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☰
Marine Corps Marathon Runner Comments
Back to Marine Corps Marathon Information & Reviews
Course 4.5 
Organization 3.9 
Spectators 4.6
Number of comments: 937 [displaying comments 931 to 935]
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Paul from Los Angeles area
(9/11/2000)
 "A bit over-hyped" (about: 1998)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 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!). | |
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A Runner from Atlanta, GA
(7/5/2000)
 "I think it is definitely a 5 star race!" (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 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) | |
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A Runner from Stockbridge, Georgia
(5/15/2000)
"Marathon of the Monuments says it all." (General Comments)
COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 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. | |
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A Runner from New York City
(5/15/2000)
"Go Marines! A great tour of our nation's capital" (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 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. | |
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A Runner from Central Pennsylvania
(5/15/2000)
"I can't understand why this race fills up so fast." (General Comments)
COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I've run MCM eight times (as of '99) and have enjoyed many aspects of this race, but I can not understand why the race fills up so fast. It's a nice course, but I've seen nicer. The only explanation I can offer must be the organization itself. The race IS organized and directed extremely well - support is superb. The marines do a great job of getting you to the start and over the course. There is a nice expo too. Many refer to this as a great first-time marathon. That may be true, but there are a lot of other equally good marathons at this time of year, which don't require registration a year in advance! Those who had their entries rejected should try one of the other good fall marathons. (A few downsides to MCM include: long lines at registration/packet pick-up, overpriced hotels, a very crowded race, a lot of concrete surfaces on the course, a few long, boring, and often windy stretches over the later half, a sizable hill just before 26 miles, and for the past few years, course alterations which have many running slower than usual times.) |
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