The Amsterdam Marathon is an annual marathon

Marathon

The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...

 race over the classic distance of 42.195km held in Amsterdam

Amsterdam

Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...

, the Netherlands

Netherlands

The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...

 since 1975. It is one of the top ten marathons in the world.

History

The first marathon in Amsterdam

Athletics at the 1928 Summer Olympics - Men's marathon

Men's Marathon event at the 1928 Summer Olympics took place in Amsterdam, Netherlands on Sunday, August 5, 1928. The race started on 15.14h local time. A total number of 57 athletes completed the race, with Willem van der Steen from Holland finishing in last position in 3:29:21. There were 69...

 was held on August 5, 1928, during the 1928 Summer Olympics

1928 Summer Olympics

The 1928 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the IX Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1928 in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Amsterdam had bid for the 1920 and 1924 Olympic Games, but had to give way to war-victim Antwerp, Belgium, and Pierre de...

. It was won by Boughera El Ouafi

Boughera El Ouafi

Ahmed Boughèra El Ouafi born in Setif was a French athlete during the time Algeria was part of France. In 1928, he won the Olympic gold medal in the marathon....

 in 2:32:57.

After the Olympics there were no marathons in Amsterdam until 1975. Since that year the marathon was held annually, with the exception of 1978.

The 1980 course record of 2:09:01 ran by Dutchman Gerard Nijboer

Gerard Nijboer

Gerard Nijboer is a former Dutch athlete who competed mainly in the Marathon.Nijboer competed for the Netherlands in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980 , when he won the silver medal in the Men's Marathon...

 could be considered an unofficial world record as the generally recognized record at that time, 2:08:34 in Antwerp, had been run on a course that was 500 meters short.

In 2005, the current world record holder on the marathon, Haile Gebrselassie

Haile Gebrselassie

Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...

 earned his first win in the Amsterdam Marathon in the fastest marathon time in the world for the 2006 season (2:06.20).

In 2010, Getu Feleke

Getu Feleke

Getu Feleke is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who runs mainly in half marathon and marathon races. He won the 2010 Amsterdam Marathon with a course record time of 2:05:44....

 finished in 2:05:44, which is the best time ever in Amsterdam.

Course record progression
Date	Athlete	Time
5 August 1928	Boughera El Ouafi Boughera El Ouafi Ahmed Boughèra El Ouafi born in Setif was a French athlete during the time Algeria was part of France. In 1928, he won the Olympic gold medal in the marathon....	2:32:57
3 May 1975	Jørgen Jensen Jørgen Jensen (athlete) Jørgen Pilegaard Jensen was a long-distance runner from Denmark, who won the inaugural 1975 edition of Amsterdam Marathon, clocking 2:16:51 on May 3, 1975. He represented his native country in two consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1972.-Achievements:-References:* *...	2:16:51
21 May 1977	Bill Rodgers Bill Rodgers (athlete) William "Bill" Henry Rodgers is an American runner and former American record holder in the marathon who is best known for his victories in the Boston Marathon and the New York City Marathon in the late 1970s...	2:12:47
26 April 1980	Gerard Nijboer Gerard Nijboer Gerard Nijboer is a former Dutch athlete who competed mainly in the Marathon.Nijboer competed for the Netherlands in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1980 , when he won the silver medal in the Men's Marathon...	2:09:01 WR
2 November 1997	Sammy Korir Sammy Korir Sammy Korir is a long distance runner from Kenya.In 2008 Korir became the first man to run ten marathons faster than the time of 2:09 hours, by finishing third in Dubai Marathon with a time of 2:08:34. The race was won by Haile Gebrselassie, who narrowly failed to break the world record held by...	2:08:24
1 November 1998	Sammy Korir Sammy Korir Sammy Korir is a long distance runner from Kenya.In 2008 Korir became the first man to run ten marathons faster than the time of 2:09 hours, by finishing third in Dubai Marathon with a time of 2:08:34. The race was won by Haile Gebrselassie, who narrowly failed to break the world record held by...	2:08:13
17 October 1999	Fred Kiprop Fred Kiprop Fred Kiprop is a male long-distance runner from Kenya, who won the Amsterdam Marathon in 1999 in a time of 2:06:47.-Achievements:- References :...	2:06:47
19 October 2003	William Kipsang William Kipsang William Kipsang is a Kenyan long distance runner who specialises in the marathon.His best performance was on 13 April 2008, winning the Rotterdam Marathon with a new course record and PR of 2:05:49. On 15 April 2007 he was placed third in this race, running in difficult circumstances due to the...	2:06:39
17 October 2004	Robert Cheboror Robert Cheboror Robert Cheboror is a Kenyan long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon.He won the Lille Métropole Half Marathon in 2002, setting a personal best of 1:01:42 for the half marathon distance. At the Berlin Half Marathon the following year, Cheboror came near his best with a run of 1:01:55...	2:06:22
16 October 2005	Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie Haile Gebrselassie is an Ethiopian long-distance track and road running athlete. He won two Olympic gold medals over 10,000 metres and four World Championship titles in the event. He won the Berlin Marathon four times consecutively and also had three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon...	2:06:20
18 October 2009	Gilbert Yegon Gilbert Yegon Gilbert Yegon is a Kenyan long-distance runner who competes in marathon races.He began taking part in road races in 2008, and he ran a time of 1:02:43 at the Nairobi Half Marathon for third place. He entered the Berlin Half Marathon the following year and improved his time to 1:01:26, finishing in...	2:06:18
17 October 2010	Getu Feleke Getu Feleke Getu Feleke is an Ethiopian long-distance runner who runs mainly in half marathon and marathon races. He won the 2010 Amsterdam Marathon with a course record time of 2:05:44....	2:05:44

Route

The route starts and finishes in the Olympic Stadium

Olympisch Stadion (Amsterdam)

The Olympisch Stadion is a stadium built as the main stadium for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam. When completed, the stadium had a capacity of 31,600. Following the completion of the rival De Kuip stadium in Rotterdam in 1937, the Amsterdam authorities decided to increase the capacity of the...

. The course is flat, with a maximum elevation of 33ft at the 23rd mile.

External links

• Amsterdam Marathon (official website)