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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 341 to 351]
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G. N. from Cresaptown, MD
(11/1/2007)
"post race snack line" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 4-5 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 very interesting course this year with the detour for road construction, biggest gripe is the post race snack line, very disorganized, no bagels or banana's, only 3 lines open to receive all the runners | |
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D. C. from Mountain View, CA
(11/1/2007)
"It's an excellent mega-marathon!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This is a great race. It is the self-proclaimed 'People's Marathon' and it lives up to the moniker. Race day was incredible. I had no trouble using the Metro to get to the Runner's Village which could easily accommodate the masses. It was easy to tell that the Marines' were in control of the race: the strong security presence, the Osprey flyover, and the Howitzer shot to start the race are examples. The first 5 miles are mostly uphill, allowing the quicker runners to catch up to the wheelchair participants. It was my first opportunity to see them struggling up the hills using all their energy and then watch them flying down the backside of the hills. Note: there is a slight safety concern here since the wheelchairs rely entirely on verbal communication and runners using headphones (which they shouldn't) can't hear them rapidly approaching from behind. The middle section of the race is flat, with lots of views of the monuments and plenty of spectator support. Running out to the Awakening was difficult because you lose the crowd support, often you hit a headwind, and you are starting to tire. But then you continue to Crystal City where the crowd re-energizes you. Soon you are the final hill, where the roar of the crowd is totally exhilarating. I think this is a great deal compared to some of the other 'Mega-marathons'. The expo is great (lots of free samples), the race t-shirt is embroidered, you get to keep the specialized timing chip, and finishers get a commemorative coin and patch to keep. They also provide online access to video of every runner crossing the finish line. The finish festival went smoothly, unlike reports from 2006. Despite my gushing endorsement of the race, there are a couple of improvements that could be made. First, better signs or traffic control should be provided for the expo on Saturday. Also, the real-time runner tracking system is a great idea, but the execution wasn't very good. My wife kept receiving text message updates every 5 min for several hours after the race ended, while other family members were unable to track my progress at all. Still, these are minor complaints. Overall, this is great race. | |
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Bruce Martin from York, Maine
(11/1/2007)
"A fine, well organized race with great support." (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I ran the first Marine Corps Marathon in 1976. This was an entirely different, and better experience. The hills at the beginning were a bit of a surprise, new to me since my last race in 2000. The support was sensational, event crews and spectators alike were wonderful. This marathon ranks with Boston as my two favorite races. | |
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J. B. from Oklahoma
(11/1/2007)
"Great crowd...where's the food!?!" (about: 2007)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 A wonderful race overall, but there were too many out and backs for my taste (what was that business in Crystal City all about at mile 22??)...and it was frustratingly unorganized at the end~~they ran out of food and the finisher medallions were no where in sight. Great crowds and dedicated Marines along the route, though! They made it all worthwhile! | |
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G. F. from OFallon, IL
(11/1/2007)
"Excellent Course, Well Organized, Spectators Slim" (about: 2007)
First Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a very well organized event and the location cannot be beat! At times the course was rather bland and had limited spectator access. However, there were stations just when you needed them and the volunteers were first class. | |
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C. B. from Orlando, FL
(10/31/2007)
"Incredible race!!! A must do." (about: 2007)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was just my second marathon but what an incredible experience. The crowd support was fantastic all through the course, and the course was great - running through some beautiful areas and through the Capital. The party atmosphere in Crystal City really helps you get through those tough miles around 21 and 22. And though the finish was up the hill, it was the icing on the cake - running up a hill at the end of 26 miles is nothing compared to the sacrifice of the many Marines who serve our country. I would agree with another poster that running by the finish area and then uphill before returning to really finish was pretty tough. Very inspirational! | |
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N. T. from Wisconsin
(10/31/2007)
"Awesome and very inspiring race!" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I have completed 3 marathons and many triathlons. This was a very well organized race. I was so inspired by all the marines and the fabulous spectators. The hills were tough but the crowds carried me through. And even though that uphill finish took all my mental strength to get through, it was a great way to end the race. I was thoroughly impressed with everything from the expo and packet pick up to the water stops - I never had to guess which was first (water or PowerAde!) and I loved the marines shouting out the times. The end was a bit crowded and my family took awhile to get through to find me. But it wasn't really too bad compared to many other large races. The metro line also moved very quickly. All in all, a great race. I would do it again in a heartbeat. Thanks to all the wonderful marines who serve our country. We are grateful. | |
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Tammy Massie from Gaithersburg, MD
(10/31/2007)
"Beautiful Historic Course" (about: 2007)
11-50 previous marathons
| 4-5 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my 4th MCM and 15th marathon this year. MCM was my first marathon and I plan to keep coming back for many years. This marathon is very LARGE. This means there are: * Lines for most activities (porta-potties, packet pickup, etc.). * Crowds of people all along the course (both runners and spectators). This is the reality of a large marathon. While I find crowds of people a little stressful, hanging back to start 25 minutes after the gun and just enjoying the sights, cheering and camaraderie with other runners makes up for it. Also, all of the Smithsonian buildings are very close to the race course and they have bathrooms with running water. This means a chance to use the facilities and wash your hands. As a female, the availability of bathrooms with running water is an important features (other races I can locate bathrooms at Dunkin' Donuts, Starbucks and local parks). Overall I would recommend this race for the experience; however, if you are a back-of-the-packer, you may find that at the finish line the food others seemed to talk about was not in the line you were in. Perhaps I did not look long enough, but my observation from last year's race is that the post-race food is simply pretzels, banana's, bagels, etc. This type of snack I wasn't willing to search for (a lobster - like they had at my previous week's marathon at Rhode Island Breakers - I would have put some effort into). It is a fun marathon and I definitely recommend it, particularly for a first-timer. It is relatively flat and the crowds can carry you through. Good luck! | |
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Rob Sybersma from Burlington, Ontario Canada
(10/31/2007)
"Very Challenging Course" (about: 2007)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The organization was great, and the spectators were amazing. I ran Chicago in 2005, but found the supporters even greater. The course was very challenging with several hills, including a killer finishing hill. Overall, highly recommend it. | |
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M. M. from IL
(10/31/2007)
"LOVED THIS RUN!" (about: 2007)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 My first marine corp marathon and those marines know how to throw a marathon. Great organization, great crowd support, great water stops...ok, the last hill was a killer but you could hear the finish line while you ran up it. Despite being a bad 'chip time' for me I did have a fantastic time! the only downside.. long portajohn lines and a long metro line afterwards but hey, a little waiting never killed me. this was a do again! |
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