Potomac River Run Marathon - Race Reviews

A very affordable low-key marathon, with a great organization. The course along the canal is great, and the double out-and-back makes it easy to keep track of time and effort. Plenty of water along the course. Now, if only the Race Director had supernatural powers and could control the weather. Wow, was it ever hot.

This is a no frills race-No time chip, the shirt went straight to Good Will, my kid's T-ball participation medal was better than this one. But hey- it's not expensive and it's not crowded either! The course is an out and back times two on hard dirt packed towpath/trail or hard packed pebbles- so it was easy on the joints; 100% flat/ no inclines. The path is shaded most of the way. My plantar fasciitis was not an issue during or after the race :) There was water & Gatorade every 3miles with accommodating volunteers. The finish line was well stocked with DD bagels and cream cheese, bananas, PowerGels, PowerBars (20g protein!) and no food line! If you need a bunch of bling to run 26.1, this is not for you. This one feels like a friendly training run along the C&O Canal with a free FOOD table to hang out at the end.

I ran the marathon this morning May 4,2014. I enjoyed the race. The only thing I didn't like there seemed to not be enough water stations. Or it just seemed long between distances

I ran this strictly to get a BQ time, so I was less focused on having fun as on getting a certain result. Even so I enjoyed myself thoroughly. This race is limited to 300 people, and uses old-school timing, so it has the feel of small locally organized 5k. The RD is very nice and as an accomplished marathoner and experienced RD, he knows his stuff. Thus, the race was USAT approved, well staffed, and well organized. I could have used one more aid station at the end, but otherwise I got just enough water, gatorade and encouragement from spectators. As others have commented, the race is on hard-packed trail and has 2 out/back loops. I had pre-race concerns that I would loose time on the softer surface or get mentally fatigued by the repetition. Neither was the case. I would definitely run this again!

I had a terrible experience at RNR USA and was looking for a low key 'redemption' race. The website said the race was full, but I called Jay Wind (the RD) and he said, 'yeah, sure, no problem, just fill out the entry and mail me a check.' He was SO accommodating and so friendly. The race was VERY low key:  no chip (kind of unheard of today, even for 5Ks!) but the field was small so you crossed the start line seconds after the race started. The course is 2 out and backs  one side is the C&O Canal and the other is the Potomac River. Very pretty. It's mostly packed gravel but was uneven at parts. Not a lot of spectators but the ones that were out were very loud and friendly! Awesome volunteers, too. If you are looking for a big race with lots of pomp and circumstance, this isn't for you. If you are looking for a low key, small field race with a great RD, sign up !

I really want to write a positive review about this lovely marathon. The race director (Jay) is really nice and friendly and kept the runners informed on his webpage and on Facebook. The volunteers were friendly and tried their best to do a good job. But there are a few things that one should know before running this event. If you are looking for a professionaly executed event with very little room for errors and good resources for runners, this is NOT it. On the other hand if you are looking for a very low key, stripped to the bare bone basics event, this is an awesome one to run. You'll love it. The trail is packed dirt but with quite a bit of loose gravel - so it's not so easy on your legs. You run out and back twice which provides some mental breaks but it's not so exciting either. The organizers had the best of intentions yet things were not, how to say it, so professional. Lets start with the fact that the turn around point was placed about 0.04-0.05 miles too far, now multiple this by 4. As a result all mile marks from mile 7 and beyond were not placed at the right spot. Moreover, when I say mile marks I mean a piece of paper placed on the ground. The race had a 6:30AM noncompetitive start and a 7:30AM competitive start. Each of these had full and half marathon runners in them. So the 6.55 (actually 6.60) miles stretch was packed with runners going at all sort of different paces in both directions at each point of this 6 feet wide path. For the most part it wasn't a problem but it was confusing and some points felt a bit crowded. The trail wasn't closed for the marathon and there were other runners and cyclists on it and at one point a group of kids with kayaks were crossing the trail. There were only two water stops on the trail and another one at the start/finish turnaround. It was humid and rather hot and I could use more water. There was no food at the finish line and at some point also no water or Gatorade. You had to walk 1/4 of a mile back to the parking lot to get food and water. No chip time and people who had no business lining up at or near the start line did it anyway. But really nice and friendly event. Perfect for the 50 states people but also for everyone else. I got a nice PR on this flat course.

