Once again a great race. It was not as smooth as last year but with 9-11 and the security I just want to thank the Marines for not cancelling this race.

My one complaint is that the spectators trying to find their runners made it impossible to get to the baggage tent. They were awesome out on the course, so I'm not too mad at them.

Thanks to the Navy Corpsmen too.

Great course no more Hains Point!!!!!

Semper Fidelis see everyone next year.

This was my 25th marathon and I am glad I chose the Marine Corps Marathon. The marine's did an excellent job considering all the security concerns. I was never so proud to be an American and proud of our armed serviced as I was on that day. God bless america and thank god we have the Marine Corps Marathon

I wasn't a big fan of Ultima at the aid stations. It was fine up until mile 18 when I needed a gatorade and the sugar to help me through the last few miles. Good thing the fans were so helpful, I got a bottle from a spectator!

The beauty of the course and the enthusiasm of the fans make this a very good marathon. But as someone who has run both this race and Big Sur twice, I find this marathon somewhat disappointing. The organization leaves a lot to be desired.
To begin with, the registration process was a nightmare. This alone will deter me from running the marine corps again. No marathon is good enough to justify that much hassle. I found the volunteers at Big Sur to be extremely welcoming and helpful. In contrast, the marines tended to be stiff and rather distant. The process for checking and retrieving bags was a mess. One of the mile markers (9) was misplaced by almost half a mile. The markers themselves were rather small and sometimes hard to locate. The marines did not provide containers for the post-race meal so that exhausted runners were walking around with full hands (and often dropping their food.) The post-race scene was mass confusion and the marines were not particularly helpful in steering people to the right places. It took me the longest time to locate the tent where the bags were, and I came across lots of people who were encountering enormous difficulties locating their families.
Although running this race is a stirring experience, there are lots of flaws here that one would not expect of a great marathon. I will continue to run Big Sur every spring as long as my body holds up, but for the future I will find another marathon to run for the fall.

This was my first marathon. What a great first it was! Although there were a few minor problems, like no water in Rock Creek Park, and few toilets toward the end of the race, this was amazing! The marines that passed out water and lined the course were polite, friendly, and full of pep. Those cheers and nudges they gave really helped a lot of the runners continue on. The crowd, too, was fantastic! Although I am sore today, it was worth every minute!

This was my first marathon and it couldn't have been a better one. The course was boring in the beginning but it was great after that. The crowds in Georgetown and around the monument were great. They kept calling out my name and it gave me much inspiration. The race could have had a better system of picking up the packets. Thank god I got my packet on Friday night. The line on Saturday was out the door and down the street. This made the expo very crowded.

This is the second time I've entered the MCM, and the first time I've finished. The support throughout the race was terrific, and the water and food stops were well-placed and well-manned. If only I didn't have to wait 13 minutes to get to the start line!! I ran it in '99 and it only took 4 minutes from the back of the 5 hour balloon. Running that close to the Pentagon was poignant and the construction worker waving the American flag was inspiring. Thank you to all the Marines!!

It all started at the expo. Long waiting line, in the cold, peole cutting through the line, etc. On marathon day, long, slow line to drop off clothes. Weather was nice, a bit windy. People were nice and cheerful along the way. Very nice course. In terms of repeat, probably I will try another race next year.

The 26th Marine Corps Marathon is my first and what an experience. I signed up to run with the St. Jude running team. The St. Jude team provided newsletters and lots of support leading up to the marathon. The tent they provided us the day of the marathon was wonderful. They checked our bags, had lots of food and drinks before and after the race, and great people working the tent to take care of any need that we had. When the marathon started, I had to do some recalculation on my times. It took me 25 minutes to get to the start line so I had some time to make up out on the course. I just kept focusing on making up the 25 minutes and getting to the 22 1/2 mile point prior to 2 p.m. I was disappointed that the water point between mile markers 10 and 14 was empty. That was a long stretch with no water. I made sure I rehydrated in case they were out at any other points. I believe it was the 18 mile water point that was empty, also. Other than the couple of empty water points, the marathon and all of the workers for the marathon were absolutely fantastic. The crowds were great with lots and lots of support throughout. I was told by a veteran runner to put my name on the front of my shirt. I received hundreds of personalized cheers because of the name on my shirt. What a great motivator that was! The course for the 26th Marine Corps Marathon was wonderful for a beginner. It was flat almost the entire way. The few inclines that we faced were minimal. I took full advantage of the many downhill slopes. At the finish line I received a big hug from two marines. The joy I felt upon completion of the race is almost indescribable. After I showered and changed, I went to the Survivor's Party and danced for a couple of hours. I am looking forward to doing a second marathon and improving my time.

Poor location for expo; use ballrooms or some type of expo center (need to allow pick-up and chip verification first, and then vendors; won't feel so rushed, we'll spend a lot more money).

Was at race 1 1/2 hours early; after bag check and bathroom, had five minutes to start. (Example- spent 25 minutes looking for the bag check tent; it wasn't well marked and several marines did not know either; ended up walking in circles. Others were in same boat.) Needed more time to stretch. No excuse for slow bag check.

Way too congested at finish. Should have kept spectators fenced away from runners until well after bag pick-up. Should also give runners a chance to go back for more water.

I highly recommend you visit the Disney and Chicago marathons to see how they are organized. All aspects of their areas are well organized; from expo to finish.