I signed up for the upcoming Marathon but recently found out, upon checking their website, that the…read moreMarathon is no longer available and they only now offer the half marathon.  This happened to me twice now, and neither changes were communicated to customers. The company changed the product and did not communicate this change and refused to refund or offer any other resolution to customers of any kind, due to a waiver we signed absolving us of any right to a refund or the right to dispute. I understand with COVID a lot of businesses are going through hardships, but at the very least communication and compromise would have been nice, but no. Lesson learned, please be careful when signing up for future races as they may be altered and you will not be refunded even though the change was no fault of your own.

This was a very poorly organized event. My friend and I ran the 5k, and they made all runners pick…read moreup their packets at the expo (DC Armory) on Thursday or Friday before the event. Not a minor inconvenience, as having to drive to DC on a weeknight is no fun. From the organizer's stand point, I can understand the logistical reasons for it. However, if making people come out to pick up packets, they should have been more thorough at giving instructions. First of all, the expo parking was horrible. The lot we were supposed to park at was not labeled clearly and was very difficult to find.. Not to mention extremely hard to even get to! How can you tell us to go this way to the lot, only to have us cross 3 lanes of high speed traffic to get to the other side within like 30 feet or we'll miss the entrance completely? It was super dangerous and nerve-wracking. Also, the lot had no lights so it was hard to see. Were we the only ones that didn't realize the DC Armory was the national guard building? Maybe I need to go into DC more.. But we didn't know that we couldn't take any food or drinks into the building until the bag check at the door. Apparently we weren't the only ones. The poor man in front of us had a bag full of girl scout cookies. He had to leave his whole bag there and pick it up later, but it wasn't secure at all. It was placed under the table along with other people's bags, and anyone could get to them. The participants should have been notified of this beforehand. The expo itself was okay. We got our packets quickly enough and the staff were friendly. We didn't stay long though because nothing at the expo really called to us. For the day of the race, I kind of felt like they shunted the 5k runners to the crappier part of the track. There was nothing to see except side roads and bridges overhead, and the road we ran on was full of potholes and bumps. Yes, I know our 5k is pittance compared to the half or full marathon, but we still paid our fees and came out to have a good time running. We did enjoy the bands that were placed along the track. After the race, all the road closures made it extremely difficult to get an Uber. We had to walk over half an hour in the cold to get somewhere near enough for an Uber driver to get us. While we knew about the closures, it did not make for a pleasant end to the race, and I can imagine it caused a ton of inconvenience to the folks who live there. Overall, not something I'll go for again. At least the medals were cool.

I've done this race over ten times but this will probably be my last one. The logistics are a…read morenightmare and they seem to be getting worse as the race field keeps getting larger. The Metro used to open at 5am for this race. Now it opens at 7am. The first train got there at 7:50am. So definitely find another way to get there if you are in waves 1-4. The start and finish used to be near bag check. This changed a long time ago but it still sucks and the shuttle lines are longer than ever. The start/finish areas are really confusing due to the sheer volume of people in the area. It's not completely clear where and how far everything is. The race, itself, is great. The course has changed but it's still nice and the atmosphere is awesome. There aren't as many people cheering as Cherry Blossom or Marine Corps Marathon but it's still fun. It's very crowded but that should be expected and other DC races are just as crowded. If you can park at the Pentagon, you're staying nearby, or can run/bike over you're probably fine. For anyone taking the Metro, plan on joining wave 6 or later. Maybe wave 4-5 if you go straight to the start without stopping.

