Marathon Details - Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon)

North America Marathons > USA > DC > Washington > Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon)

Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) & Half Marathon, 5K

Washington, DC USA

~~November 13, 2021~~ - CANCELLED

http://www.runrocknroll.com/dc

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Address:	9477 Waples Street, Suite 150 San Diego, CA 92121
Phone Number:	(858) 450-6510 or (800) 311-1255
Fax Number:	(858) 450-6905
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Reviews

Course 3.9

Organization 3.5

Spectators 3.4

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Number of comments: 286 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

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A. B. from Atlanta, GA (3/11/2019) "horrible course, no crowd support, poor org" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The 2019 DC Rock n Roll was by far the worst marathon course I've experienced. The course went through ugly parts of town and not past any of the monuments or sights. The course was point to point, mostly uphill. There was zero crowd support. Poor swag. Cheesy medal. 33f at start and zero warming stations. On the upside, plenty of water tables. RnR races are becoming money grabs - not worth the entry fee - save it for Marine Corp.
A. Y. from Blacksburg, Virginia (3/13/2018) "Solid Race environment that can be improved" (about: 2018) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This race was my first marathon, and was a good experience overall. The expo was held the Thursday/Friday before and was a phenomenal experience. It was held at the D.C. Armory and was organized incredibly well. There were a lot of diverse booths selling march, gu, watches, etc. and it was very well done. The first 14 miles of the race were really cool to have on the course! Started out by the White House, and ran alongside a lot of D.C. staple sights (Lincoln Memorial, JFK Center, Watergate) before heading toward Rock Creek park. From there, runners start to run through the neighborhoods of D.C., which really gave me a cool perspective on the city I hadn't previously seen. The race itself was definitely geared more toward the half-marathon, as miles 15-23 of this race are pretty brutal. This section of the race was mostly run on the highway, essentially doing an out and back towards Maryland/National Harbor. Some more course support would have definitely been helpful here. On the back half of the out-and-back, there were some pretty gnarly hills between miles 21-24 that were a real gut check. I can't say enough about Rock and Roll's onsite medical staff. I was having some problems with my IT bands around Mile 24, and they wrapped my knees up quickly and carefully to get me back onto the course. They were super responsive and did a great job. The finisher area was great! There was a ton of support by the finish line, and they had a lot of great amenities at the finisher area, including a marathon recovery zone. Also, the gear they were selling at the merch tents were great. All in all, this was a positive experience running this race with a lot of great aspects, but I feel it could be improved with a bit more attention to the course by RNR. They should try to incorporate more of the staple D.C. sights like the Jefferson Memorial or some of the places along the Army 10 Miler course. Also, if you're running this race, train for hills! It was unexpectedly hilly, especially in the last hour of the race. Overall, this race was fun, but not without its flaws.
V. V. from Washington D.C (3/12/2018) "Very poorly organized" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Overall, I am very disappointed with the race organization. It starts with a minimal to almost no swag packet pickup. They made everyone go thru several flight of stairs just to grab the race bib and then walk back up to the expo. This was probably the only marathon (of my 30+ big races) where there was zero swag. The full and half marathons had staggered start times and followed separate courses. I guess this kept the course to be less crowded and it would have been nicer if the half marathoners joined later in the course to provide a sense of motivation for the full marathoners. There were some steep hills around mile 23 and several of the marathoners were having hard time pushing thru at the end. The gels provided on the course were disgusting to say the least. I never tasted a gel that was that horrible and had to spit out right away with the disgusting taste. They had 'food' at mile 24 which was unripe green bananas... Seriously! At the finish line, there was so much confusion and no one to really usher finishers thru the runners village. It was windy and cold and I really wanted a mylar blanket and it took 10mins of asking around and finally sighting it at a distance. There was no food or any kind of indication of what was provided and it felt like for ever to sight a small food truck with Pizza that only provided a quarter slice of pizza. I was also planning on getting a massage but no one seemed to have a clue. All in all, this was my first Rock n Roll and will surely be my last one. I was expecting a great show put up by this organization and was shocked at how poorly they organized... TOO much HYPE...
j. m. from Connecticut (3/13/2017) "Changed the course once again" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon)s COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Out is a nice trip to Arlington Cemetary; in is a BRUTAL 4.2 mile finishing section. They seem to tinker with the course every year, and this year it was poorly thought out. All RNR races tend to concentrate on the half marathon with the marathon as an afterthought, no different here. The half course was scenic enough and was, generally a very good course. The last 4 miles miles of the marathon were by far the courses' toughest 4 miles, and that should never occur at a marathon. The 20mph headwinds are no fault of the race committee, but why in the world are they putting in a mile long significant hill in the 22 and 23 mile range?
