With Marines fully organizing and manning this race, a full mile dedicated to fallen service men and women and a course that weaves its way through the monuments of Washington DC, this race truly feels as if it's about something more than running.

This is the second time I've run the Marine Corps Marathon and I love every second of it. The race is very well organized (I mean they ARE Marines!) and the crowd and course support is fantastic. I stayed at a hotel in Rosslyn and was able to walk to the starting area and back to my hotel after the finish (which is a HUGE plus since the metro & shuttle lines were crazy long!).

This is a great race for spectators as well - because of the ease of the public transportation and the way the course loops around certain areas, my husband was able to see me 6 times during the race, including right before the hill to the finish!

This is a challenging course with the first 3 miles all uphill, several out and back portions, and a cutoff time to "beat the bridge" at mile 20, but the scenery is great - make sure to try to take it all in! With temperatures a bit warmer this year than when I ran it in 2013, I found myself wishing for a few more water stops, but I did take advantage of the munchkin stop at mile 24 - who can say no to a mid race munchkin!

The Marine Corps Marathon is an amazing race that I would recommend to any runner - I especially think it would make a great first marathon!