The Army Ten Miler takes my breath away…read more Cue song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4a6ampIGao). Literally. Yesterday was my second attempt at running the Army Ten Miler. My first attempt was in 2010, I had an asthma attack and found metro at mile 3 to go to urgent care. This year, I was determined to finish, although I had tight lungs and difficulties early on. I don't know what it is about this race or the time of year, it's weird cause I only have issues with asthma only twice in the last decade, so maybe I'm allergic to men in uniforms (in that case I'm jumping off a bridge now cause that makes me sad), or maybe unbeknownst to my knowledge the race course is filled with dust and cat dander (only two triggers I can think of). Overall, I'm glad I at least finished and would have to say it's well run and well organized race. But let's break this down into the official rules, the good and the bad: Rules: -Mobile phones, mp3 players, ipods, and headphones are prohibited. No joke.There are security checks and you are subject to so they may find these items and make you check them in. I saw people stopped for headphones on the course too. I suggest you bring your own pedometer, because although they say they have mile markers for every mile, no one in my wave saw signs for the first three miles, I had to ask someone with a pedometer where I was. I felt so lost without my run keeper app on my iphone. -Bag check in requires that you use the clear plastic bags they provide. You will need to dump out the contents of any purse or bag into the plastic bag. -The race is organized by waves by pace, you can move down a wave to a slower pace but not move up. The Good: It's just awe inspiring to run one of the world's largest ten mile races along side wounded warriors, ROTC, and Santa Claus. The course is as flat as can be. The Army volunteers are amazing. Little do people know that many of them have been there since 1:30 am setting up, and by the time our wave rolled around they were getting a little loopy and hilarious on their megaphones. They joked about getting the water from the Potomac, warned against peeing off course etc. etc. This race is loaded with spectators, with clever signs. The runners were actually thanking them for coming out, and then they were thanking us, it was just a race of shiny, happy people all around. The bands along the way are even good (they never played Journey! YES!) Tons of people who saw me running in a Red Sox cap shouted predictions about them winning the world series. I love you all. My friend found me at the finish line, and didn't cheer for the wrong person this year!!! The Bad: -The last two miles are a let down and utterly boring. I would have killed for some music or entertainment at this point other than a witnessing a road rage incident on the 14th street bridge. There are no spectators, and it's along side a highway. The finish line will not come into sight until you are few feet away. -It's a healthy twenty minute walk from the finish line to the start line, and there are no signs to tell how to get back to where you started. There are shuttles available though. -Because this event is so popular, expect lines for everything, getting on the metro, getting off the metro, getting through security to go into the corrals, bag check, shuttles and food/water at the end.I would recommend adding time to travel to accommodate. -Although the packet picket at the Stadium Armory is pretty efficient and they offer free parking, I would recommend never driving there. The traffic is awful, the lots are often full and the DC parking enforcement is out in full force ticketing (just walking up to the stadium I saw an entire row of cars with pink tickets although the signs indicated it was ok to park at those hours). Metro is the right way to go. I would say this is one of the must do DC races, I might need a lung transplant to do it again but Hooah!!

For those of you who are wondering what am I doing in DC? well I bucket listed another Half…read moreMarathon with NIKE!!! My 6th half marathon with NWM. What can I say? It was the best out of all the half marathons I've ever done. What makes it spectacular? Hmmm 13.1 miles filled with historical scenery & beautiful weather but over all running with your BFF's beside you on your birthday weekend. Through the course, such a great support system and 15,000 runners right by your side. Mile 1-3 you run passed the US Capitol, the National Gallery of Art, National Archives, Freedom plaza and the White House. Mile 4-8 you run passed George Washington University, WaterGate, The Kennedy Center, Roosevelt Island, Arlington Cemetery, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, MLK Memorial, and 9-13 Washington Monument, The Holocaust Museum, Bureau of Engraving, Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial and George Mason Memorial. Such a memorable run, which I think I'll run all over again!! BTW I just love the little blue box See you next year DC!!!

Still a great race. I am lucky to have run it two years in a row. A little more crowded this year…read morebut still efficient with the start times, no bottlenecks on the course, and easy packet pick up.The best part of this years race, the supporters! Particularly, the three bros with the following signs: Bro 1 sign: swipe right Bro 2: one word TINDER. Bro 3: I'm here for the 14:1 ratio My regret is that I did not run back to take a picture! Until next year...

I am surprised that there is no page for the NAF half-marathon when it is such a fabulous event…read more I ran the race today under the perfect weather conditions - mid 50s at the start and steady mid 60s during the race. My friend and I just ran the 1.5 miles to the start (but apparently the metro started at 6 am instead of 7) and we were plenty warmed up at the start. The wheelchair competitors and wounded warriors started at 7:15 and the rest of the runners began at 7:25. The course itself is FLAT. If you want to PR, this is the race to run. It is also along the Potomac which adds to the breezy race conditions; tall trees provide plenty of shade throughout the course. There was a 1 mile stretch where the road was slanted, however. It wasn't too severe and I've run on a freeway once that was much worse but if you have knee problems, I would watch out for this part. There are water stops at every 2 miles, starting at mile 1, as well as gatorade at some of these stations. Also, it was so inspiring to see the wounded warriors on the course and gave me continuous motivation to push harder. Finally, the finish was awesome. There were bubbles to celebrate the runners as we were coming in. A wonderful goodie bag with bananas, apples (first time receiving apples), and cookies. There was also a kind volunteer who was offering hand sanitizer. The suggestions I have to improve for next year are: 1) Please have wave starts. I was running a 8:29 pace but still so many runners were passing me and I am sure the faster runners would appreciate not having to weave through so many people. 2) There seemed to be a lack of porta-johns on the course. I usually see a couple every 2 miles but I think I saw them only twice during the course. 3) Is there any way to have the pins come with lanyards? I know that some races have the option to add to your cart at check-out so perhaps this can be considered for next year. Big thank you to all the volunteers who have come out bright and early to make the race so smooth and fun!

