Love Run Philly Half Marathon Review and Race Tips
The Love Run Philly has amazing views.
By Marnie Kunz
Certified trainer and run coach
My Love Run Philly half marathon review is based on running the race in 2025. The whole experience was a great vibe, with epic landmarks and architecture, awesome crowd support, a festive atmosphere, and a scenic run through Fairmount Park. The race course had some hills, which I’ll go over in more detail. I did this race with my friend and we came in from out of state for the experience. If you’re looking for an unforgettable half marathon in Philadelphia, I highly recommend this race. If you live in the northeast, it’s a convenient location that you can get to by train. And of course, it’s easy to fly to Philadelphia too if you’re coming from farther away.
Related: NYC Half Marathon Guide + Tips
I had a great time at the Love Run Philly Half Marathon.
Love Run Philly Half Marathon Review
The BMW Love Run Philadelphia Half Marathon and 7K is a spring race in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, with the option to run a full half marathon or the shorter 7K race, which is about 4.35 miles. My Love Run Philly Half Marathon review is based on running the 2025 half marathon.
Why I Chose This Race
My friend Jose and I wanted to do a fun spring race, and this was a great option that is conveniently located, as I live in NYC and he lives in New Jersey. As a New Yorker, I don’t have a car and I appreciated that I could just hop on an Amtrak train and get to Philly in a little over an hour. I also loved the theme of the race as it’s all about spreading love and positivity.
Training for a half marathon gave me a good winter training goal to keep me motivated through a particularly cold and snowy winter this year.
Travel to Love Run Philly Race
Since the Philly Love Run is in a major city, it gives you a lot of travel options for getting to the race. I took an Amtrak train from Midtown Manhattan and then a short Uber ride to get to my hotel. Since the race was early (7:30 am), I didn’t want to get up at like 3 am to go from Brooklyn to Philly so it was better to get a hotel.
We stayed at the official race hotel, the Hampton Inn Philadelphia Center City. Overall, it was a nice stay and the hotel was right across from the expo (which I did not make it to since my train got in after it was over). However, the hotel was a mile from the race start and finish so it was longer than I expected to get to the start on foot. This would be ok but I had to hurry and rush out after the race to shower and check out of the hotel on time.
My main issue was the late checkout mentioned on the race website was not available as the front desk told me too many runners had already opted for late checkout and they had to prepare the rooms. This was a bummer and made the ending of the race less fun (I couldn't take a picture at the Rocky steps or other landmarks) as I had to run back to my hotel to shower and check out. Hopefully, they work out the kinks with this in future years.
Love Run Philly was a great destination race.
The hotel was comfortable and conveniently located a few blocks from Reading Terminal Market and a Trader Joe’s for some extra snacks and water. I LOVED the food and energy at Reading Terminal Market and it was a great place to carb load, with so many options, from pasta and Philly cheesesteaks to pizza and much more.
We returned to the market after the race (the perfect place to refuel) and I really enjoyed trying food from the country Georgia at Saami Somi. Their food was so fresh and delicious, with unique, incredible cheese called seluguni and Bulgarian feta. I got a breakfast dish there with their amazing signature cheese, a gooey egg, and tasty red sauce. I also got some pastries to go and really loved the sweet one with pears and cheese.
Love Run Philly Half Marathon Course
One of the brilliant murals on the course.
The Love Run Philly half marathon course was stunning. I hadn’t realized how much iconic architecture would be along the race course. The first part of the course goes along Benjamin Franklin Parkway and through downtown Philly. This first half of the race includes stunning landmarks like Philadelphia City Hall, a National Historic Landmark with an architectural style that looks very European. The elegant Philadelphia Museum of Art is at the start line and finish of the race, and the famous Rocky statue and steps are right by the finish line.
I also enjoyed seeing some of Philly’s signature murals along the race course, with sprawling, colorful artworks making a perfect backdrop for the energized cheering in downtown Philadelphia.
The second part of the race goes into picturesque Fairmount Park, where the course runs alongside the Schuylkill River. This part of the race included some hills, with mild, sloping hills as well as two sections of steep uphill climbs that are not very long. My leg muscle fatigue set in around mile 8, after the first steep hill. Luckily there are also several downhill stretches on this part of the course, with nice downhill momentum bursts in the last few miles, making it a good cruise to the finish.
The course includes sections on Kelly Drive, a scenic road running alongside the Schuylkill River, and nice views along Boathouse Row, a row of colorful, historic boathouses along the river. To top it off, cherry blossoms were in bloom, making the park section even more scenic.
The mile markers were very clearly marked and large so it was easy to tell where you were along the course. The turnaround point for the park stretch of the race was around Falls Bridge and then we headed back along Martin Luther King Jr. Drive. If you have a PR or time goal, there were pace group leaders with clear signs carrying their goal race pace.
