I ran this twice when it was the 'National Marathon' and now twice since it has become part of the Rock-and-Roll Marathon business. This year was probably my last, and I don't expect to run any other R&R events. Although the organization under National Marathon had its flaws, it had a much better feel to it. For the entry fees the R&R corporation charges they really should be more runner-focused, but it's clear that their bottom line is the financial bottom line.

PROS:
- ok, I'll hand it to them for getting Metro to open at 5:00am. That does cost extra money ($30k per hour), and it made getting to the start by metro much more feasible for a lot of participants.
- wave start was well done
- the new route for the first half was nice, but they got lucky this time (see the Cons section below)
- the 7:30am start is better than the 2012 start at 8:00am, but not as good as the 7:00am start that just about coincides with sunrise

CONS:
- sports drink only at every other station (ie, every 4 miles)?! I've never seen a race so stingy with sports drink, except for the 2012 edition of this race.
- changing the start line meant not having the Armory to warm up in as they have in the past. If they had gotten the 40-degree rain that was predicted there would have been a lot of cold, wet, unhappy runners. And some year that will happen.
- it's all about max'ing the number of runners, especially half-marathoners, without providing the facilities to support that many runners
- the placement and ordering of the bag drop-off relative to the starting corrals was crazy and very inefficient. The bag pickup was worse, with volunteers basically telling runners to climb in the school bus and find their own bags amidst the unordered pile.

A couple final comments. I can't believe the person who posted that miles 10 & 11 were 'scary' and that it's good there was a police presence. Yes, there are homeless people in DC, and some of them live under the same underpasses that we ran through. But scary? Or the person who complained that the Armory (site of expo) was in a bad part of town. Please, go back to the 'burbs.

Second, I'm ambivalent about the second half of the course. I'm glad the course goes east of the Anacostia, but the combination of fewer runners doing the full and routing them through parkland much of the way makes for kind of a lonely run. I'd love to see what happen if they reversed the course direction some year!

The DC rock and roll marathon was the most expensive race i've run. It was also the most disappointing. There were huge lines for the pre-race port-o-potties, the back half of the course had few fans, and i waited about 45 minutes to get my bag at the end of it. The race was clearly geared for the half-marathoners and the for-profit nature of the race is sickening. The bands along the course were terrible and especially sporadic the final ten miles. The pittsburgh marathon does a much better job of having music along the course. The post-race concert started long before the majority of the full marathoners were done.

Hopefully the district will pull the permits on this joke of a race. Don't waste your money.

Running prior Rock & Roll events I was looking forward to this marathon. The race did not impress me or disappoint me. I expected the majority of the runners are for the half. This made the first half much more enjoyable to run but very difficult to get water/gatorade. The stations in the first half were a mess. This was aleviate in the second half due to less runners but without proper hydration early and when taking GU's hit hinders your performance in the later stages of the race. As for other problems that others have mentioned, I did not see many of them. Being from out of town and staying at a hotel (Hyatt) clase to the start. I was albe to wake up later than most and walk up to the start with no problems. No need for bagagge, port a johns, or warmup. Actually got there too early at 7:15, did not start my corral until 8:00. The course was fine, the first half went through the tourist areas and some college parts (the hill at mile 6 was a killer), the second half went along some of the waterfront (little breezy) and by the Nationals stadium, the last few miles were residuantial then back to RFK. Psot race was fine, plenty of food , chocolate milk was gone for us slower runners(4:45) but plenty of the rest. Note always good to carry the goody bag they give you, fold it up and put in your pocket if you can. this enables you to take as much food as you can carry, leave the area and find a spot to sit and eat and recover. The post race beer was a nice touch even though the weather was chilly. Did not use the bagage so I cannot comment on the delays others had. Getting back to my hotel was easy, found a cab. Overall needs some improvement, but since it gears to the half more than the full it is understandable. Maybe run the full 1 hour before the half and have a seperate food and recovery area.

Volunteers/support staff: (The good) These people were extremely helpful, motivated, and genuinely tried their best to satisfy all requirements in a professional manner. (The bad) They were absolutely overwhelmed by the amount of people on race day. Water/Gatorade stations for example; I did not get my first cup of Gatorade until after the marathon separation point near mile 13, it simply wasnt available when I approached a table at any of the previous stations. Runners were actually waiting in line for cups. At some water points I had to pick up an empty cup and hand it to a volunteer who then filled it up from a hose that was dribbling water. This was the first marathon where I had to actually stop and wait while someone filled up a cup.