This was a nice change from the over crowded marathons I usually run. The volunteers were WONDERFUL! Friendly faces from start to finish. Only advice is bring your own water. Some stops are spaced far apart. Thanks for the fun race. Will do it next year.

I just got home from my first experience running this marathon and wanted to post a review. This marathon had the best volunteers I've seen in a long time, they were very accommodating especially at water stations. Every stop was extremely friendly and helpful while filling my water bottle. I found this race while looking for a small race experience after having run Marine Corp Marathon in 2010. If you are looking for a nice, small race that limits the weaving and general chaos of a large event, this is it. This year had a limit of 300 runners combined for marathon and half-marathon. It offered a 6:15am and 7:15am start, whichever a runner preferred. The course itself was an out-and-back 2 times on the C&O canal trail, which did get boring. The C&O trail is packed dirt/gravel so it was important to watch where you are going. Additionally, the trail was still open to the general public which did get frustrating when approaching large groups of walkers or having bikers come up on you. I was disappointed in the spectators but can write that off to being such a small race. There was very little cheering, until the end. It was the quietest race I ran, which gave it a long run day feel. Overall, I will definitely consider doing this race again! A small race that supports a worthy cause! This was a low-drama race with great volunteers!

Jay does a great job of personalizing this small marathon. The course is out and back twice - I thought I would find that annoying but actually it provides an excellent sense of how much, and what, is to come. The aid stations are staffed by enthusiastic volunteers but much of the course is pretty desolate (though beautiful) - if you need lots of cheering crowds this is not the race for you. The entire run is on packed dirt trail and is much easier on the legs that most road races.

Jay puts a lot of effort into personalizing this event. After meeting me at the expo, he greeted me by name at the race, at the turn around and at the end. It was a nice touch! The course is flat and shady, which was fortunate as it was very, very hot. I had been warned to bring my own water bottle and I am very glad I did. There were coolers allowing for refills, which I needed as the water spots were pretty spread out. The volunteers were helpful! The layout of the race is not conducive to easy viewing, so it was a very Zen run. I will have to say that the runners were very accommodating. I'm not sure if it was due to the heat, or the camaraderie of a small race, but people were checking on each other as they passed. I would recommend this race to anyone who wants a break from the cast of thousands that show up in Chicago, NY, Boston, etc.

It was a saving grace to run on the towpath this weekend! And I'm just as thankful for the early start and the few drops of rain around mile 22. I've done this race on the Mt. Vernon bike path and the towpath now, finding that I really like double out-and-backs. Organization was good; the RD kept us posted; packet pickup the morning of was a little chaotic, but not so bad when all you had to do was walk over to the start and go. We could have used another aid station Sunday, but the ones out there were well stocked, and even managed to get ice for the runners. Great volunteers as well! Shade from the trees along the towpath helped, as did the little bit of cooling that happened as the path got closer to the river. There was plenty of food at the finish and plenty of choices (pizza, fruit, chips, drinks). I didn't use the ride service between Carderock and Rosslyn, but I appreciate the fact that it was offered. I liked the T-shirt, and was just disappointed that my finisher medal looked exactly like my 2006 finisher medal. But Sunday I was there for the experience, not the medal.

A very nice, low-key, small race - only 200 runners. There was beautiful scenery along the Potomac River. The race ran down and back twice on the towpath. It was so amazingly flat - what a great run for speed. It was a really hot day, so many of us were struggling. I highly recommend. The reward ceremony at the end of the race was great. Jay, the director, gave away gift certificates to everyone who ran. Great stuff - like $25.00 off at restaurants and running stores, and many others worth much more. I had a great time. Thanks!

