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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 201 to 211]
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c. i. from ohio
(10/28/2009)
"Marines: Awesome. Marathon: 50/50." (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 My 5th MCM and last. I appreciate so much the Marines and organization, but I thought the mile markers were terrible and the clock placements were difficult to find. I was so frustrated trying to figure out where the next mile marker would be. It seemed like they skipped over a few. Somehow the Chicago Marathon seems to be able to move their runners through the course so much more efficiently. I would recommend this race to every runner to do once because it is inspiring, but don't look to have your PR here; it just isn't set up for that, in my opinion. | |
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Amy Jarratt from Atlanta, GA
(10/28/2009)
"Recommended with some hesitation" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Thankfully I was not out to set a PR because this is a crowded run the entire time. I took the time to enjoy the scenery and spectators and I generally agree with all the positive comments. Here are some things to think about for the race director: 1) The finish needs to have water available ASAP. It took too long to get to the water. 2) The metro was a mess post-race. My friend passed out while we waited for close to two hours. Others were passing out almost every five minutes! Once we left the metro, it took forever to get back to our hotel. All in all, it took three hours to get to the hotel post-race. Too long. 3) Family meet-up area needs to be located where runners can sit down, rest, and stretch. This family meet-up area was on the road. | |
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s. d. from USA
(10/27/2009)
"Fantastic" (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon and I realized as I approached the start that I made the right choice. The course was beautiful, scenic, and clean. I've run other races where I was stepping over potholes and roadkill for six miles. Having the Marines there working the event really helped me focus on the big picture. If I could make some improvements I would add more water stations. For me it just wasn't enough. I prefer to have a few ounces of water every mile or two versus chugging 12 ounces every two or two and a half miles. Having only 12 water station in a 26-mile race is simply not enough. If you are running this, I would also bring your own GU or food of choice, as three food stations is not enough to take in the appropriate number of calories and carbs to avoid bonking. If you are a first-time MCM participant, please realize that this is a huge race, so it is crowded. How crowded depends on where you are among the finishers. I'm a middle-of-the-pack runner. and was constantly surrounded by other runners. There were few times when I had more than 10 feet of open space in front of me. Lastly I would recommend staying at a hotel close to the finish - versus one close to the start. It took us two hours to get back to our hotel, which was near the start in Crystal City. All in all, the race was extremely well organized (to echo others' comments - it's the Marines, what do you expect?). Getting an "Oorah" from the Marine giving me my finisher's medal was awesome, as was getting my picture taken in front of the Iwo Jima Memorial afterward. I'd run this race again next year. | |
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E. B. from NJ
(10/27/2009)
"Great experience" (about: 2009)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second marathon (Philly '08), and I was very pleased with every aspect of the race. The race organization was superb; the only line I waited on all weekend was the bathroom line, prior to the start. Medal/shirt were very nice, course was great/mostly flat, weather was perfect and spectator support was very good. I will definitely run this marathon again. | |
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S. D. from Charlotte, NC
(10/27/2009)
"Do they get better than MCM?" (about: 2009)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is by far my favorite marathon. It is run so well that it leaves little to complain about. Pros: * The Marines are so well organized, and water stations are stocked and managed well. * The scenery and course. * The cheering crowds. * The ease of getting to the start with all of the metro transportation. * The medal is beautiful. * Plenty of port-a-potties. Cons: * Long walk after race to finisher's area. * The shirt this year was awful. Long-sleeve cotton t-shirt with a mock neck. * Mile 20-22 on an overpass bridge. * Uphill finish. No matter what, you will love your MCM experience. It is a wonderful marathon. I hope to get to do it again someday. | |
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Lichu Sloan from USA
(10/27/2009)