E. K. from USA (3/10/2017) "Steep Hill In Latter Stages Of Full Marathon!" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The various reasons to run the Washington DC Rock & Roll marathon. 1. As a marathon in March, it is a perfect race for many of those (like myself) who live in the snowy Northeast, Midwest and Northwest respectively. A March race forces you/one to keep training through the winter months instead of hibernating, keeping you well trained and toned throughout the year, meaning that when majority of the races in Spring start, you shall be ahead of those who didn't train through the winter. It was a relatively cool 50 degrees on average in 2016 but it was below freezing some years before so just beware. 2. If you are doing the 50 marathons in 50 states challenge, this is probably one of the only two marathons held in Washington DC proper (The other is the Bikila memorial marathon in September) that you can use to cross the District of Columbia off your list if that's your wish! You can also pay for a 3 city 'Global Tour pass' which enables you to run for 3 races in any rock 'n' roll event worldwide and the 'unlimited' global tour pass which allows you to run in any of the rock 'n' roll races worldwide. This may be a money saver in the 50 marathons in 50 states challenge instead of paying for individual fees for individual city races. 3. The capital city is a must-visit for out-of-towners and residents alike. A runner could take advantage of this marathon to visit the White House and the many monuments and historical sites. 4. As a large city, accommodation, transport to and from the city and other amenities are available. It is an expensive city to stay, travel and dine in, so be warned. 5. It is one of the more picturesque races you shall run in. You get to start in downtown DC and run through the streets and see the monuments while running. You also get to run through some DC neighborhoods and then finish close to the DC Armory, close to the soccer stadium. 6. As a rock 'n' roll event, they have musical entertainment at various places during the race itself and there is entertainment at the finish line tent. 7. They offer a finisher jacket in addition to a finisher medal, which is quite nice. Reasons not to run the Washington DC Rock & Roll Marathon. 1. This is the only major reason I could think of. It's a very hilly race! Its the hilliest race I have ever run! You need to see and run those hills to experience it. This race caters for the half-marathoners. Full marathoners are an afterthought. This is definitely an ironman worthy run if that's your type of thing. The hills from mile 16 and 22 are Everest steep! It's not the ideal race to try and get a PR (personal record) or BQ (Boston Qualifier) as your finishing time shall be significantly slower than your other finishing times. There is another race in Washington DC (Bikila memorial marathon) that is held in September which may be less hilly. 2. Full marathoners and half marathoners start at the same time, slightly contesting the start line. I don't mind running with half marathoners, some people do. However, the corrals solve this problem somewhat. The Expo. - If you can, (and are traveling from out of state/town) drop your bags in the hotel room/host's house before coming to the expo. The expo is quite exhausting if you bring in your heavy luggage. (Like I did) There is also security at the entrance that checks the bags and the security lines are long. - Don't try to come late on Friday evening. (The last day) Get your bib as early as possible. The lines were impossibly long on Friday evening and traffic towards the DC armory and parking was a nightmare! - If you are raising money via St Jude's and made a pledge, you pick your bib from a separate St Jude's booth. As I was passing by, I saw a runner who hadn't fully paid up their contribution pledge and they wouldn't release their bib until all the pledges were paid off. Getting to the expo. The expo is held on two days, Thursday and Friday. I went to the expo on Friday, March 11, 2016. You can get to the expo in quite a number of ways; driving (and looking for parking, very rare and expensive in DC) taxi/über/lyft or using the Metro Bus/subway system. Use travel apps (google maps, maps on Apple/Android) to map out your route for Thursday and Friday (but not Saturday as the metro operates differently on race day) if using the DC metro or bus system. Buy a smart card and load it with $20-25 (more if you'll do more traveling) if you are just going to the expo, hotel room/home, starting line next day and from the finish line back to your hotel/home. It's easier than fumbling for cash and in some stations, you might not be able to get in with cash and without the card. It simplifies your life. It's easier to use the metro subway but you can also use the bus. I took bus #96 from Union Station and bus # 97 from the Armory, which buses bring you within 3 minutes of the entrance to the armory. The exit is 'Stadium Armory Station', junction of 19th St and Capitol Street stop. The stop is a big stop. From Union Station, take the buses to 'Capitol Heights' station and from 'Station/Armory Station' take the bus to Union Station. The DC subway uses a system where you pay at the end of the ride at the subway exit. This is the largest expo I have ever been part of. It is held in the DC Armory, the size of a football field or two! The expo is quite organized. This is where you get reminded that the Rock 'n' Roll is a for profit organization. Insurance companies, car companies, athletic apparel companies, sports nutrition, food vendors, you name it, all vendors are represented. Some people take offense to this type of commercialism but it doesn't faze me one bit. The positive side is that you can purchase all your running gear and refueling nutritional products here. All full marathon bibs and goodie bags have to be picked up on Thursday and Friday as there is no Saturday race day pickup. There are friendly staff members ready to direct you to the spot you want to go to. The goodie bag. Picking up the marathon bib and bag is really easy. You go downstairs and pick up the bib number. Bring your ID and your signed completion sheet that was sent to your final confirmation email a few days before the race. Once you check your bib number, pick up the bib and pins and pick up the clear marathon bag that already has your t-shirt in there. You can change your corral placement while there. The t-shirt was an official Brooks t-shirt which could be used in your regular training runs as it is moisture wicking. The bag has quite a number of fliers/pamphlets and a few tiny sachet samples. Once you are done with the bib and t-shirt pickup from downstairs, you then go up the steps and get to the expo proper. Getting to the marathon on Saturday morning *Make sure that, if possible, you have a running pouch/belt/armband that can accommodate your Metro card/Smartcard, hotel/car keys, credit/debit card, money and your ID. This is because, after the race, you'll need your ID to get your free/complimentary beer at the finish line. You'll also need a place to store your various cards to use when going to the start line (metro card) and so forth. - Public transportation. The DC metro is probably the quickest way to get to the start (it was 14th and Constitution avenue) 'Federal Triangle' stop on the DC Metro. Most people were catching the metro that Saturday morning. There may have been a change of schedule to have the metro trains run earlier than usual in response to the race. - catching a cab/uber/lyft or driving to the start line is very tricky. Make