I ran the half. This year will be my 4th time in 5 years and I hope to run it every year. I like how it's organized with a runner being able to start whenever they are ready. The course is smooth and very scenic. This race will continue to grow in popularity as the word gets out. I plan to to have two friends from Jersey travel here to join me in the 2010 run. Great job!

I ran the half, and it began drizzling around 6 a.m. and continued to do so throughout the morning. This was my first half and I thought the rain would suck. LOL! It didn't! It was in the high 50s when I started (around 6:30), but it was very humid that day. The light rain kept runners from getting overheated as the temperature rose. The race was well-organized, despite the permit problems with NPS. Packet pick-up was easy, the classes were informative, and the carb-loading dinner was good. The course was REALLY nice and, despite what a previous poster wrote, the hills were MINIMAL (though doing them twice, as the full marathoners did) would have been a bit daunting)! All in all, I really enjoyed the race. It was a REALLY good one for a first-timer. I hope I can do it again next year! :)

This race traditionally has bad weather. Last year's race was cold and extremely windy. This year's race featured a very heavy downpour of rain, which was constant. Granted, no one can control the weather, but if you are taking your hard-earned marathon training to a race, you might want to pick one that gives you a better shot at decent weather. The real problem this year was the "open start," which permitted runners to start whenever they wanted to, within a 90-minute window from 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. I'm guessing that the race was forced into this to comply with its permit from the National Park Service (the race is on federal land) and thus have a lower impact on the trail and its "regular" users. What makes this an "AVOID" is that this race was already small. Staggering the runners over a 90-minute start period virtually guaranteed that you'll be running all by yourself with absolutely no other runner in sight. I guess if you like lonely, solitary training runs, then this would be the marathon for you. Add the somewhat difficult course (hills, sharp turns, etc.) and you are certainly not going to run a PR on this course or, if you did, you could have done five minutes faster somewhere else. Bottom line: this marathon is best suited for a certain runner - a loner who: (1) does not need to see other runners; (2) does not need any spectator support; (3) is willing to take a substantial risk on horrible weather; and (4) excels on a difficult course. If that's you, then this race is well-organized and a perfect match. If not, look elsewhere.

I've only run in large races (Marine Corps, Chicago), so this was a very different experience. The out-and-back-and-out-and-back course was kind of nice - you knew what was coming up next! The race director and support staff were fantastic - very informative and organized. The downside is that the course is lonely - although I managed to catch up with a runner from Kansas City and chatted with him for several miles, which helped me through those tough mid-miles. There were a few long slopes, which made the course a bit of a challenge, but the scenery did make up for it. Overall, a great experience!

Despite personally crashing, I have great praise for this event especially RD Jay. His emails were plentiful, informative, and motivating and the organization was quite solid. Packet pick-up, parking, aid stations, getting results, etc. weren't additional challenges. (OK, there were long lines for bathrooms!) As always, God bless all the volunteers! Yes, the course IS a bit tedious with the double back-and-forth and the inclines do add up, but... the size of the field and the course design make it possible for family/friends to *personally* cheer you on at multiple places. That's worth a million! And, locals can conveniently train on the actual course. There was a little bit of congestion at the first turn-around with all the half-marathoners (and, en route, with some of the Early Bird-ers and non-competitors), but I never felt impeded like you can in the mega races. If you don't mind 'missing out' on bumping elbows with a few thousand of your fellow marathoners, this might be a great race to try. 'The marathon can humble you.' ~ Bill Rodgers

This was first Potomac River Run Marathon and wow it was awesome! I love the smaller race crowd and how the race organization was very personable. This marathon was my slowest, yet it was the most scenic and friendliest of all. I have another marathon in 3 weeks, so slow was fine with me. I think my time slowed a bit more than usual as I at the scenic beauty. I was truly pleased with everything that this marathon offered. Even though the host hotel was not prepared for the pasta horde, the race director had extra pizza to share with everyone. I met two runners (Chet & Mark) in the morning while waiting for the shuttle and saw them throughout the course. Great job you guys! Thank you to all the volunteers and race staff for one of the best marathon running experiences.

