Marathon Details - C&O Canal Towpath Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > DC > Washington > C&O Canal Towpath Marathon

C&O Canal Towpath Marathon

C&O Canal Towpath Marathon & Half Marathon

Washington, DC USA

September 29, 2019

http://www.altisendurance.com

Marathon Results

By Year:

2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Four loops of 3.28 scenic miles of the C&O Canal Towpath alongside the Potomac River in NW DC.

Contact Information

Name:	Frank Dembia
Address:	412 Hillsmere Drive Annapolis, MD 21403
Phone Number:	3606075970
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (3)

Course 4.0

Organization 4.3

Spectators 3.3

Write a review

Number of comments: 3

A. K. from DC (11/23/2018) "Great, low-stress race" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 C&O Canal Towpath Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 Recovering from an injury, I wanted to find a race that was low stress and would allow me to just meet my goal of finishing. For $75, it was a good deal compared to most races. The morning of the race, I slept past my alarm and arrived just 5 minutes before start time. I was able to get my bib quickly and start my race 2 minutes behind the others. Volunteers were easy and helpful, making it simple for my to quickly get out there without getting too stressed. The course itself was as expected--four out and backs on a flat, narrow path. The number of runners overall were not much of a problem except when there were large, icy puddles. It was those moments that runners would lose their stride. Additionally, there were a few marathoners or half marathoners with bad etiquette, running as pairs and blocking passing lanes. Additionally, I hadn't quick anticipated that I would trip on rocks as much as I would. Toward the end of the race, when my legs were tired, I tripped and wiped out. Finally, the weekend bikers weren't the most considerate bunch. The advantage, however, with course and its four laps was that I could shed my layers while passing the volunteers at the start, easily adjusting from the 30F start to the 40F temperature at the finish. Additionally, the course is on a beautiful path by the Potomac River, an area that has always been my favorite place to run. The volunteers were the best I've had--ever! The knew what they were doing, supportive, and had a wide range of fuel (bananas, oranges, potato chips). Even the Gatorade was the right consistency, preventing stomach aches. Finally, the fellow marathon runners were excellent companions during the race. Other than a few issues mentioned about, which is in the category of 'mildly annoying' rather than 'deal-breaker,' the runners were supportive of each other, cheering each other on toward the end, and complementary at the finish. The small race of 80 made it more like a community. And my sister was running the half, so giving her high-fives along the way made it fun. I left the race feeling good about what I accomplished--even if it was just for fun and far off my PR. This small race got me back on track and focused on my next, more competitive race in the future.
E. S. from USA (11/13/2017) "$90 seems expensive for a no-frills race" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 3 I grew up in the DC area. Like many locals, I really love running along the C&O canal. I had an accidental PR on another canal marathon a few backs and I was able to shave that PR time a little more at this event. From that perspective, I really loved the event. That said, for $90 you get a bib, below average cotton short-sleeve t-shirt, and a lightweight tin (?) medal. They don't have any prizes for age group winners or otherwise and definitely no post-race party, food, etc. The race directors were friendly and responsive to emails. Before the race, I asked them about the course for pushing for a PR. They responded back quite honestly that there are probably better PR courses, but I thought I would give it a try. In hindsight, while I did PR, this course was much tougher than I realized for reasons I did not fully anticipate. First, I am not sure if there is a completely flat part of the race. It felt like you were either on a small incline or a small decline the entire race. I have seen elevation gain for the event stated at between 150 ft to 500 ft. I have no idea what it actually was. Second of all, they run the race between two points on the canal 6.55 miles apart from each other which means you have eight 180 degree turns (they start in the middle, so you have to get all eight in!). In addition, there are a lot of other runners on the course for the event (as well as weekend users of the trailer) and they allow headphones so people are clueless and running two across not listening for runners behind them so you have to weave in and out around other runners (both directions). There must have also been some rain in the last few days because there were puddles on the course so you not only had to weave around other runners but around and between runners and puddles. As much as I love the PR and I love running along the C&O Canal, I don't think I would pay $90 for this no-frills race. It seems like for $90 they could do a little more for the runners.
K. M. from US (3/13/2017) "Great fun!" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 C&O Canal Towpath Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I was wondering about all of the back and forth but it was actually fun. After a bit you greeted other runners on the up and back. The other runners were very supportive and the volunteers enthusiastic. A great marathon if you want your family to cheer you on (many times)! The snacks were great. a great qualifier for the Boston Marathon if that is your goal. Liked the real bathrooms at the start. It was a little hard to get a ride out but that is not the fault of the marathon. The organizers were enthusiastic and accommodating. It was an easy, great experience...