One star goes to the course itself: relatively flat, even-keeled and wide enough for all…read moreparticipants. The other star goes to picking a wonderful time of year to host the event: perfect weather/clear blue sky and the inspiring service members competing in the race as well. Everything else was not worth the entry fee. - Packet pick-up was obnoxious: requiring participants to go to NATs stadium- completely out of the way for EVERYONE in the DMV area- the day before. Apparently lots of people had to wait in insane lines early in the day, and if you did show up after the lines died down, they were out of small shirts (even though they were pre-ordered). The biggest kicker was waking up the next morning to see the race organizers posted on facebook that you could still run if you didn't pick up your packet the day before... That would've been good info ahead of time. - The race started too early: The start line being at the Washington Monument required most people to metro. Race organizers announced metro was "open early" but that did impact train schedules. Just because the stations are open, that DOES NOT mean train are leaving frequently or at those early hours. Coming from Vienna my earliest train left at 6:20-ish, only 20 minutes before half-marathon runners were supposed to line up. Long story short, I got to the start line as the half was starting so I was not able to check my bag/use the porta potties (that were placed even further from the metro exit than the start line). -Not enough volunteers at water stations: It was dangerous when lots of runners were running up to the same volunteer to grab a cup of water. -Post race fail: After crossing the finish line, you had to walk wayyyyyyyyy passed the finish line and into the expo center to get water. At the very least there should have been volunteers passing water bottles at the finish line to runners immediately. Also a major promotion was chocolate milk would be at the finish and they ran out before runners who ran a 9 minute mile pace for the half were done. This run was organized, but not to accommodate runners in a way many other races seem to do just fine. I wont be running this race again in future years. Too much of a schlep into DC (two days in a row) for a tough start and finish that was hard to celebrate.

1st time running MCM and I loved the event. I was with over 20 other runners from LA and we all…read morereally enjoyed the race and some have already signed up for the 50th next year. The course was great, for the most part, especially the Rock Creek section. There are some parts that are not so great, but that's to be expected. The last 100 yards was a little brutal but what can be better than finishing at the Marine Corps War Memorial with the Iwo Jima statute. The expo is kind of far away at National Harbor but the shuttle was very efficient (at least on Friday eve). Expo was on the smaller side, really with not many interesting exhibitors. The race store was good, with attractive race products. The race shirt was a half zip which was very popular. I saw it all over town afterwards and the next day. The finish was crowded, to be expected. There was plenty of refreshments (water, snacks, watermelon, chocolate milk) in the finish corral. The beer garden was okay. There were long queues for the Metro and shuttle. But the lines had died down completely by the time we left. The race is definitely worth doing, plus DC is such a great place to visit, especially in the fall. Definitely recommend the race!

I am a first time participant and had a blast this weekend! The pre-event Health Expo and bib…read morepick-up was run so smoothly at the Gaylord Expo Center. The race itself was beautifully done! The shuttles ran on time, the course was wide, a few rolling hills, bridges, and beautiful landscape. I appreciated all the Marine Corp members who assisted with every aspect of the race, including the Expo, lining the streets, water stations, and even the band that was playing at the post-race street fest. I would definitely do this marathon again. Excellent experience.

This was a well-organized event for a great cause! Everyone was so nice and the energy was amazing…read more Before the official start, the DC mayor spoke and we had the Zumba pump-up dance class right in freedom plaza, the energy was contagious! I felt so pumped up for the 5k!

I have ran many marathons, and this is one of them. Sun trust National Marathon was my second ever…read moremarathon, and also one of my first personal records in the distance. I had a thirty minute time difference at Sun trust, compared to my first marathon which was Marine Corps Marathon. I loved this race, even thought it was cold out. When I finished I wanted to get out of that cold weather, instead of enjoying post race festivities. Support for this race was very awesome, and the event was great also. The course was similar to Marine Corps Marathon, but with no routes through Virginia. I loved it, and would love to run it again in the future. I think it may be called "Rock N Roll DC". I love both names, but to me it will always be known as Sun trust National Marathon. Dress slightly warm if you choose to run this, or have something in your bag at drop off. Enjoy!