This is a lovely, low stress (as much as one can apply that term to long distance running) race with friendly folks, beautiful views, and just enough challenging hills to make it interesting. The course is a multi-use bike trail which runs along the Potomac River from Alexandria to just before Mt. Vernon. I did the half which does this course out and back; the full marathon does the out and back twice which I would think to be very challenging mentally. Race morning dawned sunny and cold. The headwinds really picked up during the 'back' portion of my run. By the time I finished, there were white caps on the Potomac and I was very glad I wasn't doing the full marathon. In fact several events scheduled for that same day in the D.C./Maryland area including the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Walk were cancelled due to the high winds. The race only has about 600 total participants and fills up early, so plan ahead. The race director Jay Wind was very helpful and accessible. What other race do you know where the race director will actually post his personal number on the website and then answer his cell phone during warmups to give some poor lost runner directions to the start!? (Yes, this actually happened.) Parking is convenient to the site- no logistically nightmares here. Good course support along the way - no spectators except for the volunteer crews, but they were plentiful and encouraging. Only a couple of things I would mark the race down on - very few mile markers on the course - I have a GPS which will give me my distance, but for those without, there aren't too many clues. Also not too many portapotties, but since the number of runners was low, the lines were short. Shirt and medal were average. Overall, this was a good race experience which I would look forward to doing again.

I've done 5 Marine Corps and I thought the 14th street bridge was murder until now. This Potomac marathon takes the cake with all the little hills and frigid cold. The random non-racers coming up behind me were aggravating since I thought they were competitive runners. The constant little hills just beat the heck out of me. All in all it was a brutal marathon and a great challenge which is why we do this in the first place.

This was my first marathon and I loved it. Beautiful scenery and everyone was so friendly and cheering everyone on. I would recommend it to anyone.

This is a very beautiful course that parallels the river. There are not many flat parts, and the hills (not huge) will wear you down. The double out-and-back is VERY mentally difficult. The only spectators are at the finish. The finisher medal is on the crappy side. This marathon was fairly well organized, but I would not run it again. It felt like I woke up, and decided to run 26.2 miles by myself.

I thought this was a great event for a first-time marathon runner. I liked the fact that there were not thousands of people running it. Although the event wasn't huge, I certainly didn't feel like I was running alone. I thought the course struck a good balance as far as hills are concerned. It certainly wasn't flat, but the hills weren't too steep; however, if your training for this includes NO hills, I think you will notice the difference that even a slight hill can make. Each break station had water and a Gatorade-type drink and I thought there were plenty of them. There were not "throngs" of people cheering; however, as a first-time runner I wasn't really looking for that. There were some people here and there that were very friendly and cheered as I ran by. Jay Jacob Wind is the race director and he was very friendly and helpful. I contacted him several months before the race and he was always very prompt with responses to my questions. The course includes many shady sections and a couple times you are running right along the water. You go into the woods a couple times but you are always on a paved path. There are a couple of wooden bridges which were a nice change from the asphalt. I didn't think the views were amazing, but it was a pleasant course overall. If I lived nearby I would probably choose that location as my jogging route. I ran this race with five of my best friends and I really can't emphasize enough what a great time we had. The race was small enough that we saw each other as we made the various turns and the park was a nice place for us to hang out after. I think this race is a great alternative to a "monster sized" marathon like Boston or New York. It kind of had a small-town feel to it, which I really liked (this was largely thanks to the interest Jay Wind clearly has in making this race a success). Despite the small-town feel the race was well organized. The race instructions were very clear about where to meet and where to park. The only improvement item for the next year would be the mile markers. I found out after that there were mile markers; however, I don't remember hearing about them before the race started and I was a little confused as to which numbers were for our race. It wasn't a huge deal because the course is broken into four 6.4-mile sections (you run over the same ground four times). I liked this set-up because it allowed me to mentally attack each "section." It also made the mile marker issue not that big of a deal. I think this is something that is easily fixable and I imagine Jay will have this ironed out next year. One of my friends did the race in a wheelchair. I will warn any wheelchair runners that the wooden bridges make this a much tougher race for those in a wheelchair. There were two people in wheelchairs running the race. Both of them finished, but they both commented that the bridges were a challenge (there are little gaps between the wooden boards which aren't an issue if you are running over them, but they are a challenge for wheelchair tires). I ran the course in three hours and 32 minutes. Since it was my first marathon, I have no idea how that will stack up to my future times. Overall I really enjoyed this event and I would definitely run it again.

