Those unprepared will be broken on miles 10-15 and left in the dust on miles 20-26.2. The hills are tougher than they look on paper. I loved it personally and had good negative splits - passed about 150 people after the halfway point.

This marathon seemed to have a good set of sponsors and organizers, so I was expecting everything to be "spot-on" despite it being the first year. If they could take the course and post-race set-up (except for bag check) from the Washington Marathon and combine it with the current team organizing and backing the National Marathon, I think that would be a winning combination. I know that course was a problem for churches, so the Saturday running would be perfect for addressing that problem. The course was so much nicer, lots more of DC and DC neighborhoods and no big traffic jams!

This was a well organized event, particularly for a first time marathon, with the exception of the lack of porta-potties and the spotty post-race food. I ran the half due to my concerns about the hills/traffic issues in PG County and judging from the other comments, those were indeed problems. The half marathon course was challenging and scenic with an excellent finish. I hope to run this race next year, and if they alter the route, will try the full marathon. I think the organizers should keep the qualifying times - no offense to race walkers and slower runners, but they do choke up the course quite a bit (not to mention the safety concerns with keeping the course open until all runners/walkers are in). It was nice to run with a faster pack.

I give this event 1.5 "thumbs up."

Plus:
Challenging course - one of the toughest city marathons I've run with many rolling hills between miles 11 and 24 giving "no rest for the weary," but I think a challenging course can make for a good marathon if you are prepared (note - the race publicity clearly spelled out the nature of the course, so it was no surprise).

Well-spaced water stops and enthusiastic volunteers at water stations, especially in Capitol/District Heights.

Excellent course security with lots of volunteers and friendly police support (important given the traffic issues noted below).

Easy access to starting area by car (once I figured how to get into the lot which wasn't obvious or clearly marked), easy packet pick-up, good finish line crew.

Neutral:
Spectators were relatively sparsely distributed. Those I recall being along the course were supportive. Crowds aren't important to me, so I gave a "4" for this category.

Minus:
Traffic jams in PG County - no direct danger to runners, but not a good feeling to run past miles of unhappy motorists. This needs to be corrected to make the National Marathon a "keeper."

Summary:
I'll come back again for an early season challenge if the course is somehow changed to avoid causing major traffic problems. Overall, I had a positive experience and I thank the organizers for putting on this event.

I have read some complaints about the course which I find to be somewhat unfair considering that the elevation chart was available for review prior to the race. It was definitely a difficult course, but it was not impossible, and runners should always do their homework to find the right marathon. If you are unsure of the course, email the organizers before entering.

You can tell the race director poured his heart and soul into this, and over time, it will get better. It was very well organized for an inaugural, and the most important things were done right (hydration, accurate course description, keeping traffic off the road). The course was very well marked at nearly every mile. There could have been more of a selection of post-race food, but as this race grows and the cash flow improves, that will happen.

They made one mistake on my finishing time, but the problem was corrected within 1 1/2 days and reposted after I notified them. They acknowledged me immediately, so they were very responsive.

Yes, there is room for improvement, but overall, it was a nice race.

It was nice to see a spring marathon in DC again. I'm guessing many things were compromised due to the debacle of 2003. There were no blank checks like the folks at H2O may have had. Yet the organizers pulled off a very good 1st-time marathon.

The hills were as advertised on the webpage elevation maps. They're always bigger in person, but this should not have been a surprise. And what better way to end a race than looking up and seeing RFK Stadium with the Capitol and Washington Monument in the background.

Parking couldn't get much easier. The mile markers were easily visible and helped pull you to the finish. The limited spectators make up for numbers with enthusiasm and I was even cheered by people stuck in the traffic.

What I didn't know was that DC had a beautiful park in it. Ft. Dupont Park was a nice change of scenery despite it all being uphill. : )

I'm looking forward to this becoming an annual event in my race calendar!

I'll not write a dissertation since MOST of the comments already written provide an accurate depiction of this event - both the good points as well as those that could use some improvement.

There are clearly a few writers with "issues" and I would strongly suggest that you take their comments with "a grain of salt!"

