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Marine Corps Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Marine Corps Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 3.9 
Spectators 4.6
Number of comments: 937 [displaying comments 161 to 171]
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Lisa Hanrahan from Stamford, CT
(11/2/2010)
"Beautiful course; great t-shirt and medal" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 The course was really good - even the .2 run up to the finish line wasn't so bad. The weather couldn't have been better. Lots of spectators most of the way, but I actually enjoyed the section along the parkway without any - quiet, peaceful and beautiful scenery. Running in front of the capitol and by the Washington Monument was awesome. Volunteers - Marines as well as civilians - were great. Kudos to all! This was my 12th marathon and first MCM. At age 56 I ran my first and am now 63. I've always tried to better my time with each marathon, but the MCM is not one at which to try and achieve a PR- too many people walking and hard to get by slower runners in some places where the course was narrow. Qualifying for Boston is easier at a smaller marathon. Needs Improvement: Fix the quagmire at the end of the race. You cross the finish line and stop dead because it's so crowded. Coordinate better with the metro. It was a nightmare - especially at the end. The line to get INTO the station was around the block! Metro should plan to have extra trains that day. And how about letting runners ride free? Boston does. All in all, I'm glad that I ran and experienced the MCM. Many thanks to the Marine Corps and all who helped. | |
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Sid Busch from Goose Creek SC
(11/2/2010)
"Fantastic Marathon" (about: 2010)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My 11th Marine Corps Marathon, and they get better and better. Organization from packet pickup through the finish area is amazing. To those who complain, just try and get over 40,000 people out of a small area; you might then appreciate the Marines more for the job they did. | |
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J. C. from Louisiana
(11/1/2010)
"Highly recommended, positive run" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Spectators everywhere. Well supported with water stops, but probably could have used another 3 water stops. Well guided with signs. Would definitely run again. Hills looked tougher on the elevation chart - but they really were tolerable. I stayed in Crystal Village; I could walk to the start. Finish line: congested, but with that many people I expected that. Also, there was a Stephen Colbert rally (around 200,000) this weekend, which really didn't help Expo was really nice. | |
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B. B. from San Diego, CA
(11/1/2010)
"Fantastic marathon - a must-do!!" (about: 2010)
1 previous marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my second marathon (first was Santa Barbara). I have to say that it was a great experience. Everything I heard about this marathon was true - the cheering crowds, highly organized race, friendly Marines, and a great course and views of DC. Great time. Tips: -Would stay in Rosyln-area hotels since the finish is there and you could walk to your hotel. -Use the metro to get around DC!! | |
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K. E. from Alabama
(11/1/2010)
"OK, but wouldn't do it again" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Some highs, and some ridiculous lows. The pluses: Good spectator support, and pretty good views along the way. Good race shirt/swag bag. Good packet pick-up. The lows: Absolutely terrible logistics. Are they kidding? Probably had to walk nearly a mile to the start from the Rosslyn Station. Maybe a mile or more from the finish to the "Finish Festival." Post-race the city/metro system simply could not handle the crowds. Given all that, I could not imagine that this is the 35th year. It seemed like amateur hour from a logistics standpoint. Sorry, guys - but you couldn't GIVE me an entry bib to this train wreck of an event. | |
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c. m. from Pennsylvania
(11/1/2010)
"one of the best" (about: 2001)
11-50 previous marathons
| 3 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I had a great experience with not a single complaint at all. Course is tougher early in the race than I thought, but the crowds made up for it. Organization was outstanding! | |
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b. w. from philadelphia, pa
(11/1/2010)
"great, very scenic course" (about: 2010)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Overall, a great marathon. Two complaints: there could be more hydration stations and the long, long, long walk from the Pentagon to the start of the race. Who wants to walk a mile to the start? | |
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P. W. from NY, NY
(11/1/2010)
"My favorite marathon thus far (10 and counting!)" (about: 2010)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I just ran this race yesterday and I am absolutely still on cloud nine. Yes, an 18-minute PR could be part of this euphoric haze, but this was the best marathon I've done yet. So much to say, but in a nutshell: The Course Very fair, exactly as advertised. A little hilly for the first 8 miles, but scenic. And once you hit Georgetown, the crowd is so enthusiastic (almost TOO enthusiastic - they crowded onto the course and narrowed the road for runners!) that you just coast the next few miles. The famed Bridge (as in "Beat the Bridge") is a bit hilly too, and windy, but it's nice to know you have 4 miles to go after you cross it! Lovely views of the monuments, changing scenery, lots of crowd support everywhere, especially at the charge up the hill to the finish. The Technical Support Perfection, with the exception of the start and finish. Every water station was stocked with water, every course volunteer was helpful and polite, and many were enthusiastic. The