Love Run Philly Half Marathon Experience
The Love Run Philly Half Marathon has lovely scenery.
No Philly half marathon review would be complete without a description of the overall experience and vibe, which was stellar. The spectators were enthusiastic and so supportive, the athletes were pumped up, and the music was bumping at the start and a few times during the course I heard music. It was a very festive, awesome atmosphere and I loved the energy of the race and the city.
Volunteers were stationed every few miles with water and Gatorade, and the water stations were all well-run. The volunteers cheered us on at the aid stations too, making it a great experience. There were plenty of bins to throw our cups after the water stations, which helped keep the course clean (though many still dropped them on the ground, and sweepers were sweeping them up regularly too).
The race weekend was full of good vibes all around, which was fitting for the love run theme. The production quality was excellent, and everything ran smoothly. The unisex shirts were lovely, with the BMW and Love Run logos, and a nice quality moisture-wicking fit. My race shirt was a medium, my usual size, and it is fitted so if you like extra wiggle room, I’d recommend ordering a size larger than what you usually wear. Even the bibs had a nice design, in keeping with the classy and colorful aesthetic of the BMW Love Run Philly.
I did not make it to the expo so did not get the mug, which I am sad I missed but the expo had a free Philly Love Run mug for each participant, which my friend got. Another thing I did not use was the gear check, but it was available for all runners.
The race medal was also nice and was high quality. It’s a large medal with the Love Run logo and race name, with the date. The ribbon has the BMW logo and the race logo and is thick and colorful.
The only thing I didn’t love at the run was the post-race food. We got bottled water right after the run in the food tent and each runner could grab a to-go bag of goodies, which had three items, all processed snack foods - popcorn (this was the healthiest option and the only one I ate), oatmeal cookies from the Frito Lays brand, and some kind of coffee energy bar.In a city with plenty of great food, I had hoped for more of a food selection or some fresh fruit like bananas. (But later I went back to Reading Terminal Market and stocked up on delicious fresh food.)
Tips for Running the Love Run Philly Half Marathon
If you want to run the Love Run Philly Half Marathon, here are some tips to help you have the best experience possible:
My Love Run Philly medal from the 2025 race.
Sign up with a friend. This makes the race more fun and spreads the good vibes. If you go solo, don’t worry, you’ll be able to make friends at the race!
Don’t go out too fast. It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and music at the start of the race and in the streets downtown where there are lots of people cheering. Keep your pace in check so you can tackle the rolling hills in the second part of the race in Fairmount Park.
Register for the race early if you're on a budget and you’ll get a big discount (they already open registration for next year’s race the day after the event). Taking public transportation is another great way to save. SEPTA is Philly’s transit system which includes subway, trolley, and bus routes that can get you around the city.
Plan your travel in advance so you’re not stressed and frazzled on race weekend when everything happens quickly. If you stay at the recommended race hotel, call ahead of time to see if you can get an early checkout and if possible, get this confirmed in writing. Also, look up how far your hotel will be from the race so you have a plan on how to get to the start line and how to get back to the hotel after the race. Consider hotels that are close to the Philadelphia Museum of Art so you can walk to the race easily.
Adjust your pace for hills. It’s ok to slow down slightly on the uphills and shorten your stride to tackle the inclines. Make use of the downhill sections and speed up, allowing your body to move forward more easily with the help of gravity.
Stay hydrated and take running fuel throughout the race. This will help prevent muscle cramps, energy crashes, and excess fatigue so you can slay your race.
Enjoy the experience! The Philly Love Run is a scenic course with incredible views, awesome people, and electric energy in a great city. Enjoy all the good vibes.
Related: Budgeting for Runners - How to Afford Racing, Shoes, and More
Love Run Philly Half Marathon Recap
Scenery: 5.0
Course Difficulty: 3 out of 5
Experience: 5.0
Swag: 4.8
Overall Rating: 4.8
Overall, the Love Run Philly Half Marathon is a beautiful course with amazing vibes and great support for runners, from the crowd, volunteers, and other runners. Although there are rolling hills during the second half of the race, overall it’s also a pretty moderate course so it’s an excellent opportunity to PR. If you want a fun destination half marathon, I highly recommend this race. And if you go for the weekend, you can see national historic landmarks, lots of art and murals, and enjoy an endless selection of good food at Reading Terminal Market. I will definitely be adding this trace to my list of the 15 Best Half Marathons in the World.
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Happy running to you!
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Marnie Kunz is a NASM-certified personal trainer and USATF- and RRCA-certified running coach based in Brooklyn, NY. Marnie likes helping people get and stay active to enjoy a better quality of life. When she’s not doing fitness things, Marnie enjoys exploring with her dog, a mischievous rescue Akita.
