36th Marine Corps Marathon

Race Recap: Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC
Distance: 26.2 miles
Final time: 4:33:32 (PR)


So I've just about recovered from last week's Marine Corps Marathon, which means that if I wait any longer to post the recap, it's not going to happen. 

Expo truth bomb. 

Last week's race was my second marathon and second MCM, which meant a couple things about my preparation: I was definitely more relaxed about the entire experience, and I knew which pains were acceptable pains and which pains were warning signs.  As a result, I came into the race better prepared and completely healthy, which can't be said about last year (twisted my ankle the night before...let's not talk about it).  

That is snow.

The one big problem approaching the race was the weather: the forecast for Saturday, the day before the race, included 36 degree temperatures and snow.  Not exactly what you're expecting for a fall marathon.  I watched the forecast obsessively, checking more for the high temperature than the snow--I wanted to run in shorts and a t-shirt for a high anywhere over 50.  Unfortunately, by the time I got to DC, the high was hovering in the mid 40s, and I knew the starting line was going to be chilly to say the least.  The expo on Saturday was filled with people trying to make last minute decisions on what to wear, buying gloves, hats, armwarmers and anything that looked both warm and suited to running.  I'll admit that I caved and bought a headband to cover my ears, since I realized I'd forgotten my own while on the bus to DC.  I think most people overdid it though--there were tons of abandoned clothes much further onto the course than last year, and people overheating in way too much gear by the end of the race. 

Tash left me a surprise!

Getting to the start had some hiccups--I forgot my inhaler and had to go back to get it, and then realized once I was past the point where I'd have time to turn around that I forgot my Garmin as well.  By the time I reached the Pentagon, I'd halfway convinced myself that having a "run how you feel" marathon would be good for me instead of focusing on a split.  My main concern was that I'd sprint out of the start and end up dying somewhere painfully and publicly on the Mall.  I was confident that I'd be able to beat the bridge at mile 20/21 and avoid the dreaded Straggler Bus (literally, a struggle bus), but had told friends and family to catch me on the Mall, at mile 17.  


After 30-45 minutes of nonstop shivering and a conversion to a strong belief in arm warmers, the race started, leading to amusing moment #1: While waiting to be able to cross the start line, the course DJ put on Party Rock Anthem.  As soon as it hit "every day I'm shufflin'" and the beat dropped (you know what part I'm talking about), about 70% of the crowd started dancing in some form, no matter what age.  Hilarious. 

Nice view of Georgetown from mile fourish

The first half of the race breezed by, through arguably the hilliest part of the course, past cheering Virginia residents, wonderfully familiar views of my beloved alma mater, and a team of British soldiers running the course with their 50 pound packs on their back.  There were several groups running with packs, but this was the first time I'd seen a British unit participating.  Let's hear one for the Allied Forces.  Also had a surprise run-in with Julian, who was outside Georgetown Running Company.  


The first half of the course is also the most congested part of the race, with all 30,000 people jockeying for position and trying to figure out what pace they want to keep for the next 26 miles.  There are points when your pace is not up to you-you have to run with the crowd and hope that enough space will open up for you to make a move, speed up, or slow down.  This is one of the most frustrating parts about racing, but also probably kept me from going out too fast.  

Another year evading the Straggler Bus

The second half of the course went pretty well too.  I saw Emily, Becca and Mike, who were making friends with their multilingual signs, as well as my family, who seem to have figured out how big marathons are after seeing this one.  I stopped to talk both times, which probably prevented me from breaking 4:30. Oh well.  Inevitably, the Crystal City miles were the worst, with a turnaround and the fact that they were the last 4 miles.  They also put the new Dunkin Donuts munchkin station at mile 24, which has to be the worst possible location for something sweet. I certainly didn't feel like eating anything at that point, let alone a donut.  


My one complaint about the race was the backup at the finish line.  I crossed and immediately had to come to a complete standstill.  There was a crowd at the finish line-something I'd never seen before.  We were also being told we couldn't sit in the finish area, so I had to take a quick shot of Iwo Jima before being hustled out into the finish festival in Rosslyn.  

Slightly different angle than last year?

All things considered, it was a great race.  I'm happy with my time, I'm happy with the experience of running, and I'm glad that I extended my Marine Corps weekend participation to four years (two 10Ks, two marathons).  I think the marathon is one of the best opportunities for civilians to interact with military service members if they have no other connection to the military through friends or family.  I'd hesitate to approach a soldier in uniform in a train station or airport, but from the team greeting us at 6 am as we shuffled out of the Metro, to the soldier singing about our remaining 25 miles at the 1 mile marker, to the Marine who handed me my medal and joked with me at the finish, the marathon makes me feel appreciative of and connected to the military like few other things do.  


Guaranteed entry means I'll be running NYC next year, and therefore not running the MCM.  Hopefully I'll be able to make it down for the 10K, because there is definitely a reason this is the People's Marathon and keeps runners coming back year after year.