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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 411 to 421]
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Scott Moon from Washington, DC
(3/24/2007)
"General Comments" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I've run this event three times: 2000 (25,000 runners), 2002 (15,000 runners), and 2006 (30,000 runners). The expo has greatly improved since it was moved to the armory from the over-crowded hotel in Virginia. The only thing that could improve the expo is to move it to the convention center, which is closer to restaurants, shopping and tourist sites. I would have to agree that the post-race portion of the event was awful. It was almost impossible to find the reunion tents and the charity tents to link back up with my training group. The best thing at the finish was the quick and efficient baggage check - on par with NYC Marathon. I would definitely say that the spectators, scenic course and volunteers are what bring runners back every year. | |
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J. P. from Washington, D.C
(3/20/2007)
"Gotta finish stronger" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 2 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 2 FANS: 4 The key to a marathon is to run the first 20 miles so you can finish strong. Unfortunately, the 2006 MCM did not finish strong. The post-race organization was a disaster. If it's not broken don't fix it. 2005 was a great race and the finish was so smooth it left me wanting to run MCM again. 2006 did not meet those expectations despite a great, challenging course, race support and fans. | |
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J. L. from Alexandria, VA
(3/14/2007)
"Once-great marathon now hampered by its size" (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 6+ Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 The race is simply too large: there are way too many runners in the marathon and concurrent 10K. There are some aspects of the race that will always shine: the course, the spectator support, and the helpfulness and motivation of the Marines along the course. But that said, I'm finished with this marathon - there are enough small and medium alternatives in the region that I don't have to pay nearly $100 to experience the nightmare that this race has become. MCM is a great course ruined by its truly awful bookends: complete, mindnumbing gridlock at packet pickup, the start, and the finish. Bring the field numbers down to earth, please. | |
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S. R. from Berkeley, CA
(3/3/2007)
"Great, Flat Marathon, but HOT" (about: 2004)
4-5 previous marathons
| 3 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 I've done 3 Marine Corps Marathons: 2002, 2003, and 2004. It's a great race because: 1) It's in DC, so there's lots to look at! 2) There are LOTS of spectators, except for a few small portions with fewer people. But compared to other races I've done, this race has the most spectators covering the largest portion. 3) IT'S FLAT! (Newbies, this is key!) 4) The expo can't be beat. 5) You can take the METRO to the race and don't have to worry about a car! It opens early for the race. I would suggest NOT taking it on the way back, though, as it gets VERY backed up. Reasons why I probably wouldn't do Marine Corps again, but take note I did do THREE, and it is a great race: 1) It gets WAY too hot for me towards the end of my race. 2) The flat course isn't challenging anymore. 3) It's LARGE and also elite. Sometimes being an "average" runner (my best time in a marathon is 4:30 and I'm female), I don't feel as important or valued here - whereas at smaller marathons with fewer elite runners, I feel more competitive. But all in all it's a great race. My current favorite race is the Nike Women's Marathon (Nike 26.2) in San Francisco. It's usually held the weekend before Marine Corps. It has the 3 things I mentioned Marine Corps didn't: it's cooler, hillier, and smaller with less focus on elite runners. I've also moved coasts so I'd have to travel back to DC to run Marine Corps again! | |
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E. J. from Philadelphia, PA
(2/27/2007)
"Loved the spectators!" (about: 2006)
2 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 I had done a SMALL marathon before Marine Corps. Overall, a great experience. But the crowds were a bit unbearable. The beginning was perfectly fine with me... but the END?! Herded like cattle to get medals, and then through the horrible food line... then only to have my cell phone (that I carried with me - recommend this) to not work until I walked like 10 minutes away. Crazy to find my friends and family afterwards. The last few miles are open and brutal, but they're worth it because the ending is pretty awesome! | |
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D. S. from USA
(2/20/2007)
"Glad to do the race - NIGHTMARE at the finish" (about: 2006)
