This was my first marathon and it was epic. The expo was a little too mobbed for my taste, but that's what happens when you get 25,000 people running a race. The Marines did an amazing job with the race day logistics - the bag drop, start line, and every water stop were perfectly organized. The course was wonderful, especially running past the monuments of DC. The crowds are incredible, especially the ones standing 4 and 5 deep on the National Mall. The finish of this race is something no other marathon since then (I've run 17 others) has come close to matching: you run uphill to the Marine Corps War Memorial (aka, the Iwo Jima Statue), the entire hill is lined with Marines cheering you on, a Marine officer places your medal around your neck, and then you get photos taken in front of the monument.

A couple of notes: This is a tough race to PR; not because of the course, which is fast and fairly flat after you cross Key Bridge into DC at around mile 5, but because there are 25,000 runners and the race allows self-seeding at the start. That means people who vastly over-estimate their abilities and those who want a few extra minutes to beat the bridge will place themselves too far forward in the start corrals. You'll be dodging them for the first few miles. Also, while the crowds are amazing, if you're a runner who needs the constant motivation of cheering crowds, be prepared for some crowd-free stretches: Hains Point (roughly miles 11-15) is four miles of very thin crowds (although the Blue Mile is here - the most moving, emotional, and inspirational stretch of any race I've ever seen), and the 14th Street Bridge (roughly miles 20-22) is spectator-free. Also, when you leave Crystal City and run around the back of the Pentagon, the spectators are sparse until you reach the roaring crowd at the finish line.

This is far and away the most inspirational race I've done. It's awesome to be able to run to honor men and women who defend our country.

MM#8012