Course: 4 stars Logistics/Swag/All the other stuff: 1 star…read more I ran the half marathon today, and coming down from NYC I was really excited to run this city! The weather was great today, which proved for a great run. Expo/Registration: Why did I get about 5 "final" emails with race instructions? Registration process was easy, but the expo was pretty lame and the coolest thing in my swag bag was olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The race shirts were paper-thin and UGLY! Race morning: I took one of the recommended means of transportation - the Metro, which opened at 6am (early for the race). Myself and a large group of other runners were there as the gates opened, but the first train didn't come until about 6:25. Once we got to the station, there was a major backup getting out of the tunnel with hundreds of other runners. Needless to say, we totally missed the start, and we heard the gun go off before we even got to the Armory to drop off our bags. Course: Great! I enjoyed the monuments and different neighborhoods. the beautiful day sure helped a lot. Lots of annoying runners with headphones, though. Aide stations suffered quite a bit. Starting at the back of the pack due to the late arrival, most of the aide stations didn't have any water or Powerade prepared and most had to wait for the volunteers to pour you a new glass. More than twice my "glass" was enough fluid for one swallow. No kidding! Perhaps I wasn't paying attention, but the only mile markers/clocks i saw were at mile 1, 6, and 10. Finish Line: Nice medals. Post race food was nothing special, and they had already run out of (chocolate) milk. What the heck were the marathoners going to get? I enjoyed the day, but if this was an "A" race for me I would have been seriously disappointed.

The expo was located at the Armory. It was very conveniently accessible by the Metro. It was…read morehowever not very convenient if you're headed there straight from the airport with your luggage. You have to go through security check before entering the building where the expo was held. If at all possible, I would recommended checking into your hotel first and dropping off your stuff before headed there. There was plenty of exhibitors selling last minute race items and souvenirs. If you've forgotten anything, you'll find it here. The starting line was at 14th St NW and Constitution Ave NW. Gear check was just South on Madison Dr. RnR Races usually use UPS trucks for checking in gear bags, but this was the first time that I've seen them use yellow School Buses. The entrance to the buses were small and the volunteers were unable to accept bags as quickly as they normally do at other RnR races. So there were long lines just to check your bag. Portpotties were a plenty, however they placed most of them in the starting corrals. This caused problems with lines because people are still trying to use them when the race started. The course was deceptively challenging. Almost after every turn, you're faced with a steady climb. I loved all of the sights and the areas that we covered over the 26.2 miles. Marathoners run about the first 12 miles with the half marathoners. Both races finished at the RFK Stadium.

I made ALL the newbie mistakes, y'all. Mostly it was a lack of attention to details on my part…read morebecause residency is kicking my butt so hard right now, but a lot of this could have been better. I got rushed into registering because of price increases but then there was this super incredible sale in December. Missing a deal is always so devastating. Then I forgot about the marathon until almost March. Turns out that weight lifting does not prepare one for a marathon. I failed to ask if my friend was allowed to bring my waiver and collect my bib (the answer is yes). I also failed to clarify whether we could pick up our packet on race day (the answer is also yes). I subsequently spent almost three hours in traffic roundtrip with the sole purpose of collecting my bib during the health expo and jetting home. I failed to check the start times of street closures and had the Uber drop me off 2 miles from the start line at o'really early in the morning. I failed to bring sunglasses. I failed to eat enough breakfast or the provided pre-race bananas and became hungry as soon as I crossed the start line. I slept fitfully for about 4 hours and woke up thinking about work so I arrived at the race already feeling super lousy. I failed to bring an extra listening device in case of limited battery on my phone, which happened even though I had it on battery saver, and this enabled me to brood in silence for like, 14 miles, on the bane of my existence that is residency. The weather was 33 and sunny: still cold enough to freeze your sweat but sunny enough to give you a sunburn. With a start time of 0700, my corral (4) crossed at 0703. My friend did the half, but her corral (17) didn't cross until almost 0900 with a start time of 0830. We spread out super quickly and I imagine this is why so many people are able to PR on this course. Very limited sideways running. Can't say the same for the half marathon. There were definitely more people and a hell of a lot more walkers. Minor hills here and there. The pot-holed pavement route wasn't ideal, even for pavement runners. There were positives: There was so much food from the neighborhood cheering squads! I had cinnamon rolls, donut holes, and candy upon candy. There were also offerings of adult beverages and other food goodies. The signs and encouragements were great! My favorite was a lady on a megaphone: "You guys are sooo fast! You're faster than everybody behind you!" And two things I did right: Bringing a checked bag with warm clothes (which also helped hold my post-race goodies) and grabbing a free slice of pizza (might only be for marathoners). Next time: Pick up water and bananas pre-race. Look at street closures and times they close and reopen. Pick up bib on race day. Consider gloves (my hands never warmed up the entire race). Bring a light jacket in case it gets cold during the run (which it did wherever there was shade). I don't have a habit of training mostly due to lack of willpower and exponential hunger after four miles but since this is a near ideal course to PR or qualify for Boston, I'd consider it. Get dropped off or park closer to the start (I'm still not a fan of having to shuttle from the finish line parking by 0530, which leaves an hour and a half of waiting before start time). Have no work obligations and stay for the concert. I really wanted to poo-poo this race. The medal was not a stunner, the organizers took out the finisher jackets, and there were many stretches of silence. But overall it was very well organized, the spectators were phenomenal, and the optimal chance of PRing alone deserves stars.