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☰
Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks Runner Comments
Back to Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks Information & Reviews
Course 4.2 
Organization 4.8 
Spectators 3.7
Number of comments: 59 [displaying comments 21 to 31]
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L. T. from Charlotte, NC
(11/13/2003)
 "Beautiful, hilly, course" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 My best friend and I ran the race together. Though it was a net downhill race, it was a pretty tough first half. After chatting with a local runner who had run the course before, we were told there was only one steep hill in the first half. I remember climbing quite a few STEEP hills. The volunteers and spectators were few but enthusiastic - words of encouragement were abundant. The trails were beautiful and provided a very relaxing long run. Too bad we didn't save enough energy to run the 2nd half as strong as the first. Chili and the DJ at the end were great. Though only 40 degrees and with aching legs, we danced in the streets of Bethesda and celebrated another memorable marathon! | |
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C. H. from Northern Virginia
(11/12/2003)
"Quiet Solitude, Well Organized" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was impressed with the organization. In a pt-to-pt race, the bag transfer process was well done. The packet pickup the day before (not day of) was a hassle - live 24 miles away. The hills around Lake Needwood did not really come across in the elevation chart on the website. A surprise. Rest was fairly flat - some mud on the trails in spots but otherwise good conditions throughout. Spectators were great - but there were just very few of them. Down in the parks there was no easy access- they clustered where the course crossed roads. Two really cool things about the course. First the main part of the course winds by a narrow trail next to Rock Creek. Quiet stream - pretty forest. Then it is part of an old railway near the finish line - flat, straight, wooded. Few spectators. For runners who need to internalize to get through - it was great. Second - after the miles of nature running, you hit a tunnel around 26.0 m. At the end you burst out into a downtown milieu of cheering spectators, bands, color, noise. It is great. Hot chili for post-race food is wonderful. Support on the trail is tops. Good mileage markers - fun sponsored rest stops ('Mulletville' and 'Time Warp' were fun; 'Bonkville' I found negative and defeating - consider axing smug attitude at that one stop). Someone had warm chicken broth. I don't think anything could have tasted better. Weather this year was beautiful. | |
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R. L. from Clifton, VA
(11/12/2003)
"Great Runners Race " (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is an extremely well run marathon over a beautiful, challenging course. I have run it 3 times and plan to do each year I can. The start is well organized, the water stops are well managed, and the finish is great. Good and plentiful food, good shirt, reasonable price, tasty pasta dinner, knowledgeable and not too many runners. Great volunteers. | |
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R. L. from Seattle
(11/11/2003)
"Great if the weather is great" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is one of the better organized small marathons you will find. It has the best signage ('port-a-john 100 ft') and quality control (Ultima always first in red cups, water always second in blue cups) you can imagine. A tent to keep us warm before the race - and it was COLD OUTSIDE. Baggage check. And chili and pizza after the race. Nice medal too. If you like scenic, natural settings and running on asphalt trails that twist and turn through parks and neighborhoods, you will love this race. However, if lots of twists and bends and rolling hills bug you, you'll get bugged by this race. Bugged a lot. It can be kinda claustrophobic in the trees, and the twists make it feel like it takes 'longer' to make progress (for some people like me). Also, pay attention to the comments from last year's race (2002) when the weather was bad. This year (2003), the sky was blue and aside from being cold, the weather was perfect. However, there were still a couple big puddles and muddy sections from a long-ago rain. I imagine that running this with real rain would be quite a feat. Finally, the hills were not nearly as bothersome to me as others make them out to be. there's only one gnarly one... it's early in the race, and not really THAT gnarly. I loved this race... I would run it every year if I lived closer. | |
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S. R. from Arlington, VA
(11/10/2003)
"A 26.2-mile stroll in the park" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This MitP was my first marathon in five years and it reminded me why I love running. After a five-mile road stretch to narrow the crowd, we took to the woods--paved paths through scenic parkland (check the name). Great, quiet scenery, volunteers popping up every now and then with water and Ultima and words of encouragement: it was like the perfect long run--on steroids. Volunteers everywhere, including the theme stations: Mullets, Funkytown and Hawaiian. The 'Bonktown' aid station at Mile 20 was neither fun nor diverting; instead, it reminded us that we were tired and hungry. No Champion Chips this year, but the race was very affordable, and we still got the trademark Coolmax marathon shirt. I hope more people run the MitP to experience this event and Montgomery County's parks. I'm already planning picnics after my training runs thru these parks next year. Joy to those who include hills in their training! | |