6-10 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 5 What a great experience to run all the memorials. Beautiful at times, but really needed to watch the ground more - a lot of potholes. Definitely not a race to try to qualify for Boston - too many people to keep a consistant pace. Thank goodness I wasn't there for Boston. I truly enjoyed the race. However, the finish was an absolute nightmare. The bridge that EVERYONE had to cross to get in or out was jam-packed. A bridge that should've taken 30 seconds to cross took 30 minutes for some, 45 minutes for others. A man actually passed out and medical help couldn't get to him (let alone leave once they reached him). Definitely needs to change for next year. | |
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A. B. from Bristol, England
(1/31/2007)
"Enjoyed every moment." (about: 2006)
11-50 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 Traveled over to DC for a long weekend, with the "excuse" of running the MCM. No problem with the expo, but I went on the Friday. Main problem is with the finish. The available space was too small and crowded. Finding Rosslyn Metro was also difficult (not enough signage) and once there, the station was dangerously overcrowded. If you are transporting 34,000 runners, plus their families, then you need more shuttle buses. Still enjoyable experience. Would do it again sometime. | |
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K. C. from Bayville, New Jersey
(1/29/2007)
"Great race - finish area was a disaster" (about: 2006)
3 previous marathons
| 3 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my 3rd Marine Corps Marathon, and my personal best in running time. As always, the support was awesome, and there were all kinds of runners there. However, the finish line was a nightmare!!! While it may be a nice idea to let spectators mingle with the rummers at the finish, the result was confusing and claustrophobic. When I finally managed to get out the tent/expo area, there were so many people blocking the street that I couldn't get to the nearest metro station and I had to walk an extra 5 blocks - not really what I wanted to do. The crowd at the metro is another story, but clearly not under the race director's control. Having said all of that, I am planning to run it again next year. I truly enjoy it and will keep on running in this marathon as long as I can. | |
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J. B. from North Carolina
(1/26/2007)
"great race - amazed at the negative feedback" (about: 2006)
1 previous marathon
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 5 This was my first marathon, and I chose it for that reason. Oh to be so lucky to ride the metro to every race. The start was hectic, as is every race regardless of size. The marines were fantastic, supportive, polite, and respectful. There was water and/or sport drink at every station. The marines focused on you the runner and made sure you got what you needed. My family actually saw me run by 4 times and my daughter came away so pumped she assured me she would not wait until she was 50 to run a marathon. I am always impressed by the warm nature of fellow participants and that was especially true here. Could the finish have been better organized? Yes. It appeared they were dealing with a temporary space. Was the bridge crowded after the race? Yes, so I went to a booth and called my wife's cell. Did I wish the escalator worked at the Rosslyn station getting back on the metro? Sure, as my quads were protesting all the way down. As there were 34K entrants and as the info from this website had suggested, it made very good sense to go to the expo on Friday. Is all of this worth whining about? No! Maybe as I am a newbie to marathons, I missed something. What I experienced was this: It was a great course on a great day with great weather (sure it was windy but we could have run Friday in that downpour). I plan to run again many times, and look forward to the unique challenges of this incredible event. I have always been struck by the open and can-do nature of runners, cyclists and triathletes, so I am taken aback by the complaining. Get over it and get training for next year! | |
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B. S. from New Hampshire
(12/28/2006)
"Finish Was Awful" (about: 2006)
4-5 previous marathons
| 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 4 A good start - a bit crowded for the first few miles, but overall a great race until the finish. It was an absolute nightmare at the finish, especially the family meeting area. I was so worried about my mom. We had both done the marathon and were supposed to meet at the family meeting area. That never happened, as it was so horribly crowded and on a narrow bridge.... What an awful spot to have people meet! The last thing anyone wants to do after running 26.2 miles is be caught up in a mob of people. So rather than enjoying my finish, I was stressed out about finding my mom! Thankfully our hotel was nearby and she managed to find it. |
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