There has to be a limit on the number of events held in the city, maybe one or two a year. Right now it every weekend. Last year one blocked Chain, Key, and Memorial bridges.

I didn't find it as awful as you but I'm not sure I would do it again if the course didn't change. Definitely felt like the race is geared toward the half marathoners, probably because there are so many more of the. And i was a little annoyed the "official race drink" chocolate milk was gone by the time I finished. I guess that's another organizational complaint.

I've run this marathon twice, before it was a Rock n' Roll event, and agree that this race is more geared towards the half marathoners. The course seems better than it has in years past, but you still end up running in warehouse, unattractive parts of DC towards the end of the race, just when you need some better scenery for inspiration. This may be why the "grumpy city" poster feels the way they do. Nothing like running along the broken pavement of the anacostia park to wear you down at the later end of a marathon.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:M, 42, 4:20 marathon. Awful course. After the split from the half we were running warehouse areas and doing loops on Anacostia waterfront and finally ending up on the hilly and deserted Minnesota Ave. by the time I got to the finish area the place was destroyed and they were out of a bunch othings, including chocolate milk. Luckily everyone was gone by then so bag check was a breeze.

I did it this year and thought the course was much better than in the past when it was the National Marathon. Just curious, was this your first time running the race?

First running of a RnR race in DC. Have done them in other cities (Savannah, VA Beach) and they were much better organized events. Never did the National Marathon so I can't compare. Just thought that it was very isolated between miles 20-26, no spectators or anything rooting you on and even if someone wanted to get out there and root you on there was no easy way to get there, except maybe on a bike. Still glad I did it and even happier that the weather turned out to be perfect.

Anonymous wrote:M, 42, 4:20 marathon. Awful course. After the split from the half we were running warehouse areas and doing loops on Anacostia waterfront and finally ending up on the hilly and deserted Minnesota Ave. by the time I got to the finish area the place was destroyed and they were out of a bunch othings, including chocolate milk. Luckily everyone was gone by then so bag check was a breeze.

I did it this year and thought the course was much better than in the past when it was the National Marathon. Just curious, was this your first time running the race?

Anonymous wrote:23:15 again and I do have to say I agree with 22:34 that this is part of living in a great city and all big cities will do this. I just wish it had been for a better race.

But they don't do it all the time. As someone else noted, they seem to come all the time: Rock and Roll, the Cherry Blossom race, other events for the next few months. They need to limit the number of special events that close down whole sections of the city. The Marine Marathon is pretty much iconic, but every other event promoter should draw straws for at most another slot or two each year.

I think there are too many of these events. The Marine Marathon is a classic for Washington and should stay. Beyond that, let the other sponsors rotate their turn for another annual slot. The Rock and Roll (what the heck connection does that have to DC, anyway?) marathon was incredibly disruptive. We waited hours for a tow truck that couldn't get across town. I'd hate to think of ambulances trying to get across Columbia Heights. And the taxpayers would be better served if so many MPD officers weren't deployed (often on overtime) to the event. Next time the DC government should just say no!

Anonymous wrote:

Please tell me where there is a major city where all the homeless are housed.

DC is a majority Black city.

If you're going to insult us and condescend to us, you're welcome to stay away next time. We don't need you.

Cannot wait to come again and see how well your city is looking after itself.
A civilization is measured by how a society looks after its weakest, the old, the infants, disabled and poor.

I welcome you to travel more

Anonymous wrote:M, 42, 4:20 marathon. Awful course. After the split from the half we were running warehouse areas and doing loops on Anacostia waterfront and finally ending up on the hilly and deserted Minnesota Ave. by the time I got to the finish area the place was destroyed and they were out of a bunch othings, including chocolate milk. Luckily everyone was gone by then so bag check was a breeze.

I didn't find it as awful as you but I'm not sure I would do it again if the course didn't change. Definitely felt like the race is geared toward the half marathoners, probably because there are so many more of the. And i was a little annoyed the "official race drink" chocolate milk was gone by the time I finished. I guess that's another organizational complaint.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the condescending take on my hometown. We have one of the most progressive governments in the country, or rather we would if Congress didn't feel a need to overturn our locally enacted laws. Have you ever been through any city? Are there any cities that don't have poverty? And, by the way, while I didn't run the full marathon course this year I did run it two years ago and I didn't think the areas in the second half were that poor. I remember a thriving commercial area and lots of single family homes. Perhaps you are reacting to the fact that it had all those dark faces.

Sorry, I must be grumpy.

Well, with one of the most progressive goverments, I am sure you will find a way to house tge homeless, improve the infrastructure in the poor areas. It really is run down. Of all places in the world, hard to believe what I saw.

You will not solve your troubles by argueing about what poverty is, go and fix it

I thought that area was friendly, compared to the other, and still remember the girl who cheered me on.
Does your city have separate areas for the poor blacks?

Please tell me where there is a major city where all the homeless are housed.

DC is a majority Black city.

If you're going to insult us and condescend to us, you're welcome to stay away next time. We don't need you.