start lines need better-policed corrals. I am a mid-pack runner and am happy that there are people much faster and much slower than I participating in this race. However, the lack of official corrals, and the lack of official race bibs that assigned corrals meant that I spent the first 6-8 miles dodging walkers. The course is very narrow, so this resulted in many near-collisions, suddenly stopping short, etc. This wastes a lot of energy, and while I fully support walkers and slower joggers at marathons, I firmly believe they need to start behind those who will be (trying to) run the entire race. The finish line was also a bit tedious. There simply wasn't enough physical space for hundreds of runners to be filtering through every minute. One simple fix: keep out friends, family, etc. until AFTER the main exit. The huge crowds of families with strollers, little children, etc. all walking in different directions made for an impossibly slow walk through the finish area. I found the post-race transportation to be remarkably easy: 10-minute wait for a shuttle bus, 15-minute ride to Crystal City, and a 5-minute walk to the train station. Everything Else I loved this marathon. Others have spoken about the emotional, inspirational tone of this marathon above all and I agree. Seeing so many people running in honor of those overseas, currently or formerly serving, killed in action, or injured was so emotional. Seeing so many former servicemen and women running with flags, with full gear, or with other mementos was also inspirational. I was truly inspired the whole way and almost forgot the hit the Wall! I have not yet repeated a marathon, but I will be very tempted to return next year for this one. Bravo! | |
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B. H. from Richmond, VA
(11/1/2010)
"Some Highs and Lows" (about: 2010)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 This is my first mega-marathon, so I don't know how it compares to Chicago, NY, etc. In full disclosure, I knew this race would be very challenging for me because I am not a fan of huge crowds. Also, I had a rough race due to illness and barely finished. With that said: Pros -Beautiful and inspiring first 20 miles. I can't say enough about how cool it is to see the sights of DC in a race. The portions in Georgetown and the National Mall stick out in particular. -Very cool long-sleeve shirt given at the expo, which was a well-organized event. -It was truly inspiring to see so many competitors wearing shirts honoring loved ones lost defending our country. Also, there were a number of wounded soldiers competing their hearts out. -The crowd support was great in most parts of the course. -The course is not overly demanding. There are some minor hills in the beginning, but after mile 8 it is pretty flat (except the short hill at the end). Cons -Unless you are right up front you are pretty packed in for the first 8 miles. I was able to maintain my pace pretty well with some minor dodging and weaving. However, I heard others had much more trouble in the middle and back of the pack. -The bridge spanning miles 20-22 (I think) is completely exposed and devoid of much crowd support. It is a pretty tough mental test that late in the race. -Miles 22-26.2 are in northern Virginia and aren't very attractive - but the crowd support is awesome! -The finish festival is awful. You have to walk through a long, packed maze to get a paltry goody bag, your medal and to get to your family. I should say that it was a great honor to receive my medal from a marine. -It was very difficult to get a taxi at the taxi stand set up by the race organizers - the taxis came in at a trickle. The metro was also packed. I should say that transportation problems were well-advertised, but I had no idea how bad it was going to be. I wouldn't do this race again, but it was incredibly inspiring in many ways. The marines were wonderful; I am grateful for their hard work and service. | |
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A. D. from Virginia
(11/1/2010)
"There is Room for Improvement in Organization" (about: 2010)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 First, the expo - conflicting signage made it rather difficult to find the right hall. This is a huge center and not all personnel were aware of the expo or its location. Also, why was there any need to have UPS packet sticker as a separate step of the pick up? Why not just include it with either the bib or the goody bag? Getting there: lots of communication regarding Metro, but not a word about bus system. It turned out that the buses were NOT going to Pentagon station at all. They were all rerouted to Pentagon City station. Thankfully, the stations are not far apart, but it creates unnecessary anxiety when you need it least. Corrals: people, if you plan to start off walking, do not get in front of the pack! Be realistic - you will not finish in 2:45. I know it is a pain, but it may be a good idea to use a previous marathon as a qualified for any corral under 4 hours. This is a large event and it would help faster runners. Not all miles are marked. I had a GPS, but I know that many runners rely on this for pacing. Course was beautiful. Lots of spectators. Water/Gatorade stations were well attended. Question: where were the medical stations? I was looking for since about Mile 12 and could not find it. I'm not saying they were not there, but they were not well marked, that's for sure. This is one thing that could be easily improved - just take Chicago Marathon as an example. Finally, the finish line: Huge room for improvement. One thing you expect upon finish line is getting a medal. Not at MCM - you need to walk quite a bit to finally get to that point. Then walk some more to even get a bottle of water... come on! And then comes the worst: getting out of the runners' area. The crowd is unbelievable - and no, it's not the runners; it's the spectators who try to get IN. This should be one-way traffic only, enforced, and for runners only. Medal is great. |
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