sure you start your journey way before time. Many streets close to the start and finish line are closed and security is on full alert at the start and finish lines. You may have to walk farther than usual if this is your preferred mode of transportation. Checkpoint, dressing, clear bag and corral - Security in DC is quite beefed up on this day. The police are everywhere, a reassuring thought especially after the Boston marathon terrorist attack. By 6.00 am when I got there, the security points were already opened and the security staff were only allowing the clear bags and checking them. Once past the checking point, you will have to walk a bit far, more than a block away/half mile to the UPS trucks where the bags are stored. Some bananas were on the way for those who may like to load up on their carbs and potassium. Once you get to the UPS trucks, your last name initial will determine which truck your bag will be placed in by the UPS staff. You just need to tear off one of the tags from the bib to the goodie bag for identification/location purposes. There was a row of porta Johns close to the start point but as in all major races with a multitude of people, there will be long lines, so come early if you are the kind of people who use porta Johns a lot or need to use it before the race. Please bring/carry your own tissue paper just in case. - Dress up warmly for the time before the marathon. It was about 40-50 degrees in 2016. Use old clothing, an old hoodie/sweatshirt and pants that you can discard on the roadside while running. They donate discarded clothing to charity. On the course, I saw expensive brand name 'new' or slightly used clothing discarded and I felt bad for the people who had discarded the newish clothes. I think the generally agreed upon 'Dress up for the race and add 10-20 degrees' applies here. The temperatures in 2016 never went above 50, which made for perfect running weather! - Corrals. During registration, the runner chooses a corral based on their estimated finish time. (You can change your corral at the expo. This enables there to be spacing as it is a huge event with an estimated 20,000 plus runners. If you are trying to chase a time or don't want to be held behind by slower runners, you can be at the very front of your coral. As you run the race, you'll realize that being at the front of the coral might not really matter as I'll explain in a moment... The start up to the 13.1... The race started on time and the announcements were clear and concise. Due to the large amount of runners, depending on what coral you are placed, you might not start racing for several minutes as they space up the runners. They don't enforce the no earphones/headphones rule. I don't think that it is an issue anymore, used to be an issue in some races a few years ago... The start of the race from the National Museum of American History takes you towards the Washington Monument onto Rawlings park. On Mile 2, you are past the Reflecting pool and you can see the Lincoln memorial. You then cross the Potomac River on the Arlington Memorial Bridge as you get to mile 3 for an out and back. Mile 4 finds you on the Watergate complex past the JFK Center for performing arts. Once you approach mile 5, there is a steep hill on Rock Creek Parkway that will sap quite a bit of your energy and slow you down. From mile 6 to 8, you start approaching the DC neighborhoods and on mile 8 you are in Columbia Heights. The crowds get larger here and they provide the emotional boost, much needed after the mile 5 hill. Mile 8 and 9 takes you past Pleasant Plains and Mile 10 brings you back to downtown DC, with the Capitol Building in front of your view way ahead. It's a long straight stretch where you can gauge your running and determine if your pace is working well. Mile 11 brings you close to the Washington Union station and then you head off to Lincoln park for mile 12. The 13.1 to the 22 mile Mile 13 takes you towards the State Capitol building. Mile 14 finds you close to Folger park. The scenic route is over for now and you enter the more gritty roads of the marathon with fewer crowds. Mile 15 brings you to the Nationals Park before taking you to another out and back for mile 16 and 17. This place has some industrial look to it and you do meet runners who are ahead of you and runners who are behind you. Both a source of heartache and solace. After mile 17, you cross the Anacostia River to go to the Anacostia park after mile 18. Get ready for the toughest part of the marathon, a dream killer, where your PR and BQ dreams come to die! The hills are so steep many runners simply choose to walk up the hills! Once you are done running (or walking) up the hills, you then come to another in and out at mile 20, close to the river into the park. I don't get why they make these hills part of the marathon route. Maybe they want to give the marathon a 'tough' image, being that the marathon was formerly the National marathon and was associated with the military. You will find quite a number of military banners and a lot of support for the military by spectators. Mile 22 to Mile 26.2 Mile 22 to the finish line is an absolute test of strength, both physical and psychological, after the punishing hills. Mile 23 cuts through the Fort Dupont park and as you approach mile 24, you approach the Greenway neighborhood. A straight stretch takes you to mile 25 where you run a circle and now approach the Anacostia River towards the finish line. The crowds are larger here after running through the various parks and once past the river, the Robert Kennedy Stadium (DC United soccer stadium) is in sight at mile 26. The finish is close to the DC armory, a familiar sight, where the expo was held the day/s before the marathon. Treats After The Marathon... Once past the finish line, there is an official photographer who takes a post run picture of you. A volunteer hands you a finisher medal. Ask one of them to take a picture of you if you have been running with your smartphone and you do not have anyone close to the finish line, just like I did. As you keep walking from the finish line, you are offered bottled water, Gatorade and chocolate milk for rehydration. There are bananas and pretzels too. It's then time to collect your marathon clear bag from the UPS trucks. They place the bags under your last name and bib number so the bags are easy to retrieve. - once you pick up your goodie bag, you then go back to the main tent to pick up your marathon finisher jacket. You are allowed to wear a sample one before picking your jacket but for some reason, they don't allow you to exchange the jacket once you have picked it up. You have to tear off a tab from your bib to get the jacket. - There is also a place where they give you a free alcoholic beer. You need ID and be over 21 to enter the enclosed place. They are very strict about the ID. No ID no entry! - There is a lot of entertainment at the finish line with featured bands playing live music. - Leaving for home/hotel is easy. Since you were at the expo the day or two before, you shall use the same station to go back to your respective hotel. Use the smartcard if possible. The metro is crowded but you'll be in the company of other runners so there will not be any awkwardness. There are regular trains so the wait is not as bad. The Race Photos The race photos were processed by marathonphoto. The race photos were ready after about 3-4 days which was very impressive. The photos are pricey and budget wise are not for the faint hearted but the memories are well worth it. The photos capture you at various stages of the race and at the finish line.