I ran the half-marathon. The course is out and back along the same paved bike path. The course was very scenic. Parts of the course, you got a great view of the Potomac. There were lots of trees, so plenty of shade. We were lucky the temperature was cooler than expected. I did the early bird start and am glad there was that option. It did get warmer later in the day and there were a few spots unshaded, so I was glad I wore my running visor. The course had a bit of rolling hills, not bad at all (I train in San Francisco though:)). Jay Jacob Wind was really helpful. I had some specific questions about the race and he was really prompt in getting back to me. There were 5 water stations with water and Ultima. Since it was an out and back that really meant 10. There were few spectators, but they were very enthusiastic. Some suggestions for next year: There were a total of 4 places for bathrooms. The places that had only porta-potties there was only 1 porta-potty. I waited at least 5 minutes, which was really frustrating. I think adding 1 extra porta-potty at Alexandria Ave and Fort Hunt Park would be great. The mile markers were really small and it was in red/orange color and off to the right side. I didn't see my first mile marker until mile 5. By that time, my splits were completely off. Since it was an out and back race, I know they had to label 2 sets of numbers each way. I'm sure the park would not appreciate huge chalked numbers all over the paved path. I think it would have been helpful to warn us ahead of time that the numbers were orange and off to the right side and small, so I would have been looking out for them. There were also laminated cards with numbers, but these numbers were not in the same location as the chalked numbers and were really different from the chalked numbers, so didn't know if I was suppose to go by them or not. I didn't give the course a 5 because there were quite a few walkers and bikers that you had to dodge. I almost ran into a couple walking because I was trying to avoid some bikers. Overall, it was a good race. If I'm ever in the area during that time of the year, I would run this race again.

What a great site for a marathon! This double out and back loop runs along the Potomac River from Alexandria to Mount Vernon on the paved bike path. It is NOT flat, but the hills are manageable, but frequent. Your legs will feel it by the end. Not many spectators, but the double loop allows for plenty of water stops. You can't beat the scenery, with the Potomac River and its denizens steps from the path. It's glorious! Don't expect to PR, although I did on an unseasonably cool day in May. Count on some shade as the path winds through the trees for some extended stretches. That helps, given the late season timing of this race. All in all, a lovely course, not overcrowded, plenty of race support, just not many fans. I'd run it again in a heartbeat...

I ran the half marathon. It's not as flat as advertised! (No worries, it's all part of the fun) However, the weather was perfect for race day. Would have preferred better signage notating 1/2 marathon and full marathon finish (other than a cardboard sign w/ black writing...hard to read when you're concentrated on finishing). I like the technical race shirt, but there were too many sponsors listed on it (perhaps list only MAJOR sponsors for next year's shirt?). Organization was great...shuttles from/to host hotel were great too. (A better PA system @ the start line is needed for race announcements (the RD was very hard to hear, and I was 4-5 rows back! (didn't directly speak into bullhorn)). I'll telling my running buddies about this one!

I found the mile markers hard to see (red paint on asphalt), and the course was too crowded with people out enjoying the nice day. Maybe a better race in lousier weather when the bike trail is less heavily used.