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Jarrett Roberts from Arvada, Colorado
(11/10/2003)
"Beautiful and Fast Course" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my 49th marathon in 43 states and DC. This race has a great reputation and deservedly so. The organizers were willing to work with me if I needed more than the 5 and a half hours the course is open. However, because the course is fast, I PRed with a time I didn't think I could do before. The volunteers were wonderful and had themed aid station almost every mile. The Montgomery County Road Runners have a winner of a marathon. Two thumbs way up on this one. Thank you again to your member who gave me a ride to my hotel after the race. If you are doing the 50 states and DC, then this is the one to do for Maryland. | |
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B. S. from Pittsburgh, PA
(11/10/2003)
"Unique course - extremely well organized!" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 Simply stated, this race was a blast! The course winds through an absolutely beautiful parks system and the change in elevation and terraine keeps it very interesting. The spectators, while there are few, are all very supportive and helpful. I am an experienced marathoner, and while my finish time was nothing to write home about, the experience more than made up for my performance. The only negative comment that I can make is that the marathon was advertised as being chip timed, and in reality it was gun timed. There was no reason, in my opinion, to misrepresent the timing system; it was a great race anyway. One more thing... the food at the finish line was amazing! Soup, pizza, fresh bread, fruits, bagels. Congratulations to the race directors and staff for a job well done! | |
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B. S. from State College, PA
(11/9/2003)
"Nice run" (about: 2003)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 True to their slogan, this race is put on by runners for runners. The organization was excellent - the course was clearly marked and well-staffed, the aid stations were abundant, well-marked and well-stocked, the post-race food was great (chili, bread, pizza, fruit, bagels), and all the many volunteers were very helpful and friendly. The weather was cold, especially for the 7:00 AM start, but it turned out to be a beautiful day. The course is net downhill, but there are plenty of hills for a good variation. About the last four miles are all uphill, which was pretty challenging. The first nine or so miles were on roads, then the rest is paved trails. There are some sharp turns on the trails, and there were about three spots where you were forced to choose between running through puddles or sloshing through the mud, but it wasn't that big of a deal. We were warned beforehand to watch out for some bad spots on the trail. My only complaint would be that there was a good deal of running on the right side of the road and several sections of the trail were sloped downward to the right. I found this to be uncomfortable, since I am used to running against traffic on the left side of the road, which is sloped the other way. The crowd support was surprisingly decent. Those who came out to watch were very enthusiastic and supportive - that goes for the volunteers too. Overall, it was a great experience. | |
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A Runner from New Jersey
(11/24/2002)
"Great first time marathon" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've had a week now to reminisce about my first marathon. And what a marathon it was. For the past year, I've read the comments from last year's runners and was very excited for this race. Race day did nothing to disappoint me! The hills that some people dreaded over, I didn't think were that bad at all. (After reading comments last year, I just used some hills in my training). The volunteers and specatators were phenomenal - especially so, given the weather. I do however wish there were more in the 15 -20 mile section when I needed it most - but given the weather I perfectly understand. The course was beautiful, I loved running along the stream in the park - should be better next year when earlier there may be some more leaves still on the course. Being my first marathon, I didn't know what to expect, but the organization was perfect and led to a very smooth race and finish. Aid stations were superb. Each person there made them that much better.(Special thanks to the MULLETS - a great station) The finish line was loads of fun with some great food (The chili was superb!). It took me two days to be able to walk normal again, but it was definitely worth it. I highly recommend this marathon to all. Thanks for making such a superb race. I don't know if I am going to continue running marathons - but if I do, I will definitely be back. | |
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A Runner from Clifton, Virginia
(11/22/2002)
 "Nice course, but muddy" (about: 2002)
COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 We just didn't have luck with the weather this year. Lots of mud and puddles that could not be avoided. My feet were soaked during the last half of the race. The race was well organized, the fans that we did see were great (though it's not easy for fans to access the course at most points), and the food at the finish line was fantastic (right in the heart of Bethesda). If the weather had been nice, it would have been a lot more fun, and I think that I would have enjoyed it. This time, it seemed more like a chore that I was determined to finish. I don't plan to run it again, but for someone looking for a starter marathon, it is probably a good choice; you just take your chances with the weather. |
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