D. F. from Baltimore, Maryland (3/18/2016) "Great time at RnR DC" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I hadn't run the RnR DC race since 2012. This was pretty well run. I got to the start pretty early in the morning and there was still some setup to do but plenty of porta-pots to do your business. Half marathoners and marathoners start at the same time, so marathoners have to watch their pace a little bit. Cons: Not a lot of signage on where gear check was or where to go when leaving the Metro. Gear check drop off was a couple of blocks away from the start and a good distance away from jacket pickup after gear pickup. Not too many signs to direct you. Strange part of the course took you into and industrial park, just not a lot of scenery from 16-18. Pros: Great course, some nasty hills at mile 6-7 and from miles 21-24, but it was it was. Well stocked fluid stations. Good support from spectators. Great looking jacket for marathon finishers. Nice looking medal Decent food and drinks at the end. I missed the headliner band. I signed up to run the marathon next year as well. Train for some hills.
A. S. from Wisconsin (3/15/2016) "Great course, well organized, fun!" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Great course, well-organized, and fun event. Excellent volunteers! First time running DC so coming from out of town was a treat. Marathon had everything we needed. Complaints about the hill at mile 6 are silly. Hill is not that bad at all but it is the toughest part of the first half. Go a little further and the hills at miles 21 through 26 are a bit worse (make you work a little more). Overall a very good mix of flat/hill so no complaints here. I'm not a follower of the rock and roll series of marathons and was simply looking for something different. This run fit perfectly. Well done! Would definitely do it again!
R. H. from Midwest USA (5/12/2015) "Good Marathon To Run" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I enjoyed this marathon despite the unfortunate timing of mother nature to greet us with a cold, rainy, somewhat windy day. Despite the weather, most of us bundled up and enjoyed the race. The race was well organized. We received very informative emails prior to the race. The packet pickup on Thursday went very smoothly. The expo was fairly large with a good variety of running items being offered. The race started on time and the release of each wave was timely. There were plenty of water stations and the volunteers did a great job of serving us. They provided a very nice t-shirt for participating, but the real bonus was receiving a terrific jacket for finishing the marathon. The medal was pretty decent also. We did a lot of walking prior to and after the race which is what I would expect for a race that had around 18,000 participants. We had to hike a few blocks to get to the drop bag trucks. After the race, we walked a few more blocks to retrieve the bags, and then another quarter to a half mile to get to the Metro. As for the Metro, be smart and purchase your Metro card the day before otherwise you'll be waiting in a huge line after the race to buy a card so you can get on the Metro. The food after the race was good enough, especially the chocolate milk. The course is fairly scenic with several good glimpses of the nation's Capitol. As others have written, it's a rolling hills type of course with a long uphill climb in the Rock Creek area and a steep hill around mile 23 or 24 that many walked. In summary, I would recommend this race as the course was good with Capitol views and other scenic views such as the Rock Creek area, the volunteers were great, t-shirt, jacket, and medal were definitely keepers, and you get to run at our nation's capital.
Christopher Loza from Arlington, VA (3/17/2015) "Used to be good marathon before Rock n Rollization" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 3 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon)s COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I last ran the National Marathon in 2010. Then it was a positive experience. The start was by the armory, and you could stay indoors until real close to the start. The RnR organization came in, moved the start so they could charge an extra $90 for pre-race and post-race shelter. The course now has a LOT more turns than it had then, adding significantly to the effective distance run over the course of the marathon. Also the pace group leaders did not seem to account for this. Also, RnR cut back drastically on the number of pace groups provided. I was hoping for a 3:15 pace group, but the only options for me were 3:10 and 3:30. The 3:10 pace group had three pace leaders - why not have just one as the National did and spread the volunteers over other increments. I had to let the pace group go after 22 miles, but after analyzing my results afterwards, I'm sure there were a lot of disappointed folks who stuck with them hoping to qualify for Boston. When I let them go at mile 22, they were at perfect 7:15 pace. Unfortunately, this was according to my GPS watch. The effective distance I ran was 26.6 miles. All that weaving and wide turns add up. They apparently didn't account for this unless they expected everyone to drop to 6:30 pace for the last 4+ miles. The race itself was well organized. RnR definitely turned this into a much bigger race than in the past. For me, that's actually a negative. The first half was ridiculously crowded until the 1/2 marathoners broke off. If I run this marathon again, it will only be because I'm local. I would definitely not travel for this event. If I don't get into Marine Corps in the fall, my alternate will definitely not be a RnR event.
S. W. from Washington, DC (3/17/2015) "RUN away from this marathon" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 This was my 5th marathon and worst run. Pittsburgh, Boston and USMC were exceptionally well run. The Rock and Roll marathon was a disaster. Their race director should not have that job. They changed the course a month out to add a massive hill at mile 22. The course itself was .3 miles longer than 26.2. Bag drop and pick-up were incredibly far out of the way and poorly organized. The finish area was disaster. Bananas were hard and green, gatorade needed scissors to open (none on hand) and then you needed to walk almost a mile to metro up narrow steps and around the armory & for which you then waited over 35 minutes to even get into the metro station. Total cluster. The roads were blocked off so ubers and taxi were not an option home. Also no post race communication.