Anonymous wrote:

Thanks for the condescending take on my hometown. We have one of the most progressive governments in the country, or rather we would if Congress didn't feel a need to overturn our locally enacted laws. Have you ever been through any city? Are there any cities that don't have poverty? And, by the way, while I didn't run the full marathon course this year I did run it two years ago and I didn't think the areas in the second half were that poor. I remember a thriving commercial area and lots of single family homes. Perhaps you are reacting to the fact that it had all those dark faces.

Sorry, I must be grumpy.

Well, with one of the most progressive goverments, I am sure you will find a way to house tge homeless, improve the infrastructure in the poor areas. It really is run down. Of all places in the world, hard to believe what I saw.

You will not solve your troubles by argueing about what poverty is, go and fix it

I thought that area was friendly, compared to the other, and still remember the girl who cheered me on.
Does your city have separate areas for the poor blacks?

I ran the half. My first rock n roll. Was not impressed by race organization at all. Had to wait for a water cup to be filled. I was going for a PR so luckily I carried my own water and only needed to stop once. I got very confused at the finish chute. I was sprinting to make my goal and when I went under an inflated orange arc with a timing pad underneath I thought i was done. stopped running and stopped my watch 1 minute short of my PR. Yay. But wait why is everyone still running. Realized I was not at the finish line yet! Sprinted it in and still finished 20 seconds short of my goal but i was pissed. When I came back around to the finish to wait for my husband i saw they had taken down the orange arc. Stupid.

When I crossed the finish line I had to pick up my own medal, get my own water bottle and track down a blanket. My hands were cold so I could not open my water bottle. Took me 10 minutes to find a race staffer who was not too busy trying to take pictures to help me. Then waited 40 minutes at gear check to get my bag. Realized when I got home someone helped themselves to my North Face windbreaker that I decided to check when I realized it would stay dry.


I am doing the Nashville RNR 1/2 in April. Will be curious to see what happens there. I certainly won't be checking a bag.

That said I was grateful for the good weather and the health the God has blessed me with to allow me to do these things.

Run Happy!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how people did not know about the road closures. Whenever I get in my car, I check WTOP traffic, you cannot afford to go anywhere in this town without checking traffic first. It is a mess.

For time, I am 35-F and ran it in 1:51. This was according to MY time. I was not able to cut corners, so I ended up doing 13.3, I stopped my watch at 13.1.

That's not how it works! Your garmin will pretty much always report a course as long bc most people don't run the tangents correctly. Nonetheless, your time is how long it takes you to reach the finish line.

Agreed. First of all garmins can be off by around a tenth of a mile anyway. Race distances always run long because no one runs the tangents completely, not to mention all the weaving around. "Your" time is not a race time and you won't be able to compare it to other races. Its a fiction.

Anonymous wrote:I am delighted to have ruined somones basketball practice!

This time I really enjoyed the race, wasted time standing in line for the portapotties, without that would have made a new personal best.
Weather was great, I had been worried about that.

What a beautiful city you live in. I did the fulland seeing SE DC was an eye opener. I am still wondering how you can have such poverty a stones throw from the wealthy. You are all side by side!

Crowd support is not as good as other places, but you seem to be a grumpy sort city people.

Go to the soup kitchens and feed your homeless. Your 'District' has much bigger worries than some kids sport practice.

Thanks for the condescending take on my hometown. We have one of the most progressive governments in the country, or rather we would if Congress didn't feel a need to overturn our locally enacted laws. Have you ever been through any city? Are there any cities that don't have poverty? And, by the way, while I didn't run the full marathon course this year I did run it two years ago and I didn't think the areas in the second half were that poor. I remember a thriving commercial area and lots of single family homes. Perhaps you are reacting to the fact that it had all those dark faces.

Sorry, I must be grumpy.

Anonymous wrote:I am delighted to have ruined somones basketball practice!

This time I really enjoyed the race, wasted time standing in line for the portapotties, without that would have made a new personal best.
Weather was great, I had been worried about that.

What a beautiful city you live in. I did the fulland seeing SE DC was an eye opener. I am still wondering how you can have such poverty a stones throw from the wealthy. You are all side by side!

Crowd support is not as good as other places, but you seem to be a grumpy sort city people.

Go to the soup kitchens and feed your homeless. Your 'District' has much bigger worries than some kids sport practice.

sorry to burst your bubble, but I don't credit you with making me late for my kid's basketball game. I blame the organizers and the city folks for planning a race through heavily congested residential areas on a Saturday morning. And please don't lecture me on how to help the poor and homeless. The next time you're in town, I'll gladly introduce you to the dinner program in the basement of Sacred Heart Church, just a few blocks north of where you ran on Harvard Street. You can help me serve.

Have a safe trip home to your non-grumpy town.

Anonymous wrote:I don't know how people did not know about the road closures. Whenever I get in my car, I check WTOP traffic, you cannot afford to go anywhere in this town without checking traffic first. It is a mess.

For time, I am 35-F and ran it in 1:51. This was according to MY time. I was not able to cut corners, so I ended up doing 13.3, I stopped my watch at 13.1.

That's not how it works! Your garmin will pretty much always report a course as long bc most people don't run the tangents correctly. Nonetheless, your time is how long it takes you to reach the finish line.