to a list of 115 rotating draft lines, and take part in a fantastic street party vibe as the neighborhood comes out to cheer.
Time and access: Fells Point will be challenging to drive to on race day so plan ahead. The vibes will be solid throughout the morning into the afternoon.
5. Patterson Park – East Side
If you had to pick one spot to hang out, this could be it. Race participants and reviewers regularly single out Patterson Park for its large and loud crowds at every corner along Linwood Avenue. The surrounding neighborhoods gather here. Expect a street DJ and funny signs. The half-marathon merges into the marathon course here, so the field gets denser and louder.
Time and access: It’s relatively easy to get to the park, especially from the east side. Eastern Avenue and Linwood Avenue have no-parking restrictions, so use the side streets east of Highland. The park is located between miles 15.5 and 16 on the course, so the fastest runners start arriving at 9:30.
6. Madison Street and Ulman House
Runners leave Patterson Park and take a left turn on Madison Street, heading towards Johns Hopkins Hospital. At 2118 East Madison Street they will pass Ulman House, which is a free and supportive “home away from home” for young adult cancer patients and their caregivers who must travel for medical treatment. More than 130 participants in the Baltimore Running Festival will be racing under the auspices of the Ulman Foundation, including the Towson University track club and members of the Canton Run Club. So energy will be high as Ulman supporters gather and cheer on their folks.
Time and access: First runners arrive around 9:40 a.m. and the half-marathon, which starts at 9:30, also passes here. This is the eastern edge of the marathon route. Check street closures above, and consider walking from either the east or the west.
7. Lake Montebello
This popular park is a major milestone: it’s at the furthest northeast corner of the race route, and mile 20 is where many runners hit what is infamously known as “The Wall,” so you might get some dead-eyed gazes as you greet your runners here, or they might stop for a few words and be reluctant to start again. This is the Baltimore equivalent of the Boston Marathon’s Heartbreak Hill. Crowds here have historically been smaller than in the city’s busier neighborhoods, but locals call it a tradition, and race organizers say there will be a DJ to keep spirits high.
Time and access: Access the park from the north and east. A runner at a pace of 8:00 minutes per mile would reach the lake at about 10:40 a.m.
8. 33rd Street and Tom Gamper’s Porch Party
33rd Street, formerly home to Colts and Orioles and still the location of City College, is a long-east west stretch near the end of the race. It also features the annual Gamper Marathon Porch Party, at 306 E. 33rd Street. Members of the Baltimore Pacemakers running group gather here early right at Mile 23, with elite runners passing by at about 10 a.m. We checked with Tom, and yes, it’s OK with him to publicize. You may not know this, but runners are known to discuss their running, so this is a good place for shop talk. The field is stretched thin, and these are the miles after the hills when people start to struggle. A stranger’s “you’ve got this” does the most good here.
Time and access: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. is best here.
9. Pratt Street, the Finish Line and the Pratt Street Ale House
The marathon finishes on Pratt Street near the USS Constellation. The Celebration Village at the Inner Harbor has been scheduled for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., with live music, interactive games, food and drink, and it’s free and open to the public. Located near the finish line at 206 W. Pratt Street is the Pratt Street Ale House, which is high-energy and incredibly packed. Because the 5K, 10K, Half Marathon, and Full Marathon all finish along this corridor, there is non-stop action right out front from start to finish.
While the first finishers arrive around 10:10 a.m., the course stays open until mid-afternoon, and the last runners cross after the party is winding down. If you want to be the person someone remembers, be at the line at 2:30 p.m.