Everything was just perfect for a marathon. It had everything that anyone would need.

The course was scenic. But very poorly marked. Oftentimes, I had no idea how many miles I had to go. There were cards with mileage numbers on them at various places, but these were incorrect. There also seemed to be too few refreshment stands. No gel was available. Also, there was so much stuff going on at once (i.e. half-marathon, early bird starters), it was hard to tell what was going on in terms of the race. And last but not least - the race director said the results would be posted "by nightfall." But night has fallen and has since past and still no results yet.

...not only did the weather cooperate, but the race managed to draw a fast pack of runners from Ethiopia and Kenya as well as Zupan and his friends ('Murderball'). I ran the 1/2 marathon; the race is a double loop for the full marathon.

If you can, train on the course. Trail markers are posted, but they do not match the race mile markers.

I actually ran the half-marathon, which is the first loop of the two-loop marathon course, so I hope my comments help people considering running either the marathon or the half. The course was the same as 2004 and it has some really lovely views and it is entirely run along the Mount Vernon Bike Trail. I frankly enjoy the views and like to train there and have run numerous races there. The trail is mostly asphalt, with some wooden bridges and a couple small street crossings. There are a couple good hills - I tend to like hills and these are challenging. You run by a lot of historic 'stuff' and there is plenty of shade. This year there were more spectators, since the race management team had put out a spectators' guide and encouraged them out. This year had a 'laughter' warm up, which I thought was a nice touch. Even though, as I said, I was running the half-marathon, I remember all the times I have stood at marathon start lines feeling some jitters and I could see a couple runners who seemed to have them. The laughter leader really helped anyone with that issue get over it - everyone did their real warm-up and then came to the start for the laughter warm-up and the recorded anthem. Finisher medals are given to all finishers of either the marathon or the half. The t-shirt is one you would actually want to wear, as it is a Sports Science shirt (not cotton) and has reflective ink. Btw, if for any reason you set out to run the full marathon but feel it is not a good day for you, you can bag at the half marathon finish line and decide on the fly. In such a small race, the finish line people are going to be very savvy about who finished what race. My only criticism of the race is that with various people finishing at different times it is a little difficult to ferry finishers back to their hotel 'right now.' If you don't bring your own wheels, you may have to wait a little long for a ride. To me, the park is nice and it is worth it. You should carpool to this race, or, if you are a local and have a good friend who is willing to get up early, you should get dropped off or picked up. There are not a lot of parking spaces. I carpooled to the start and it was fine - no problem getting a parking space - but people who can should do that to make sure there are spaces for all. Btw, I think a 200-person race is a nice switch. It's fun to chat. It's very homey and small enough to be friendly.