"Truly a "People's Marathon!"" (about: 2009)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My number 81 marathon at the 2009 MCM is a story to tell. I was running with a broken right shoulder! Betty Tung and I ran slowly, finishing in 6:15:19. It took so much time because Betty was helping both of us with gels, water, and more during the marathon. I was running with one arm, and she was running with a back pack. Certainly this was not our normal running form. I was happy to run slowly, enjoy everything, and see many things that I had not seen before. So many people were cheering me for running with a broken arm. We walked a lot and stopped a lot, yet, we were very focused on reaching the bridge, mile 20 marker, before they closed the bridge and opened the road to traffic, and bussed the runners who didn't make the cutoff to the finish line. We reached the bridge with 20 minutes to spare. I got emotional at this marathon. Many young and handsome Marines helped out at the water stations, every mile, at mile 26. For the last two tenths of a mile, we ran through two rows of Marines, lined up on both sides, carrying their backpacks, and cheering and encouraging runners. They ENERGIZED us! Suddenly, I saw the uphill before the viewing stand and the finish line chute. It was an honor that Marines put finisher medals around our necks. Wow! This is truly a "People's Marathon." It was a beautiful marathon course. I highly recommend that you run MCM, and make it a nice vacation with your family. It is great to visit our capital. The 2009 MCM was an improvement from 2006 when I ran it the first time. It was very unusual that the entry fee was slightly lower than 2006. The benefit of running slowly is that the finish area was not so congested. I was not able to move in 2006. I like the new location for the expo this year. | |
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David Trevino from Arlington, Virginia
(10/27/2009)
"What Can I Say? One of the BEST Marathons!" (about: 2009)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is my eighth time running the MCM, and all I can say is, this is "one of the BEST marathons around." The Marines did a fantastic job, as always, and they were very supportive of all the runners. From packet pickup to crossing the finish line, the whole event is just awesome. The crowd support is also unbelievable. For any runner who have plans on entering this event one day, do it; you won't be disappointed. This is one event/experience you will never forget. Great job, Marines! | |
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D. i. from Gainesville, FL
(10/27/2009)
"FIRST-RATE EVENT!!!" (about: 2009)
50+ previous marathons
| 2 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my second time to do the Marine Corps Marathon... and it was even better than the first time! The organization and support are first-class. The Marines are so friendly and helpful. The course is beautiful and well marked. I am definitely in the back of the pack, but I was supported and cheered as if I were an elite runner! Well done, well done! | |
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C. S. from Atlanta, GA
(10/26/2009)
"The best" (about: 2009)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was my first MCM, and definitely not my last! The organization was Marine-style - first-rate all around, from the beginning of the course to the finisher's festival. I am a back-of-the-pack runner, as I just started training one year ago. My time was just under six hours, and they treated me like I was just as important as the faster finishers. I would recommend this race for everyone! The only downer was, after the finish, trying to get back to the hotel - the Metro had a two-hour wait. But we knew that it would be bad. | |
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Suzanne Pokorny from Cleveland, Ohio
(10/26/2009)
"A lesson in endurance." (about: 2009)
50+ previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My son is a Marine, so Oorah! Thanks for all of the volunteers and for all you did to put on this race. This was by far the largest marathon I have run and I have run many. I had to let into my mind (and let it go) early that everything during the weekend would be slow and crowded. Indeed. While it made my slower-than-normal race pace more "acceptable" (no fear of being last!), it made navigating near dangerous. Running around the outside of 5-deep walkers beginning at mile 7 probably added miles to the course for me (not a huge deal; just racked up more time on the clock!). Include the spectators with strollers darting in front of you, masses of jabbing elbows, sticky, slippery orange peels and jelly beans, and it became a day of enduring. Who would think you could roll an ankle wading through a sea of crushed water cups? And, no matter how many porto-johns the race could provide, the wait line of 6-10 runners during the race (times three) probably added 20-30 minutes more to my result time - plus a show of more bare bottoms, etc. in the woods than I really would have preferred to see that day. But let's face it. This race is not about a PR. If you are looking for an emotional, meaningful experience, where all around you participants are running with a cause, past beautiful historic sites (and beautiful Marines), the most massive crowd support you could imagine, along with a displayable finisher's medal awarded to you personally by a ranking officer, then the Marine Corp Marathon is for you. A total aside-comment: I am from Ohio and was horrified by the amount of money the hotels were squeezing out of people. I know, it's D.C., and it's done because they can. Yet $195 per night (two-night minimum) in a two-star hotel nowhere near the finish line, $21 self-parking (no cheaper options), and having no continental breakfast provided just added more items to my list of things to endure. I am used to smaller-town marathons where merchants are thankful for my business and agreeably, if not automatically give runners a late checkout for showering before the drive home. My hotel? They charged $75 for two extra hours. No thanks. This may be the way of a busy city with a cornered audience of 30,000+ people, but I consider the hotel merchants' hospitality insulting enough to rank the trip in total as a to-do item checked off, and DONE. Won't likely return. |
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