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A. B. from Atlanta, GA (3/11/2019) "horrible course, no crowd support, poor org" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 1 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The 2019 DC Rock n Roll was by far the worst marathon course I've experienced. The course went through ugly parts of town and not past any of the monuments or sights. The course was point to point, mostly uphill. There was zero crowd support. Poor swag. Cheesy medal. 33f at start and zero warming stations. On the upside, plenty of water tables. RnR races are becoming money grabs - not worth the entry fee - save it for Marine Corp.
A. Y. from Blacksburg, Virginia (3/13/2018) "Solid Race environment that can be improved" (about: 2018) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This race was my first marathon, and was a good experience overall. The expo was held the Thursday/Friday before and was a phenomenal experience. It was held at the D.C. Armory and was organized incredibly well. There were a lot of diverse booths selling march, gu, watches, etc. and it was very well done. The first 14 miles of the race were really cool to have on the course! Started out by the White House, and ran alongside a lot of D.C. staple sights (Lincoln Memorial, JFK Center, Watergate) before heading toward Rock Creek park. From there, runners start to run through the neighborhoods of D.C., which really gave me a cool perspective on the city I hadn't previously seen. The race itself was definitely geared more toward the half-marathon, as miles 15-23 of this race are pretty brutal. This section of the race was mostly run on the highway, essentially doing an out and back towards Maryland/National Harbor. Some more course support would have definitely been helpful here. On the back half of the out-and-back, there were some pretty gnarly hills between miles 21-24 that were a real gut check. I can't say enough about Rock and Roll's onsite medical staff. I was having some problems with my IT bands around Mile 24, and they wrapped my knees up quickly and carefully to get me back onto the course. They were super responsive and did a great job. The finisher area was great! There was a ton of support by the finish line, and they had a lot of great amenities at the finisher area, including a marathon recovery zone. Also, the gear they were selling at the merch tents were great. All in all, this was a positive experience running this race with a lot of great aspects, but I feel it could be improved with a bit more attention to the course by RNR. They should try to incorporate more of the staple D.C. sights like the Jefferson Memorial or some of the places along the Army 10 Miler course. Also, if you're running this race, train for hills! It was unexpectedly hilly, especially in the last hour of the race. Overall, this race was fun, but not without its flaws.
V. V. from Washington D.C (3/12/2018) "Very poorly organized" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 Overall, I am very disappointed with the race organization. It starts with a minimal to almost no swag packet pickup. They made everyone go thru several flight of stairs just to grab the race bib and then walk back up to the expo. This was probably the only marathon (of my 30+ big races) where there was zero swag. The full and half marathons had staggered start times and followed separate courses. I guess this kept the course to be less crowded and it would have been nicer if the half marathoners joined later in the course to provide a sense of motivation for the full marathoners. There were some steep hills around mile 23 and several of the marathoners were having hard time pushing thru at the end. The gels provided on the course were disgusting to say the least. I never tasted a gel that was that horrible and had to spit out right away with the disgusting taste. They had 'food' at mile 24 which was unripe green bananas... Seriously! At the finish line, there was so much confusion and no one to really usher finishers thru the runners village. It was windy and cold and I really wanted a mylar blanket and it took 10mins of asking around and finally sighting it at a distance. There was no food or any kind of indication of what was provided and it felt like for ever to sight a small food truck with Pizza that only provided a quarter slice of pizza. I was also planning on getting a massage but no one seemed to have a clue. All in all, this was my first Rock n Roll and will surely be my last one. I was expecting a great show put up by this organization and was shocked at how poorly they organized... TOO much HYPE...
j. m. from Connecticut (3/13/2017) "Changed the course once again" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 2 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon)s COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 Out is a nice trip to Arlington Cemetary; in is a BRUTAL 4.2 mile finishing section. They seem to tinker with the course every year, and this year it was poorly thought out. All RNR races tend to concentrate on the half marathon with the marathon as an afterthought, no different here. The half course was scenic enough and was, generally a very good course. The last 4 miles miles of the marathon were by far the courses' toughest 4 miles, and that should never occur at a marathon. The 20mph headwinds are no fault of the race committee, but why in the world are they putting in a mile long significant hill in the 22 and 23 mile range?
