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May 5, 2024

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 51 to 59]

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Janet from Washington, DC (11/19/2001) "nice race, but ouch" (General Comments) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I may be in the minority, but I don't think this is a fast course. Is it just me??? I enjoyed the race, but found it to be much hillier than expected. It's not like I didn't see the elevation chart. The sharp downhills were particularly brutal. Montgomery County was my 17th marathon so it's not like I don't have anything to compare it to. I was well-prepared and hoping for a PR - not even close. Marathon-in-the-Parks is your race if you're looking for a pleasant, well-organized marathon without the crowds and hoopla of some of the big fall races, but I'm heading elsewhere to qualify for Boston. I feel guilty criticizing this race at all because I think the Montgomery Country Road Runners did an excellent job. The course was pretty and the finish line was fabulous. I felt like I won even though it wasn't my day.
A Runner from Washington, DC (11/19/2001) "great scenery, superb organization" (about: 2001) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This is a great race, and a perfect substitute to the hassles of the MCM (Marine Corps Marathon). The first third of the race has too many steep small hills that can burn up your quads and come back to haunt you late in the race. After that it basically flattens out and you head down the trails in late-fall forests and parks. Foggy and cool this year, and very quiet. You'd never know you were just outside the nation's Capital. The volunteers are enthusiastic, helpful and you couldn't ask for a better managed event. This is a group that understands runners and does great work keeping the racers happy.
A Runner from Washington, DC (11/19/2001) "Overall a lot of fun" (about: 2001) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This was a really good race, the organization was very good. The only problems I had were the hills in the Lake Needwood portion of the course. My car wouldn't make it up some and I plan on returning in the winter to ski down some of those hills. The finish line had a real sharp turn that caused a couple of runners near me to fall and I heard that others did too, I believe those will be worked out as this group did a lot of work in the past year. I plan to run again, but I hate ultima, so I will bring OJ and Gatorade. PS thanks to the nice lady resident who brought out some bread, you saved me ;)
Dave Warlick from Oakton, VA (11/18/2001) "Scenic course near Washington, DC" (about: 2001) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is an idyllic course with forests, brooks, and wooden bridges. Support with water, sports drinks, and GU is excellent. All intersections are barricaded or policed. Starting chutes help alleviate some of last year's crowding, even with this year's larger field. The course starts hilly and difficult for ten miles, then levels out. The race starts at dawn. Only two negatives: (1) Sign Me Up Sports overcharges for ChampionChip owners so you have to get the $2 back from the race's cashier, and (2) the web site has several inaccurate statements, including the statement that there is no race-day packet pickup, when in fact there is. I wish I had known! Not a PR for me by 8 minutes, but just as much fun as last year.
A Runner from Pittsburgh (11/18/2001) "Wonderfully organized/ some small hills early" (about: 2001) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 1 I've run many marathons and this one is the best organized race I've seen- and it's only in it's second year. The web page is very informative. The on-line signup is easy and the cost is reasonable at $37, with no premium for on-line signup. The course has several rolling hills in the first 10 miles which can play havoc on your legs. The rest of the course is a very friendly path. The finish was well organized with massages (gratis) and the wait wasn't too long. There aren't too many local fans, but the volunteers were great at the aid stations. I would definitely recommend this race for a first timer or someone that wants a (slightly) hilly but potentially PR course.
A Runner from Bethesda, MD (3/19/2001) "Just as good as any big marathon" (about: 2000) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Just ran the LA marathon (3/4/00). Comparatively, the Parks marathon was just as well organized...better everything, in fact! As a local, smaller marathon, the Parks marathon had everything a large marathon has, except the hassles of the slow start due to the large field of runners. The crowd support was far better in Montgomery County than in LA! As for the course, the hills at the beginning build up confidence and the relatively flat course until the end was beatuiful. The scenic course distracts you from the fatigue that starts to overtake you in the later miles. The last 6 miles (3 descending miles and returning ascent to the finish line) were a challenge, but then why run a marathon but for the challenge? The crowd support at the end couldn't be better. Overall, the organization and its implementation, course, crowds, and weather (whew!) were all excellent. Post-race set up was great (especially the massage therapists). If you can't get into the Marine Corp in October, Marathon in the Parks is a great alternative -- just as fun, just as nice a course and just as well organized (I got lucky and did both). Also, if you're thinking of running the B&A Trail marathon, consider Montgomery County. The weather is more predicatble in November than in March and it's a nice course. Moreover, the organization is much better. While B&A is also a good one to run, it's a small marathon with no trimmings. If you want a small marathon with a big time feel (as one of the other comments aptly put it), the Parks marathon is definitely the one to run. 5 stars all around. Congratulations to the organizers.
A Runner from Jeffersonton, VA (1/17/2001) "Excellent for experienced or first timers" (General Comments) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Beautiful course mostly (20 + miles) through parks. Nice touches like any 90 degree turn along the course had warnings both with signs and volunteers. Fast course, I qualified for Boston, and set PR. Two minor drawbacks. No showers at the end of the race, and you run by the finish at mile 20 while you still have a 3 mile out and back to go, with the back slightly upgraded.
A Runner from Columbia, MD (11/7/2000) "Big time feel for a small marathon" (about: 2000) COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 This race was limited to 1000 entrants, and the newspaper claims only 800 started, so it wasn't a very big race; however, it felt like one. There was a lot going on at both start and finish. The course was largely through park trails, so you would go from a group of cheering folks at one road crossing, into a quiet woods, then hear the crowds as you approached the next road crossing; the alternation kept it interesting. There was also a neat stretch in mile 20 where you pass through a long tunnel, then emerge to a large cheering crowd: it felt as though you were entering the stadium at the olympics, a very cool thing to pick you up late in the race. The course had some hills in the beginning, and a semi-tough one in mile eighteen, but everything else is best described as rolling; however, those rolling small inclines were so consistent that the effect really built up, and the last three miles were up a slight incline that felt huge by that point in the race. So I'd say the course is deceptively tough, but not enough to detract from all the positives. Overall a great race!
A Runner from Oakton, VA (11/5/2000) "A nearly flawless inaugural for this new marathon" (General Comments) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was a great marathon. Registration was quick and efficient. Racers were kept warm in a tent prior to the event. Pre-race toilets were plentiful. The race began in waves, so there was not more than a few seconds for the runners in any wave to get past the start. The blacktop path through the park system left only a few good sites for spectators, but those that showed were friendly and boisterous. Water stops were extremely well managed, with a yeller prior to each stop telling runners which tables had Gatorade, which had water, and where the toilets were. Gu was at two stations. Clocks were available at numerous locations. My official time was within 2 seconds of my Timex's time. The final food table was a feast -- Stonybrook yogurt, bananas, apples, quality bagels, natural soda, nutrition bars, water, and probably more. The weather was cool but sunny. The 't-shirt' was a high-quality, microfiber, long-sleeved windshirt--very nice. Again, Montgomery County should be proud of its inaugural event. (personal: Virginia runner, 53, male, 4:43 time, one previous marathon)

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