Marine Corps Marathon - RunMarathon

I started off slow, but you really did not have much of a choice with the crowds. The first few miles felt good and I decided to pick up the pace just a little bit. I started taking 1 minute walk breaks every mile and this helped with the faster pace.

The changes to the course this year where it heads up Canal Road instead of through Georgetown results in more hills. It is a little tougher, but nothing too bad. There were not nearly as many spectators along this part, but that was not unexpected. It now runs right by Georgetown Univ. It would be fun to get them into the spirit of this race and turn out in large numbers to support the runners.

The crowds along most of the course were fantastic, there was such a huge turnout. Some areas were so packed and people were screaming so loud that it was deafening. The aid stations had a ton of volunteers handing out water and Powerade. I love the attitude of the Marines working these aid stations. Whether they are calling you sir, barking at you or telling you to keep after it, it is awesome.

Even though I live here and see the monuments all the time, I love the part of this course that runs by them all.

I hit Haines Point and was still feeling pretty good. This is the loneliest stretch of the course. It is from miles 16-19, is exposed to some nasty winds off the water from the Potomac and is hard to get to for spectators. Going out in this loop was not bad, but coming back was into some wind. I started feeling pretty rough around mile 18.5, but worked through it.

You then hit some serious crowds that pump you up before you head onto the 14th street bridge back into Virginia. These crowds turn this into my favorite part of the course. The bridge then seems impossibly long and sucks.

I came off the bridge into mile 20 and started feeling pretty rough. Miles 21 and 22 were spent fighting the cramps and pains that I was starting to feel in my legs. At mile 23 I started getting a pain in my left shin that was really nasty. I have not experienced this before and I just could not find a way to work through it. I slowed down and started walking anything that resembled an incline.

The last three miles were incredibly frustrating as I watched my pace get really slow. Another change to the course this year is that you pass the finish line right after mile 25 and head out and back for the final mile. This was the longest mile ever and was really frustrating. The crowds helped pull me up the hill that is the final few hundred yards to the finish.

I should have either not run this race 8 weeks after an IM or slowed down and made this more of a fun day, which is what I had intended to do.

Even though I drank water and Powerade at every aid station, I was dehydrated. I should have drank more.

This was still a PR for me by 16 minutes for a marathon. I cannot wait to have another shot at it next year and to be better prepared.

I had my finisher photo taken and then waited in the line for food and water and to get out of the finish area. This is one of the most organized and well run races that I have experienced, but the finish area always has some sort of trouble because of the tremendous number of people in this area.

This year you were forced into this narrow chute to pick up food and water. It was horribly backed up and I stood for 15-20 minutes just trying to get through. There was no other way out, people were begging for the fence to be opened up so that they could just leave, but they would not do it. I do appreciate the bags they gave us to hold the bottles of water and pretzels and such. They had a lot more food at the finish last year.

By the time I got through this line I was incredibly stiff and found the first patch of open ground available. I sat down and experienced the worst cramps of my life in my calves, hamstrings and hips. I worked the cramps out and started getting some fluid and food into my body. I finally found my family after a woman let me use her cell phone to call them.


This is an awesome race, one of my favorites. The course is great, the crowd support is incredible and the whole thing is so well run and organized. I would encourage anyone thinking about a marathon to consider this race.