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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 461 to 471]
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a. p. from VA
(11/2/2006)
"Never Again" (about: 2006)
50+ previous marathons
| 6+ Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 1 This used to be a great hometown race. I've done 10. Like others, I miss the run around the capitol. I like that we can take the Metro to the start; too bad it appeared to be operating on a weekend schedule with far too few trains. The shuttles at the end worked well for us - no fight at Rosslyn to get on a train and a very comfortable ride back to Vienna, thank you. Hurrah for PowerAde, which is much better than Ultima. And I even got oranges, gels and sports beans, in spite of my slow run. The spectators have become so bad I find I prefer small, remote races (Air Force does this well, with spectators in just the right places). I could not believe I had to fight my way onto the 14th Street Bridge. It is time to put out a spectator guide and start enforcing some simple things like how to cross a crowded field of runners (on a forward diagonal after carefully looking), how to stand back and let runners pass instead of crowding onto the course to spot yours, how to leave your children and dogs at home, and how to go somewhere else if you're going to smoke. Runners, it is up to YOU to let your family and friends know how to be a considerate spectator. I was stunned to see jogging strollers in this race, dangerous for the stroller passenger, the accompanying runner and every runner around them. This is not the race to do that - it's too crowded. Not much more I can add to the other comments about the finish area, though I agree with them all. Here again, spectators with small children and/or dogs weren't thinking of their safety around runners who were both tired and extremely frustrated. And think of the mess if it had been cold and/or raining (bag drop). I was not happy with the abrupt stop as I crossed the finish line and the 15-minute wait in narrow corrals to get my medal (this with no need to remove timing chips). I was even more upset at the number of people who think it's just as cute as can be to join their runner on the course to run across the finish line. Lady in the long, red coat: save it for a small race where you won't block real runners. | |
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T. H. from N.C.
(11/2/2006)
"Overall, a good experience" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 The course was great - perhaps moderately difficult, but certainly nothing outrageous - and had a good mix of inclines and declines. Spectators were fantastic - great crowd and race support along most of the course. Must echo complaints about the finish area and "meet-up" areas. Great expo (but go on Friday, if possible). Nice medal. All in all, a very good experience, and could be great with better organization at the finish. | |
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C. S. from Norristown, PA
(11/2/2006)
"Great race - I'd do it again" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 My 12th marathon, but first MCM. Usually I do NYC or Chicago, but didn't get in this year. Thoroughly enjoyed the course and the spectators. Not the crowd support of NYC or Chicago, but enough to keep me going. Sure, it was crowded at the start, and the end was a logistical nightmare, but for anyone who has run NYC, isn't it nice NOT to have to freeze on Staten Island for four hours before the race even starts? The US marines were ALL awesome! These guys are the best, and really made this a great experience for me. | |
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J. C. from NYC
(11/2/2006)
"Awesome Race!!!!" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Best North American marathon. Spectator support incredible. The marines were awesome. Invigorated my patriotism and love of running. Organization needs some improvement - i.e., long lines at expo, and the finish-line control: family meet-up on a bridge? Look to Disney and NYPD Chief of Department's Disorder Control Unit for people management techniques. I will run this one again. Thank you. | |
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M. C. from Thorold CANADA
(11/1/2006)
"Great race but..." (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 Finish line area and Metro were a disaster. Too crowded at the finish line and the Metro couldn't handle the mass of people. Metro should have been free to all runners. Bags should have been given to runners after the finish so they could place the food into them. Baggage trucks were too far away. It was a frustrating walk through the crowds to the trucks. | |
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J. R. from San Antonio, Texas
(11/1/2006)
"Awesome!" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 Heck, the end of the marathon wasn't perfect, but what in life is? :) I love life and this country - and God bless the marines! | |
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J. S. from Pennsylvania
(11/1/2006)
"Great course, poor organization" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 The course is great but the logistics around the expo, race start and race finish were unacceptable. The bag-drop was a mile-long walk to the start line. The runner's reunion was a section of a bridge about 15-feet wide. Everyone had to cross the bridge to pick up their bags after the race. It took over half an hour to cross the bridge and was nearly impossible to locate anyone. | |
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B. K. from Sunnyvale, CA
(11/1/2006)
"Everything great until post-race" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 5 The race was fantastic (if a bit windy later in the race), with incredible crowd support, even in areas I figured would be quiet. The organization was fine before the race, but afterward chaos ruled. Runners did not have directions to the bag pick-up or meeting locations, which were among/beyond the kiosks crammed on a not-nearly-wide-enough bridge. I was an earlier finisher (3:30), and got trapped in the crowd - I can only imagine what the later finishers had to deal with. Even the shuttle bus back to the advertised parking was hard to find and slow (since it had to detour through the Mall to avoid the runners still on the course). | |
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D. I. from Gainesville, Florida
(11/1/2006)
"Spectacular" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 What a rush! The monuments, the history, the excitement... and then finishing at the Iwo Jima Monument! The marines were great and fun! So encouraging and helpful! The weather was quite windy, but it didn't break my spirit! I enjoyed it tremendously! This marathon didn't disappoint! It's a must-do marathon! | |
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Josh Priddy from Sellersburg Indiana
(11/1/2006)
"POOR organization with apparent lack of planning" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 3 What a POORLY organized race. The event is oversold for the capacity of runners that it can handle. The expo is held in an armory where you can expect to wait several hours - not a convention center. The finish area is absolute mayhem with virtually non-existent room for runners to link up despite the alphabetical banners with about 20 square-feet of room underneath them for families to stand and half of that blocked by event vehicles. The course, while initially stirring, turns to almost exclusive "expressway" running for the last six miles. I expected to draw motivation in the last few miles from the views and thoughts of soldiers that had given their all for this country. Instead the last miles are run on a barren interstate with little to look at and even less support until the last second when you turn into Arlington. The race started late from poor organization too. I competed in the Clydesdales and likely placed, however after running as hard as I could for 26.2 I was told that I wouldn't know results for AT LEAST 3 weeks. The marathon office said they were working to verify and enter weights into the database. The race sold out in May! How come this couldn't be accomplished in the previous five months so people who train and run hard can know their results? I ran AIR FORCE last month in Dayton, OH and they had the Clydesdales results immediately and gave awards. True, it is a smaller marathon, but they have a much smaller staff as well and the registration isn't nearly as steep. Overall, MCM gets a sad face from me. I'm happy to check off another state BUT take heed and don't believe the hype of this "large national" marathon. It is run more like a hastily put-on hometown 5K. If you want military, go to AIR FORCE. |
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