E. K. from USA (3/10/2017) "Steep Hill In Latter Stages Of Full Marathon!" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 The various reasons to run the Washington DC Rock & Roll marathon. 1. As a marathon in March, it is a perfect race for many of those (like myself) who live in the snowy Northeast, Midwest and Northwest respectively. A March race forces you/one to keep training through the winter months instead of hibernating, keeping you well trained and toned throughout the year, meaning that when majority of the races in Spring start, you shall be ahead of those who didn't train through the winter. It was a relatively cool 50 degrees on average in 2016 but it was below freezing some years before so just beware. 2. If you are doing the 50 marathons in 50 states challenge, this is probably one of the only two marathons held in Washington DC proper (The other is the Bikila memorial marathon in September) that you can use to cross the District of Columbia off your list if that's your wish! You can also pay for a 3 city 'Global Tour pass' which enables you to run for 3 races in any rock 'n' roll event worldwide and the 'unlimited' global tour pass which allows you to run in any of the rock 'n' roll races worldwide. This may be a money saver in the 50 marathons in 50 states challenge instead of paying for individual fees for individual city races. 3. The capital city is a must-visit for out-of-towners and residents alike. A runner could take advantage of this marathon to visit the White House and the many monuments and historical sites. 4. As a large city, accommodation, transport to and from the city and other amenities are available. It is an expensive city to stay, travel and dine in, so be warned. 5. It is one of the more picturesque races you shall run in. You get to start in downtown DC and run through the streets and see the monuments while running. You also get to run through some DC neighborhoods and then finish close to the DC Armory, close to the soccer stadium. 6. As a rock 'n' roll event, they have musical entertainment at various places during the race itself and there is entertainment at the finish line tent. 7. They offer a finisher jacket in addition to a finisher medal, which is quite nice. Reasons not to run the Washington DC Rock & Roll Marathon. 1. This is the only major reason I could think of. It's a very hilly race! Its the hilliest race I have ever run! You need to see and run those hills to experience it. This race caters for the half-marathoners. Full marathoners are an afterthought. This is definitely an ironman worthy run if that's your type of thing. The hills from mile 16 and 22 are Everest steep! It's not the ideal race to try and get a PR (personal record) or BQ (Boston Qualifier) as your finishing time shall be significantly slower than your other finishing times. There is another race in Washington DC (Bikila memorial marathon) that is held in September which may be less hilly. 2. Full marathoners and half marathoners start at the same time, slightly contesting the start line. I don't mind running with half marathoners, some people do. However, the corrals solve this problem somewhat. The Expo. - If you can, (and are traveling from out of state/town) drop your bags in the hotel room/host's house before coming to the expo. The expo is quite exhausting if you bring in your heavy luggage. (Like I did) There is also security at the entrance that checks the bags and the security lines are long. - Don't try to come late on Friday evening. (The last day) Get your bib as early as possible. The lines were impossibly long on Friday evening and traffic towards the DC armory and parking was a nightmare! - If you are raising money via St Jude's and made a pledge, you pick your bib from a separate St Jude's booth. As I was passing by, I saw a runner who hadn't fully paid up their contribution pledge and they wouldn't release their bib until all the pledges were paid off. Getting to the expo. The expo is held on two days, Thursday and Friday. I went to the expo on Friday, March 11, 2016. You can get to the expo in quite a number of ways; driving (and looking for parking, very rare and expensive in DC) taxi/über/lyft or using the Metro Bus/subway system. Use travel apps (google maps, maps on Apple/Android) to map out your route for Thursday and Friday (but not Saturday as the metro operates differently on race day) if using the DC metro or bus system. Buy a smart card and load it with $20-25 (more if you'll do more traveling) if you are just going to the expo, hotel room/home, starting line next day and from the finish line back to your hotel/home. It's easier than fumbling for cash and in some stations, you might not be able to get in with cash and without the card. It simplifies your life. It's easier to use the metro subway but you can also use the bus. I took bus #96 from Union Station and bus # 97 from the Armory, which buses bring you within 3 minutes of the entrance to the armory. The exit is 'Stadium Armory Station', junction of 19th St and Capitol Street stop. The stop is a big stop. From Union Station, take the buses to 'Capitol Heights' station and from 'Station/Armory Station' take the bus to Union Station. The DC subway uses a system where you pay at the end of the ride at the subway exit. This is the largest expo I have ever been part of. It is held in the DC Armory, the size of a football field or two! The expo is quite organized. This is where you get reminded that the Rock 'n' Roll is a for profit organization. Insurance companies, car companies, athletic apparel companies, sports nutrition, food vendors, you name it, all vendors are represented. Some people take offense to this type of commercialism but it doesn't faze me one bit. The positive side is that you can purchase all your running gear and refueling nutritional products here. All full marathon bibs and goodie bags have to be picked up on Thursday and Friday as there is no Saturday race day pickup. There are friendly staff members ready to direct you to the spot you want to go to. The goodie bag. Picking up the marathon bib and bag is really easy. You go downstairs and pick up the bib number. Bring your ID and your signed completion sheet that was sent to your final confirmation email a few days before the race. Once you check your bib number, pick up the bib and pins and pick up the clear marathon bag that already has your t-shirt in there. You can change your corral placement while there. The t-shirt was an official Brooks t-shirt which could be used in your regular training runs as it is moisture wicking. The bag has quite a number of fliers/pamphlets and a few tiny sachet samples. Once you are done with the bib and t-shirt pickup from downstairs, you then go up the steps and get to the expo proper. Getting to the marathon on Saturday morning *Make sure that, if possible, you have a running pouch/belt/armband that can accommodate your Metro card/Smartcard, hotel/car keys, credit/debit card, money and your ID. This is because, after the race, you'll need your ID to get your free/complimentary beer at the finish line. You'll also need a place to store your various cards to use when going to the start line (metro card) and so forth. - Public transportation. The DC metro is probably the quickest way to get to the start (it was 14th and Constitution avenue) 'Federal Triangle' stop on the DC Metro. Most people were catching the metro that Saturday morning. There may have been a change of schedule to have the metro trains run earlier than usual in response to the race. - catching a cab/uber/lyft or driving to the start line is very tricky. Make