A great race for first timers. Crowds are excellent, and is run pretty well considering the number of competitors. Don't run this trying to qualify for Boston unless you can fight the crowds to get up front for the start. The markers set up for your pace prior to race are ignored and you will get stuck behind slower runners if you follow them. Water and aid stations are very nice. Crowding is the only problem.

This was my first official marathon and I must say that it will go down in my book as the best experience of my life. Not only was the course manageable for the first time marathoner, but the crowd was fantastic and supportive, and the Marines were nothing short of saintly in their attention to detail (in ALL respects). I am signed up for my second MC marathon on October 28 and it promises to be just as good as, if not better than, the 2000 MC marathon. Thanks to all the Marines for their good work on this. I LOVE YOU ALL!

This was my first marathon, and I couldn't have asked for a better one. The fan support and organization were excellent. Having the Marines remove my computer chip at the end was a Godsend! The course is not easy; the long stretch around the 16-19 mile mark was brutal, and the last bridge seemed like it went on forever. But, the crowd and Marines were inspiring. My father was a Marine stationed at Quantico, and seeing him at the finish line along with the rest of my family capped a great race.

Ran this one twice, 1999 and 2000.
1999 wasn't bad, probably because of the 'smaller' field; 2000 was a NIGHTMARE. I decided to drop out at 16 miles because the course was way too crowded, to that point I had run back and forth across the course about 300 times trying to get through the crowd, for the high-dollar entry fee, it just wasn't worth it.

The course is very fair, a few rollers, quite a bit of flat, occasional steep-ish uphill.

The crowd is big, which is good. They don't stay off the course, VERY bad, I ran into people three separate times as they stepped off the curb or tried to cross.

Organization suffers from the size of the field. Cut to 12000, this would be a great race.

Serious runners looking to run a decent time, avoid this one like the plague. Sightseers, sign up.

This was my first marathon, and after doing Disney in January and just finishing the Rock n Roll marathon in San Diego, I have to say - the MCM is still the best!!! The organization, the fans, the course are all super. No one does anything like the Marines and DC. I agree with other commenters about the lack of water stops (after running other races with water about every mile and plenty of gels for us slow pokes) but I run with a water bottle and my own supply of gels, so I guess it didn't impact me as much. But, if you are thinking of doing a marathon - this should be the one. (Yes, the registration for 2001 was a nightmare that they need to fix). The course is pretty flat and the sights are great! The race was really big last year, but I liked the wave start and I didn't feel too crowded after about 2 miles. If you are thinking of doing just one race, this should be it!

Outstanding race and the fan support is unbelievable!!! I have run a number of marathons, but the MCM makes you feel like you are in the Olympics. There are fans everywhere cheering you on. Some people complained about the lack of water, but they have scaled back the 2001 race by over 9,000 applicants. Semper-Fidelis!!!

I was very fortunate to have picked this as my first marathon in 1999. Everything about it was superb except that final hill you had to climb at the end of the race. The Marines were fantastic not only at providing information but also as a tremendous support mechanism during the race. Since it was my first, I was overwhelmed by it all. The event coordinators did an exceptional job of providing registration information and the vendors, also knowledgeable about the sport and their products, made you feel at home. The pre-race food given for free was super. If it wasn't for the spectators and Marines support, I am not sure I would have finished the race the way I did, running a 3:47:20. I have since run my second at 3:28 and this year I am looking for a Boston qualify time of 3:15.

Keep up the great work, Y'all.

This was my first marathon, and everything about it was terrific (well, except for the last 1/5 mile uphill that feels like climbing a mountain). The course is beautiful, the crowds are plentiful and encouraging, and the race is extremely well organized.

The only downside is getting into the race-- the online registration system now in place essentially amounts to a lottery that you need to enter constantly for hours at a time. But, based on my experience, it's easy to see why the race is so popular. If you can get in, go for it!

MCM has probably one of the best courses around, with the DC Monuments and landmarks, and it surely has wonderful crowd support. But there is a price to pay: The first 7 mile loop back past the start is very crowded, even with the wave starts (which I don't like anyway), you spend almost 2 miles early on running through, over, under, and around the Pentagon Parking Lots, but after you cross the river, its a great course. Loved the course, hated the crowds. Maybe 25,000 runners just isn't for me after 80 marathons. A good race for rookies, but veterans might try another race. Also VERY difficult to get into. I don't like having to register on-line 8 months early when there are other good races to run (Hint: If you don't get in, come to The Steamtown Marathon in Scranton PA).

This was my second Marine Corps. It was freezing in 1999 and hot in 2000: typical D.C. However, the race was extremely well organized thanks to the Marines and the spectators were very encouraging. Some water on the 14th Street Bridge would have been nice. They had run out of shirts-not quite sure why since registration closed so long before the race, but the medals were great. The only major problem was the number of people, much more crowded than 1999. It was hard to get around/pass people at many points in the race, and get to water if you were a midpacker. If the race continues to be this crowded/popular, I may not sign up again. I recommend it for first time marathoners (flat and great spectators), as long as you aren't claustrophobic; just be prepared for nightmarish online registation and possibly no shirt.