Has anyone done this marathon? Thoughts? Past results seem to indicate >25,000 people in the half and full. Is it a total cluster f**k? Looking to run sub 3:05 if that has any bearing on opinions.
I ran this two years ago and it wasnt too bad. You can just jump in the appropriate corral based on when you think you ll finish. The first 1/2 of the marathon is quite nice, but the second half doesnt offer too much for scenery. The expo is a bit of a pain in the ass (if youre driving), as theres no parking.
I did RnR USA this past March. It’s a very quick course, with 1 big climb @ mile 6, and then flat/downhill aside from a few bumps/ ramps until Mile 24 where you go back uphill slightly for an incline to the end. Although a lot of people do it, they break up the corral’s by seed time, so it’s very manageable.
Key points
~18 of the 25k are only doing the half, which means a lot of speedsters will take off from the front, run your own race.
The course is pretty darn desolate after mile 16. Not going to get a lot of big crowds once you get to the Navy yard. There are some stretches in South East DC, such as near the Navy Yard, National’s Parl & Anacostia that are not very scenic. Come mentally prepared.
Finally, the post finish snacks/ recovery is extremely crowded, b/c the 1/2 marathon participants mill around & block the path to the food. They don’t really keep the flow moving.
Did the half last year and have done the full in the past. Fast course, but it’s a better half than full. The first half is through lots of nice neighborhoods in DC while the second half is bland and largely through Anacostia. I finished early enough last year that it wasn’t a problem at all, but apparently the gear pickup was a total mess. If you’re looking for a very fast course in the area, the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach might be another good option.
I’ve raced both the half and the full and you don’t have much to worry about crowd-wise if you plan to go 3:05. At that pace, the first half will be manageable. For the second half, once the half-marathoners peel off to the finish you will be in for a lot of time pretty much by yourself. If you have a choice, I would say save the full for Marine Corps (if you can get in).
I’ve run lots of marathons. I HATE rnr marathons. I wouldn’t run one of theirs if the entry was free.
They are designed for HMs and their logistics have always been clusterfucks.