sure you start your journey way before time. Many streets close to the start and finish line are closed and security is on full alert at the start and finish lines. You may have to walk farther than usual if this is your preferred mode of transportation. Checkpoint, dressing, clear bag and corral - Security in DC is quite beefed up on this day. The police are everywhere, a reassuring thought especially after the Boston marathon terrorist attack. By 6.00 am when I got there, the security points were already opened and the security staff were only allowing the clear bags and checking them. Once past the checking point, you will have to walk a bit far, more than a block away/half mile to the UPS trucks where the bags are stored. Some bananas were on the way for those who may like to load up on their carbs and potassium. Once you get to the UPS trucks, your last name initial will determine which truck your bag will be placed in by the UPS staff. You just need to tear off one of the tags from the bib to the goodie bag for identification/location purposes. There was a row of porta Johns close to the start point but as in all major races with a multitude of people, there will be long lines, so come early if you are the kind of people who use porta Johns a lot or need to use it before the race. Please bring/carry your own tissue paper just in case. - Dress up warmly for the time before the marathon. It was about 40-50 degrees in 2016. Use old clothing, an old hoodie/sweatshirt and pants that you can discard on the roadside while running. They donate discarded clothing to charity. On the course, I saw expensive brand name 'new' or slightly used clothing discarded and I felt bad for the people who had discarded the newish clothes. I think the generally agreed upon 'Dress up for the race and add 10-20 degrees' applies here. The temperatures in 2016 never went above 50, which made for perfect running weather! - Corrals. During registration, the runner chooses a corral based on their estimated finish time. (You can change your corral at the expo. This enables there to be spacing as it is a huge event with an estimated 20,000 plus runners. If you are trying to chase a time or don't want to be held behind by slower runners, you can be at the very front of your coral. As you run the race, you'll realize that being at the front of the coral might not really matter as I'll explain in a moment... The start up to the 13.1... The race started on time and the announcements were clear and concise. Due to the large amount of runners, depending on what coral you are placed, you might not start racing for several minutes as they space up the runners. They don't enforce the no earphones/headphones rule. I don't think that it is an issue anymore, used to be an issue in some races a few years ago... The start of the race from the National Museum of American History takes you towards the Washington Monument onto Rawlings park. On Mile 2, you are past the Reflecting pool and you can see the Lincoln memorial. You then cross the Potomac River on the Arlington Memorial Bridge as you get to mile 3 for an out and back. Mile 4 finds you on the Watergate complex past the JFK Center for performing arts. Once you approach mile 5, there is a steep hill on Rock Creek Parkway that will sap quite a bit of your energy and slow you down. From mile 6 to 8, you start approaching the DC neighborhoods and on mile 8 you are in Columbia Heights. The crowds get larger here and they provide the emotional boost, much needed after the mile 5 hill. Mile 8 and 9 takes you past Pleasant Plains and Mile 10 brings you back to downtown DC, with the Capitol Building in front of your view way ahead. It's a long straight stretch where you can gauge your running and determine if your pace is working well. Mile 11 brings you close to the Washington Union station and then you head off to Lincoln park for mile 12. The 13.1 to the 22 mile Mile 13 takes you towards the State Capitol building. Mile 14 finds you close to Folger park. The scenic route is over for now and you enter the more gritty roads of the marathon with fewer crowds. Mile 15 brings you to the Nationals Park before taking you to another out and back for mile 16 and 17. This place has some industrial look to it and you do meet runners who are ahead of you and runners who are behind you. Both a source of heartache and solace. After mile 17, you cross the Anacostia River to go to the Anacostia park after mile 18. Get ready for the toughest part of the marathon, a dream killer, where your PR and BQ dreams come to die! The hills are so steep many runners simply choose to walk up the hills! Once you are done running (or walking) up the hills, you then come to another in and out at mile 20, close to the river into the park. I don't get why they make these hills part of the marathon route. Maybe they want to give the marathon a 'tough' image, being that the marathon was formerly the National marathon and was associated with the military. You will find quite a number of military banners and a lot of support for the military by spectators. Mile 22 to Mile 26.2 Mile 22 to the finish line is an absolute test of strength, both physical and psychological, after the punishing hills. Mile 23 cuts through the Fort Dupont park and as you approach mile 24, you approach the Greenway neighborhood. A straight stretch takes you to mile 25 where you run a circle and now approach the Anacostia River towards the finish line. The crowds are larger here after running through the various parks and once past the river, the Robert Kennedy Stadium (DC United soccer stadium) is in sight at mile 26. The finish is close to the DC armory, a familiar sight, where the expo was held the day/s before the marathon. Treats After The Marathon... Once past the finish line, there is an official photographer who takes a post run picture of you. A volunteer hands you a finisher medal. Ask one of them to take a picture of you if you have been running with your smartphone and you do not have anyone close to the finish line, just like I did. As you keep walking from the finish line, you are offered bottled water, Gatorade and chocolate milk for rehydration. There are bananas and pretzels too. It's then time to collect your marathon clear bag from the UPS trucks. They place the bags under your last name and bib number so the bags are easy to retrieve. - once you pick up your goodie bag, you then go back to the main tent to pick up your marathon finisher jacket. You are allowed to wear a sample one before picking your jacket but for some reason, they don't allow you to exchange the jacket once you have picked it up. You have to tear off a tab from your bib to get the jacket. - There is also a place where they give you a free alcoholic beer. You need ID and be over 21 to enter the enclosed place. They are very strict about the ID. No ID no entry! - There is a lot of entertainment at the finish line with featured bands playing live music. - Leaving for home/hotel is easy. Since you were at the expo the day or two before, you shall use the same station to go back to your respective hotel. Use the smartcard if possible. The metro is crowded but you'll be in the company of other runners so there will not be any awkwardness. There are regular trains so the wait is not as bad. The Race Photos The race photos were processed by marathonphoto. The race photos were ready after about 3-4 days which was very impressive. The photos are pricey and budget wise are not for the faint hearted but the memories are well worth it. The photos capture you at various stages of the race and at the finish line.
