Hooahh!!! Every year it gets better and better!!! How do you do it??? The Wave Start was a good idea - don't let anyone tell you different. Ultima is a life saver - I hope it's there next year. Personally, I think Power Gel is better than Goo. It would be nice if we could twist Power Gel's arm to supply their product at mile 17 next year. Expo, crowd control, runner support, rockin' music at Hains Point, and overall marathon execution was FIRST CLASS. Without a doubt... Marine Corps is the most 'Fun Marathon' around. I'll be back next year. Thanks again for a job well done.

I'd like to refute the comments of 'A runner from Fairfax, VA', entitled 'Close to Great -- minor problems', dated 10/24/00. The MCM 2000 had no problems. During my 4:47 time on the course, there was Ultima at every stop, although not at every table. Gu was plentiful at its stop. On-line registration was slow but I completed it within 2 hours. At the conclusion of the race, the Marines removed the runners' timing chips, gave them a space blanket and Fiji water, and herded them efficiently into the food tent. All during the race, hundreds or perhaps thousands of uniformed Marines were helpful at the packet pickup, start, water tables, aid stations, Gu table, and finish. This marathon was perfect! And I'm a former Army airborne, not a Marine.

Though inexperienced and naive in my assessment (this race being my first), the Marine Corps Marathon fulfilled all my expectations ? and then added its own touches. If you have ever felt pride and patriotism for any country, seeing it in these young men and women serving the racers is a welcome reminder. As with any physical event, water is always too far away and hills at the end are damaging to the soul, but if you are going to run that far: What better place to do it in than among the monuments to modern freedom and democracy?

I am hoping you are looking for real feed back rather than just 'Hey it was Great'. This was our first marathon so take what I say with a grain of salt.

My wife and I finished at 5+16 and 5+24 (just to give a yard stick on our times hitting various water stops). There was no electrolyte drink available between stop 3 and the last one on Haines Point, trust me - I checked. Also, they were almost out of goo by the time we got to Mile 17 (so I figure there must have been a whole bunch of runners behind us looking at empty tables). Now lets face it, there was water and fortunately I did have extra goo along so we did ok BUT . . IF I had suspected logistics problems, I would have also packed a drink bottle for the electrolyte dry spell. We runners depend upon the advertized logistics and can come up short and hurtin' when things are not there when expected with no ability to make up for the loss.

Perhaps a more experienced marathoner would have expected problems and been better prepared- but this marathon is famous for its high quantity of first timers so how do you warn them to expect the unexpected? They paid $60 to not have any 'unexpected'!

Also the bagel stop with out an adjacent water stop was not an incredibly positive situation - ever eat a bagel dry? After a really long run? Still running? YaHooo!

Note - it is easy for me to criticize when I have zero knowledge of the difficulties that your team experienced and did overcome. It just may be that such shortages are inherent and unsolvable by reasonable means - I am sure you folks did your best but you just might give this a little bit extra next year.

You may trust that we will be better prepared for the unexpected.

Lastly, when I finally came across the finish line- crowd control was pretty much non existent. I understand a large number of runners had finished but . . .you still had a whole bunch coming in! The photostand was way too close to the exit of the food tent and the crowd was naturally excited to see their runners and nothing stopped them from pressing forward. I gotta tell you that getting through that mob in the condition that I was in at 5+24 is not a fun memory. A few rope fences and a couple of your large smiling marines would have gone a long way here.

About the jelly beans - all I can say is - sticky pavement.

Lastly, your on-line registration was totally hosed up (I spent 6+ hours on line siging us up and anecdotal evidence from other runners indicates this was the norm)but from comments that I read - you're fixing that next year by having a longer mail-in period before opening the website registration.

Hey - now that I am done with my negative critique - I just want to say that other than the above minor problems - the organization and execution for that quantity of bodies and the requirement to keep us all happy and full of fond memories was pretty damned good. And your Marines were squared away and lookin' sharp and were sincere in their positive comments along the way and congratulations at the end.

We lucked out on the weather.

See ya next year.

If you would like to take exception to any of the above comments or discuss them, please let me know.

I really appreciate the attitude of the race attendants. Especially the Marines who help before, during and after the race. They are courteous and supportive. It is a pleasure to run this Marathon and I will be back to run it again and again.

Marine Corps Marathon was my first marathon and as soon as I finished it, I wanted to do it again. It just was a great organization, helpful Marines, supportive and encouraging runners. It is a People's Marathon, unlike many other races. I love the name People's Marathon in a People's City. I would like to do it every year if I could get in every year, which is the only downside I saw. If it is the People's Marathon, people should be able to get in. But I like the fact that there is no qualification to get in which encourages the average runner to run a marathon. Supportive.

I ran this race in '98, just about the time it became one of the hardest races in the country to get into. Overall I would say it's a very nice race to do but not worth all of excess attention it gets. There are just so many great marathons to do. Being from the DC area, the sites did not impress me as much as the usual visitor. But the course does cover some of the best parts of the city to see. DC is also a beautiful place to visit in the fall. The Marines do a good job of supporting the race course but the packet pickup at the expo was grossly understaffed. The water stops were also too far apart on the course (2 miles). The weather in DC that time of year can also be hit or miss which could interfere with running a PR. If you don't get in, don't sweat it, run one of the many other great fall marathons (Chicago!).

I have run MCM 3 times. Each race was memorable. The weather was ideal for a fall marathon. The course is fairly flat. You run throughout the D.C. area. Especially beautiful is along the Potomic River. The marines add a touch of their own. Several times I came upon some marines doing cadences . . . that was fun. Overall, it IS a good 1st marathon experience (or 'anytime' experience). I always recommend it to my friends. . .:0)

The Marine Corp Marathon is a great race for first time marathoners. The organiziation is excellent. The Marines do an excellent getting you to the start and returning you to the parking area after the finish. The water stops are plentiful. The course takes you by all of the major monuments in D.C. The only drawback to the coure is the long stretch on Haines Point. The running area narrows and I observed several runners collide. This is due to the very large field of runners. It seems that this section goes on forever. The finish at the Iwo Jima Monument is inspiring. The expo is a good one. But go early because the lines can be lengthy. Overall an excellent event.

I have only ran the MCM once, and since it was my first, I may be somewhat biased. Yet I still cannot say enough about the extremely well-organized and escalated positivity that all runners cannot help but soak in throughout. There are plenty of spectators, no prize money (Marines 'volunteer'), and the course is relatively easy...except for that last 1/2 mi. up the hill toward the Iwo Jima Memorial. All paricipants, both runners & spectators, leave the race with an increased sense of pride in our country and everything it represents.
Runners begin under the whopping rotors of a giant 'Chinook' twin-blade helicopter hovering above the start line and make their way from historic site to site. The trip through Georgetown is particularly nice, as are those down Wisconsin Avenue (Capitol, White House) and by some of the Memorials (Lincoln, Jefferson). Although it is somewhat difficult to enter (probably a good sign in some ways), I would recommend it as a 'must run' race to every marathoner? even if just for the nationalistic experience.