One report came from a person claiming to have run 50+ marathons. The closest he came to having anything good to say about the marathon was, "The sparse crowds that were out do deserve some praise." Unless he has run the same few marathons over and over again, I can't imagine that he hasn't run far poorer marathons than this.

Having run a total of 53 marathons myself (41 DIFFERENT marathons) I can quickly name at least a dozen that were far worse than this one - and most of them don't have the excuse of being an "inaugural." He even complained about the medal which I would rate above average. If he wants to complain about "cheap medals," he should pull out a few of his Marine Corps Marathon medals...!

Another person says they felt "UNSAFE" in Anacostia. True, I wouldn't necessarily want to stroll around Anacostia alone after dark, but at no time did I feel unsafe or threatened during the race.

Also, while there were severe traffic back-ups, I found the drivers to be surprisingly PLEASANT considering the major inconvenience they were experiencing. I've run races in other cities on SUNDAY mornings and been cursed at by drivers who we were causing to be late for church!!! I personally experienced none of that in this marathon.

I believe the organizers primary fault was timing. The N.M. was scheduled just BEFORE the Cherry Blossom 10-Miler, which is one of the DC areas biggest races. Few people want to run a marathon immediately prior to a major 10-mile race. Hence, they had fewer runners than expected. This squeezed their budget and few corners had to to be cut.

Yes, there's room for improvement but I give the organizers a BIG THUMBS UP for an inaugural event.

Good chance that I'll be back next year!!!

I'm not sure if some of these folks ran the same marathon as I did!

Was this race perfect? Well, no... but what first marathon ever is?

First, the parts they may want to consider working on for next year:
1)The crowds were sparse in the second half, and the section of the city was not nearly a beautiful as the first half. I did feel bad for the folks driving and stuck in the traffic backup the race caused (but I saw very few folks angry... in fact, I was surprised at the number cheering me on!)
2) More bathrooms at the start.

But most things were REALLY nice!
1. Traffic control for the runners was wonderful. I normally don't see the police cheering runners, but most did here! I think the police were tops!
2. Water stops were plentiful, well run, had plenty of fluids and gel and were VERY enthusiatic! They definitely picked up my spirits! Great volunteers!! As a "back-of-the-packer," I'm sure many really wanted to get home, but I couldn't believe their spirit!!!! Thank you guys!
3. Race organization was fantastic... everything ran smoothly and I felt like nothing important was overlooked. Great job!
4. I liked the course a lot. We got to see both the beautiful and the not so beautiful... and I believe Washington DC is a blend of both.
5. While the course was definitely not an easy one, there are plenty of marathons that have more challenging hills. So you probably won't run a PR! Flat courses are many times boring. This was not!

Great job for the first year and I'll bet next year will be fantastic!

This was an excellent marathon for its first running. Obviously the race director put in a great deal of thought and effort. The aid stations and the volunteers were great. It seemed as though we were offered water, Gatorade or some kind of food every couple of feet. There were definitely more volunteers than runners (yes, so much encouragement!!). The first 6 miles of the course were inspiring and if you planned it right you could use the down (and up) hills to lengthen your stride and pick up the pace (change of muscle groups).

To the race directo: I really hope you run this race again and more runners attend. The way this race was handled it could easily handle at least 6,000 runners. Thanks for a great weekend and a new favorite marathon. PS. Run... New York and Boston, then come run a truly enjoyable stress-free race in a great city.

R. T. from DC and anyone else whining about this marathon needs to grow up. It was hilly - just like the elevation map said it would be. It was small, just like the pre-registration reports indicated it would be. The crowds were small but mighty. If you run to have people clap for you, run around your house so your family can do it. I heard not one ill word from parked motorists - but expected to. I was shocked that folks got out of their cars and cheered for us. The exhaust and backed up traffic were unfortunate, but not unheard of (try Dublin, Ireland for instance). Ditto the finish line food - do you run 26.2 for the FOOD? Get over it. I thought the organizers did a decent job on their first try. I'm sure they'll strive for better in 2007 and I wish them good luck.