First of all, in the interest of full disclosure, I've volunteered at this race the past two years. [That was me by the clock at the Riverside Park turn-around in 2004, and this year, I used my truck to drop off all non-H2O supplies at the water station.] So I *may* be biased. But this year, I also did the full 26.2, and I'm glad I did. It was my 9th race, and not my best marathon (&$%@#& orthotics!), but the race is a gem, and one day will be famous as *the* spring marathon in the DC area. As folks have mentioned, the course is a double-out-and-back along the Mount Vernon Trail, a paved bike path leading South from Alexandria to Mount Vernon. Unlike many riverside bike paths (and unlike sections of the MVT further north), this part has small, rolling hills over 2/3 of its length. In my opinion, this can be worse than a few larger hills, because folks respect larger hills. With small hills (which you hit 4 times each on this course), you tend to tear up them, and race down them, both tiring yourself out and tearing up your quads. The course is beautiful, but it is not easy - nor flat. The MVT parallels a 4-lane parkway to Mount Vernon, but there are not that many places for spectators to turn off and find parking. So there aren't throngs of cheering fans. But instead, where the trail veers away from the parkway, you run through nature preserves, and lots of shade from the May sun. Very scenic, expecially some of the AM views over the Tidal Potomac River. Moreover, the trail is not closed during the race, and especially later in the morning, there are casual joggers and cyclists sharing the trail with you. But not as many as I would have thought. However, where this race shines is in runner support (and not just because I had a hand in providing it). There are six water stations along the 6.5 mile course, meaning for the full, double-out-and-back you hit a water station 24 times in 26.2 miles. In addition to Drinkmore water and Ultima, there was Honest-T Tea, XS energy drink, Fig Newtons, and probably a lot of other things that I didn't even pay attention too. The race volunteers are runners, too, and they supplement the official race supplies with things *they* would want to have in the middle of a marathon. Finally, for all the penguins out there, that support continues until the end. There is an early start, 30 minutes before the main start. But thanks to a late (for me) start after getting all the supplies out to the water stations, and also to an injury (&*%$^&#@ orthotics!) that had me walking the last 5 miles of the race, I was the last person to cross the finish line. Still, the organizers knew *exactly* who was still out on the course late into the race, and followed my progress through the last few water stations. At the end, the course marshal and the race director came out to walk in with me the last half mile, and the medical team was there at the end, to make sure it really was the &*$^&% orthotics, and not something more serious. I hope that this race grows in size, as DC needs a quality *local* spring marathon on its calendar. But I hope that it doesn't lose its support of runners and quality organization in the process of growing. Despite my own personal circumstances leading to a sub-par performance, a great little marathon. Thanks, Jay!

This was my first marathon and it was a fabulous experience! Hats off to the race director - Jay! The course is on a beautiful nature trail and consists of two up-and-back loops at 13.1 miles per up/back. The half-marathoners stop after one loop and the marathoners do a second loop. On the way up, the course tends to be more up-hilly then on the way down. Overall not too challenging. It is easy to figure out the more tiring areas after the first loop. By the second loop you are prepared and know what to expect. The fans and other participants were great! It is very convenient to park and have your family/friends meet you at certain miles to cheer you on. The race is not far from DC; so a nice weekend can be made out of the event too. I was very nervous since this was my first marathon but found myself not tired or sore afterwards. A challenging but not killer course. Would do it again for sure!

Congratulations to Mr. Wind and his folks for putting together a wonderful, small marathon. Five-star course for scenery and variety of terrain. Five stars for organization. Keep in mind that this is a small marathon set up by fellow runners, not corporate event coordinators. Things are informal, no frills, casual, and friendly. There will not be legions of support personnel waiting to walk you through every step of the marathon. Five stars for spectators, although there aren't many along the route whose sole purpose it is to cheer for runners. Instead, you've got folks out on their weekend run, grandparents walking along the river, and the occasional duck or heron all wishing you well and Godspeed along the way. On that note, runners must pay attention on the bike path for bikers, baby strollers, and local residents enjoying their bike path. Everyone was polite, but you need to keep your eyes open and share the trail. If you remember what it was like when you just ran to have fun, this is the marathon for you. Again, great job by Mr. Wind and crew, thanks for a fun marathon.

From the convenient location to the interesting course, as a new marathoner, I gained many benefits from this experience. The one I keep going back to (which will be hard to find in another marathon) is being able to pre-acquaint myself with the course and thus because of its nearby location, I was able to memorize where the harder parts of the marathon would be for me - AHEAD OF TIME! What a bonus! It may never happen again but it sure gave me the edge to feel good out there the whole way! Thanks, Jay!

I would like to thank Jay Wind and the rest of the race organizers for pulling this event off. It was orginally scheduled to be run in Arlington. I'm glad Arlington County declined so that it was run on an alternate course that was on a bike path that followed along the Potomac River in Alexandria for much of the race. A deceptively challenging course (but not that hard), but a blast nonetheless. Good support, nice medal, nice Dri-Release shirt (so I can actually use it). My only recommendation - Don't change a thing! Loved it!