D. F. from Baltimore, Maryland (3/18/2016) "Great time at RnR DC" (about: 2016) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I hadn't run the RnR DC race since 2012. This was pretty well run. I got to the start pretty early in the morning and there was still some setup to do but plenty of porta-pots to do your business. Half marathoners and marathoners start at the same time, so marathoners have to watch their pace a little bit. Cons: Not a lot of signage on where gear check was or where to go when leaving the Metro. Gear check drop off was a couple of blocks away from the start and a good distance away from jacket pickup after gear pickup. Not too many signs to direct you. Strange part of the course took you into and industrial park, just not a lot of scenery from 16-18. Pros: Great course, some nasty hills at mile 6-7 and from miles 21-24, but it was it was. Well stocked fluid stations. Good support from spectators. Great looking jacket for marathon finishers. Nice looking medal Decent food and drinks at the end. I missed the headliner band. I signed up to run the marathon next year as well. Train for some hills.
A. S. from Wisconsin (3/15/2016) "Great course, well organized, fun!" (about: 2016) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Great course, well-organized, and fun event. Excellent volunteers! First time running DC so coming from out of town was a treat. Marathon had everything we needed. Complaints about the hill at mile 6 are silly. Hill is not that bad at all but it is the toughest part of the first half. Go a little further and the hills at miles 21 through 26 are a bit worse (make you work a little more). Overall a very good mix of flat/hill so no complaints here. I'm not a follower of the rock and roll series of marathons and was simply looking for something different. This run fit perfectly. Well done! Would definitely do it again!
R. H. from Midwest USA (5/12/2015) "Good Marathon To Run" (about: 2015) 50+ previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I enjoyed this marathon despite the unfortunate timing of mother nature to greet us with a cold, rainy, somewhat windy day. Despite the weather, most of us bundled up and enjoyed the race. The race was well organized. We received very informative emails prior to the race. The packet pickup on Thursday went very smoothly. The expo was fairly large with a good variety of running items being offered. The race started on time and the release of each wave was timely. There were plenty of water stations and the volunteers did a great job of serving us. They provided a very nice t-shirt for participating, but the real bonus was receiving a terrific jacket for finishing the marathon. The medal was pretty decent also. We did a lot of walking prior to and after the race which is what I would expect for a race that had around 18,000 participants. We had to hike a few blocks to get to the drop bag trucks. After the race, we walked a few more blocks to retrieve the bags, and then another quarter to a half mile to get to the Metro. As for the Metro, be smart and purchase your Metro card the day before otherwise you'll be waiting in a huge line after the race to buy a card so you can get on the Metro. The food after the race was good enough, especially the chocolate milk. The course is fairly scenic with several good glimpses of the nation's Capitol. As others have written, it's a rolling hills type of course with a long uphill climb in the Rock Creek area and a steep hill around mile 23 or 24 that many walked. In summary, I would recommend this race as the course was good with Capitol views and other scenic views such as the Rock Creek area, the volunteers were great, t-shirt, jacket, and medal were definitely keepers, and you get to run at our nation's capital.
Christopher Loza from Arlington, VA (3/17/2015) "Used to be good marathon before Rock n Rollization" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 3 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon)s COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I last ran the National Marathon in 2010. Then it was a positive experience. The start was by the armory, and you could stay indoors until real close to the start. The RnR organization came in, moved the start so they could charge an extra $90 for pre-race and post-race shelter. The course now has a LOT more turns than it had then, adding significantly to the effective distance run over the course of the marathon. Also the pace group leaders did not seem to account for this. Also, RnR cut back drastically on the number of pace groups provided. I was hoping for a 3:15 pace group, but the only options for me were 3:10 and 3:30. The 3:10 pace group had three pace leaders - why not have just one as the National did and spread the volunteers over other increments. I had to let the pace group go after 22 miles, but after analyzing my results afterwards, I'm sure there were a lot of disappointed folks who stuck with them hoping to qualify for Boston. When I let them go at mile 22, they were at perfect 7:15 pace. Unfortunately, this was according to my GPS watch. The effective distance I ran was 26.6 miles. All that weaving and wide turns add up. They apparently didn't account for this unless they expected everyone to drop to 6:30 pace for the last 4+ miles. The race itself was well organized. RnR definitely turned this into a much bigger race than in the past. For me, that's actually a negative. The first half was ridiculously crowded until the 1/2 marathoners broke off. If I run this marathon again, it will only be because I'm local. I would definitely not travel for this event. If I don't get into Marine Corps in the fall, my alternate will definitely not be a RnR event.
S. W. from Washington, DC (3/17/2015) "RUN away from this marathon" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon) COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 1 FANS: 1 This was my 5th marathon and worst run. Pittsburgh, Boston and USMC were exceptionally well run. The Rock and Roll marathon was a disaster. Their race director should not have that job. They changed the course a month out to add a massive hill at mile 22. The course itself was .3 miles longer than 26.2. Bag drop and pick-up were incredibly far out of the way and poorly organized. The finish area was disaster. Bananas were hard and green, gatorade needed scissors to open (none on hand) and then you needed to walk almost a mile to metro up narrow steps and around the armory & for which you then waited over 35 minutes to even get into the metro station. Total cluster. The roads were blocked off so ubers and taxi were not an option home. Also no post race communication.

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Marathon Details - Rock 'n' Roll USA Marathon (formerly the National Marathon)