Information/directive signs: (The good) Mile marker signs were visible and there was no confusion at the marathon/half marathon split. (The bad) Unlike other marathons I have run, I did not see any signs informing me that a water station was near. There were so many people running this race it was hard to see ahead. On more than one occasion, it seemed as if I was halfway through a water station before I even realized it was there.
Port-a-johns: (The good) There were port-a-johns. (The bad) Not nearly enough. Ive never stood in a line that long before a marathon, not even close.

Baggage check: (The good) There was enough space for everyone to check in a bag. (The bad) much like the port-a-johns, the lines were extremely long and slow moving. Check-in points were lined up in alphabetical order (first 3 letters of last name); I think the whole gear check process would have been less confusing if check-in stations were arranged in numerical order of the bib, just like packet pick-up at the expo.

The course: (The good) First 16 miles. (The bad) last 10.2. Not sure if planners care to do much about this since this event is definitely catered to the half-marathon runner; less than 1/4 of all participants actually signed up for the marathon.

Race tracking service: (The good) It was offered. (The bad) It was not free. Marine Corps Marathon, which is by far a better marathon experience in every single aspect, does not charge extra for this service. There is a reason why MCM sells out 30,000 tickets in less than 3 hours and R&R has tickets available a few days prior to their marathon.

Transportation: (The good) Metro stations opened early enough and were in close proximity of both the start line and finish line. (The bad) No complaints

Pros:
Its DC - scenic
T-Shirt
Expo

Cons:
Some people behind me didn't run the whole course.
Course was too crowded
No Chocolate milk by the time I finished
After the course split it was very dry
Water points under staffed or something, very poorly organized
No Chocolate milk by the time I finished
No Chocolate milk by the time I finished
No Chocolate milk by the time I finished
No Chocolate milk by the time I finished

Yeah I meant to say it all those times!

RnR series has become way too crowed. Too many people to really enjoy the course. I was lucky to have a decent bag check in my but the lines for other check ins were ridiculously long. Not to mention the line for pick up. Waiting 20-30 minutes after racing 13.2/26.2 is totally unacceptable. There should have been Gatorade at every water stop instead of every other stop. I got a cramp in between stations and went to a medical tent. I asked for salt packets and they looked at me like I was stupid. It took me 40 mins to cross the start line and I wasn't happy. I believe that this series has become more interested in turning a profit and packing as many people as they can into a race. I left the race feeling as though the RnR serious is less concerned about the runners' experience and more concerned about $$$. I have participated in several RnR events but this will definitely be my last! Oh, the course was probably one if my least favorites. I don't think it's professional to cut a course in a way where the runners have to hop over a curbed median at an angle. I forgot what mile it was but it was before mile 6. I hope the race director really gives my comments some consideration. I will definitely discourage others from running this race. On a positive note, the bands were fun and the volunteers were great!

I am no grizzled vet, so I cannot tell you how other big races are. So let me give you my impressions: Big port o let lines. Nice wave start. Good, mostly downhill course (anyone who complains about the hill at 6 must never have trained on a hill). Some water stations inexplicably unmanned. Good fans. Great clear running after the halfers went away. A wonderful run. I didn't check a bag and I didn't drive, so I cannot address those issues. But from a running standpoint, I had a great time.

I ran the half marathon and enjoyed the course. I had to pick up my own water since the aid stations fell behind. The organizers need to provide more incentive to volunteers to get enough to man the volume of runners. It appeared to me that the race organizers were not prepared to handle the number of runners. They need to employ some runners to tell them how to conduct a race with big numbers.

This for-profit organization laughs all the way to the bank. They charge top dollar and then rely on volunteers to make the race work.
The lines at bag check took forever. I just made the start and there were thousands still on line to check their bag.
Picking up my bag was worse! I was fifth in line and still waited over 40 minutes to pick up my bag. Volunteers were inside the bus ignoring us as they seemed to just begin organizing hundreds of bags.

The course is fine but if you are a runner who likes Rock n' Roll bands, just remember, they're volunteers too. They might show up; they might not. They may be playing or not. And they may have no talent.
Once again, the for-profit owners don't really care. They're counting their dough and laughing while volunteers carry out the race.

This 'Competitor Group' seems to be intent on buying up every race in the world too. What a shame. Especially when the take over excellent races with long histories like the Philadelphia Distance Run where they tripled the price.

They smell profit!

Horribly organized race. All was well until mile 12.2 when the race split. 20,000 did half, 3,500 did full. The second half of the course was bare- w/ few runners, little support, and horrible water stations. I hit the wall at mile 24 and walked the last two. If I passed out on the side of the road, no one would have been the wiser.

Expo was good, but they charge for every little thing.

Skip this.. RUN DISNEY (if you are a one and done marathoner)