calendar icon Sep 21, 2024

Marine Corps Marathon Runner Comments

Back to Marine Corps Marathon Information & Reviews

Course Rating Course 4.5 
 
Oranization Rating Organization 3.9 
 
Spectator Rating Spectators 4.6 
 
 
Number of comments: 937 [displaying comments 611 to 621]
More Comments: [ < 1 .. 60 61 62 63 64 .. 94 > ]

 

J. M. from Jacksonville, FL (11/1/2005)
"Great experience!!!!" (about: 2005)

2 previous marathons | 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 4


I think the organizers took care of just about all of last year's concerns: long lines at the expo, few visible mile markers, lack of food on course and at finish, etc. All were resolved.

What can you say about the course?! It's just awesome: City centers (Rosslyn and Crystal City), monuments (too many to list - you know them), parks (Rock Creek, Haines Point...), old neighborhoods (Georgetown).

The course is basically flat - even for a guy from Florida. The last .1 seems like it's straight uphill, though.

As for the organization - it was great. Only problem was in allowing the families/friends to much access to the finish line. There was nothing keeping these people from greeting their loved one just after chip removal. This made the 50-yard walk to food, medical treatment, massage... take about 20-30 minutes. I'm sure this is easily corrected.

The course was crowded with runners, but not too bad. However, it did seem strange to have wheelchair racers plowing through the crowded field at the 6-10 mile marks. I saw at least 20 and that's just unsafe for everyone.

All in all, an excellent event. I would have no hesitation about running this one again.

 

peter klucefski..... from woodbridge, virginia (11/1/2005)
"what a blast!!!!!" (about: 2005)

1 previous marathon | 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


I had so much fun. It was my first time and I really enjoyed it (my legs feel different). I met some really nice people; Nicole (glad we finished together), Kim (calmed my nerves at the beginning), Vic (how's the knee?). Yes, it was very crowded and it was tough for the wheelchair people to get through. It did thin out after awhile. The crowds were amazing. Out of all the people I passed (and who passed me), I didn't come across one rude person. For future events, to the people who were handing out water: I wouldn't put the cups on serving trays, I would feel really bad if I knocked them all over by trying to grab one cup. Hope you all like my "How's My Running" shirt.

 

m. a. from jersey (11/1/2005)
"Beautiful Course & Weather BUT BEWARE" (about: 2005)

4-5 previous marathons | 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 3  FANS: 3


Very scenic course. The view of the monuments, federal buildings and landscape really help to take your mind off the pain/grind of running the marathon.

BUT, the two different start times needs to be better organized: First, it is aggravating for runners who go out on the second start time to gauge how they are doing b/c the clocks on the course mark only the first start time. Second, evidently PACE GROUPS only go out at the first start time! Many runners who planned to go out with pace groups - but who were in the second wave of runners - got a rude awakening when we found out that the pace groups left in the first wave (30 min earlier). I'm sure that was disastrous for many, especially for those runners who train all year with pace groups as part of their strategy.

Oh, where were the BEER BOOTH/TABLES at the finish line!?! Couldn't find them. They should make that easy to find. :-)

 

Keith.s Lambden from Sheffield,England (11/1/2005)
"Awesome event in fantastic setting with marines!" (about: 2005)

3 previous marathons | 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


As a 'Limey' I take my hat off; fantastic organization, each and every marine was rooting for me and 30,000 other runners. For one day I truly felt part of 'Semper Fi,' but this experience will stay with me for the rest of my life. God bless America, the marines, patriotism and freedom. Thank you for a truly amazing experience.

Keith S. Lambden

 

W. G. from Maryland (11/1/2005)
"Continues to be One of the Best" (about: 2005)

11-50 previous marathons | 3 Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 5


Sure there are problems but they are minor compared to the positives. After 24 marathons all around the country I haven't run a marathon that hasn't had problems. It is still one of the great marathons in the US and a MUST-DO event if you like the larger runs. I'll continue to run it as my schedule allows.

 

Jonathan Coffey from Tacoma, WA (11/1/2005)
"AN AWESOME EXPERIENCE OVERALL!!!!" (about: 2005)

First Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


I ran this marathon in tribute to fallen brothers LCpl Shane Swanberg, LCpl Cody Calavan, and Cpl Steven Rintamaki all KIA while serving in Iraq. There were many of times that I was ready to quit. But other runners would come by and make reference to the photos on the back of my shirt of the fallen Marines, and it would give my the boost of energy to continue.

SEMPER FI!!

Sgt. Coffey, USMC

 

j. d. from Philadelphia, PA (10/31/2005)
"GREAT RACE, could use a little better org." (about: 2005)

11-50 previous marathons | 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 3  FANS: 5


This was fun, but only if you are ready for a ton of people running beside and behind you. Often you would have toes coming under your heels as your run as the crowd was thick. Fan support was the best I have ever experienced. My two opportunity areas to note: Better communication on web page and literature re: start places (did Gold Runners HAVE to go to the Pentagon?) and general race-morning agenda; two: at the end of the race there was a dangerous amount of required standing around (literally) while waiting to either get food or just out of the area. I was standing in place about 4 minuts after finishing the run for about 15 mintues just to leave the area (fences prevented runners from leaveing in any direction after finishing the run).

Marines ROCK!! They were the best part of the event! Water and Powerade was in abundance.

 

Jean-Marc Plante from Montreal Canada (10/31/2005)
"Amazing... until mile 26.21" (about: 2005)

1 previous marathon | 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 5


This was my first marathon. Everything was A-1.... The EXPO was fun, the packet pick-up no problem, lots of bathrooms....

One big problem: I almost passed out afterwards. The runners were stuck like cattle with nowhere to go. Such a sudden stop after the race is dangerous.... Also, should not allow MP3 players when wheelchairs share same course.... Very dangerous on hills....

 

D. S. from Arlington, VA (10/31/2005)
"Fun, but 30K people was too many" (about: 2005)

1 previous marathon | 1 Marine Corps Marathon
COURSE: 4  ORGANIZATION: 4  FANS: 5


The crowd was great and the day was perfect for running this year. The soldiers were terrific! Only complaint was finishing chute/food/package pickup/meetup system. This was a disaster, as it took nearly 40 minutes to get any water after finishing the race. Not only inconvenient, but not healthy either. Package drop off and pickup should have been handled far better by UPS (you shouldn't have to walk a half-mile to drop off your bag, then walk another half-mile to the starting corrals). Finally, signage could have been much better.

 

W. R. from New Jersey (10/31/2005)
"Simply the best!" (about: 2005)

11-50 previous marathons | 6+ Marine Corps Marathons
COURSE: 5  ORGANIZATION: 5  FANS: 5


This was my 32nd Marathon and 7th Marine Corps. I brought 4 other people and they were awestruck. New York has crowds, Boston has history, but the Marine Corps Marathon has character like no other. If you run only one marathon, this is it. It is truly the people's marathon.

 

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