Terrific organization - water stops ran smoothly, with plenty of Marines passing out water/PowerAde so that there were no bottlenecks. The bridge was dull, but traffic on the other side offered support and other runners were great. The crowds in Georgetown were very excited, even when we back-of-the-packers were coming through. Didn't like waiting almost 30 minutes to cross the starting line, but with 30,000 runners I guess that's to be expected. Handing out medals and goody bags at the finish also ran smoothly, but what else would you expect from the Marines? I definitely plan to do this one again.

I had a great Marine Corp experience. I PR'd by 17 minutes! I am thrilled to death. The course and the organization of such a large race were commendable!

Pros:
1) beautiful course
2) aid stations were well stocked
3) organized start

Cons:
1) the finish sucked - walking a mile to get your bags, then another mile to get on the Metro was not fun
2) lackluster start: I guess I was expecting a flyover or something. I don't know but for the "'Marine Corp" Marathon the start was much less dazzling than Boston.
3) someone else mentioned this and it bears repeating: I *wish* they had had Diet Coke at the finish. i know this might sound like a quirky request, but actually many of the races I have run in the past have had Diet Coke run out because it is so popular. It settles the stomach (unlike crappy PowerAde).

If you have never been to D.C., you must spend some time there after the marathon to see the sites. (Take note: all of the Smithsonian museums, and the zoo, which is part of the Smithsonian, are free). This marathon is extremely well organized, with plenty of spectators and porta-potties at the runners' village start. The water and Gatorade stops are well manned and long, so you don't have to rush over to get rehydrated for fear of passing them.

My nitpick-y negative comments: It seemed like a long walk from the subway station around the Pentagon to the marathon start line. Although there were plenty of porta-potties at the start, I thought they were scarce along the course. There were large crowds of spectators with clanging cow bells, which I thought was too noisy at times. We had very good weather, but you should note there are some long segments of open roads or bridges to cross. If it happens to be windy, rainy, or hot and sunny, you will feel it at times. Don't expect a PR on this course unless it's your first marathon. This is a great marathon and the only things I think they could do to make it better would be to have more porta-potties along the course and in some places make the mile markers more noticeable. I was continuously looking for the mile markers, and there were two or three I didn't notice.

This is a great race for beginning marathoners. The course is a little hilly in a couple of spots during the first 8 miles, but not egregiously so.

I will say that it seems to be a little more congested than in years past. People aren't as spread out by the time you get to Haines Point as they were in years past when you ran around the mall first. Also, the spot behind the Lincoln Memorial was so narrow and crowded that everyone around me slowed from 8:30 to an almost 10:00 pace. Luckily it was only for a quarter-mile, but it was a real choke point. This year's race hit another choke point on the Mall where the runners were forced up on to the pedestrian path, but presumably that won't happen again.

The bridge and Crystal City are as soul-sucking as ever. It'd be nice if there were a way to add mileage on the DC side and have the race run over Memorial Bridge and straight to the finish.

They also have the runners a little too constrained after the finish. Trying to get from the memorial into Rosslyn took about 20 minutes, and it always felt like people were on the edge of starting a stampede. They might want to rethink a little of the finish area organization.

But all in all, it's a great marathon and one that anyone - especially mid-packers - should try to do at least once.

This year's MCM was a wonderful event. The weather was absolutely perfect: 50s at the start line and up to 60s by the end of the race. I was just fine in shorts and t-shirt even at the start line, and never felt cold or overheated during the run. The course was great, though the early hills made the rest of the race a little more difficult. I had no problem with the final hill - I found it very motivating to see the finish and passed many people who were slow going up the hill. The course and fan support were great - my only complaint is that between mile 24.5 and 25.5, we were on a highway with zero fans, which was not what I needed at that point. After 25.5 to the finish, however, fan support was great. Georgetown was also filled with fans, as was the push to the final bridge.

If you run this, do keep in mind that getting to and from the race can take forever (25000 is a BIG race) so alot tons of time for both.

This was my first MCM and I really loved it! I thought the entire event - from expo to marathon to finish - were very well organized. If you really want to enjoy the expo, try to get there on Friday (rather than Saturday) before the race.

Be aware that this is the 4th largest marathon in the country, so if you hate crowds, maybe this isn't the marathon for you. However, if you plan to run a sub-4:00 marathon, the spread of runners on the course is very comfortable and I had no problems whatsoever in hitting my planned paces (I ran a 3:39 marathon).

The crowd support along the course was fantastic. The gauntlets of screaming spectators really gave me a boost, especially along the mall and in Crystal City (where I needed it!). There were a few desolate places, but the quiet run along Hains Point is very nice.

Tips:
1. Get to the expo early (either on Friday or early Saturday morning).

2. Get to the race early. It is a bit of a walk from the Pentagon metro to the Runner's Village (where you drop off your baggage prior to the race). It is another fairly long walk from the village to the start (and it is a long corral, so if you plan to get near the front - sub-4:00-hour), you will definately need to give yourself time.

Summary: I had a fantastic time at this race and will do it again next year.

The course was really good - even the .2 run up to the finish line wasn't so bad. The weather couldn't have been better. Lots of spectators most of the way, but I actually enjoyed the section along the parkway without any - quiet, peaceful and beautiful scenery. Running in front of the capitol and by the Washington Monument was awesome. Volunteers - Marines as well as civilians - were great. Kudos to all!

This was my 12th marathon and first MCM. At age 56 I ran my first and am now 63. I've always tried to better my time with each marathon, but the MCM is not one at which to try and achieve a PR- too many people walking and hard to get by slower runners in some places where the course was narrow. Qualifying for Boston is easier at a smaller marathon.

Needs Improvement: Fix the quagmire at the end of the race. You cross the finish line and stop dead because it's so crowded. Coordinate better with the metro. It was a nightmare - especially at the end. The line to get INTO the station was around the block! Metro should plan to have extra trains that day. And how about letting runners ride free? Boston does. All in all, I'm glad that I ran and experienced the MCM. Many thanks to the Marine Corps and all who helped.

My 11th Marine Corps Marathon, and they get better and better. Organization from packet pickup through the finish area is amazing. To those who complain, just try and get over 40,000 people out of a small area; you might then appreciate the Marines more for the job they did.

Spectators everywhere.  Well supported with water stops, but probably could have used another 3 water stops. Well guided with signs. Would definitely run again. Hills looked tougher on the elevation chart - but they really were tolerable. I stayed in Crystal Village; I could walk to the start. Finish line: congested, but with that many people I expected that. Also, there was a Stephen Colbert rally (around 200,000) this weekend, which really didn't help Expo was really nice.

This is my second marathon (first was Santa Barbara). I have to say that it was a great experience. Everything I heard about this marathon was true - the cheering crowds, highly organized race, friendly Marines, and a great course and views of DC. Great time.

Tips:
-Would stay in Rosyln-area hotels since the finish is there and you could walk to your hotel.
-Use the metro to get around DC!!