The expo was located at the Armory. It was very conveniently accessible by the Metro. It was however 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. read more

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I made ALL the newbie mistakes, y'all. Mostly it was a lack of attention to details on my part because 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. read more

Rock n' Roll USA Marathon - Not pictured: pizza! - Races & Competitions Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I'm so glad I chose Rock N Roll USA as my 1st half marathon experience Health & Fitness Expo: Super easy to find, parking was plentiful (and FREE). It was a short walk to the DC Armory. If getting there by metro, you can take the blue or orange line to Stadium-Armory stop. I got there Friday morning (10am) to avoid the lunch and last minute crowd. Boy, am I glad I did because it started to get busy as I was leaving. Packet pick-up was smooth...walked in the building through the red carpets, down the stairs and it was organized by bib numbers/corral. For this race, they allow you to pick up a friends packet free of charge but any after that is a fee (up to 5 packets may be picked up by one person). I didn't use this feature so I can't really comment on picking up someone else's packet. T-shirt pick up was smooth...hardly anyone there. Picked up gear bag, some free samples of pain gel, coupons, etc then went on my way to the crowd of vendors. I really enjoyed walking around and checking out each vendor and hoarding coupons, sampling everything from protein bars (Lara, Clif) to drinks to energy gels (GU) to jelly belly energy, and tossing samples into my bag for race day fuel. I like that the area was spacious...I didn't have to elbow anyone! There was so much room to wander. Everyone was super friendly and each vendor very informative. Before the race, I wanted to get a running belt but didn't have time to really do any research (leaning towards FlipBelt). I saw FlipBelt and Fitletic and realized I need a Fitletic belt--need the hydration bottles. I didn't buy it but will need to get one now! Race Day: Getting there-I stayed at the Holiday Inn Rosslyn in Arlington, VA. The Rosslyn metro was a block away so it was perfect. I left the hotel at 6am. The metro was practically empty. I put $10 in my metro card (enough for my way back from the finish line too). It took about 15mins (or even less, it was quick) to get to Federal Triangle stop and cost me $2.70. Each corral was small. Even though there were 31 corrals, it felt like it was 5 big corrals. I did the runDisney Tinker Bell 10k and the corrals were huge! There were plenty port-A-potties toward the end of the corrals. I don't know if there were any more in the front as my corral was in the back. The morning was super cold. I noticed some people wore trash bags and took them off as the race started. Such a smart idea. I need to do that next time...or go to Goodwill or Forever 21 and get a "disposable jacket." The race: oh-my-God. What did I get myself into? I really should've researched the course before registering--especially with this being my 1st half marathon! I knew there was one steep hill around mile 5-6 but I didn't bother to really study the course elevations...there were hills throughout the course! My legs pretty much gave up once I hit mile 10. As much as I wanted to keep running I had to think of being able to finish the race and prevent any injuries so I walked and jogged to the finish line. All the spectators were awesome! I really wouldn't have been able to do it without them!!!!! I'm so glad I wore a costume, it got spectators and runners cheering me on and pushing me! Water, Gatorade, GU stations were awesome...the bands were awesome. I loved everything! Towards the end, I really was in need of water and didn't get to a water station til maybe 0.5mi after..big mistake on my part for not having a hydration pack..I ended up chugging a cup of Gatorade then a cup of water then another cup of water. I drank too much and slowed down because the side of my stomach started to cramp up (hence why I need a Fitletic belt). Post Race: Finish line goodies weren't bad...there were bottles of water, Gatorade, chocolate milk, protein bars, halos (oranges), pretzels...I had a beer ticket but as much as I wanted some beer (after turning down all the alcohol on the course), I was too exhausted to even walk to the beer tent. Getting back to hotel-the Stadium-Armory metro is a short walk from the finish line. I guess we left the same time as most because it was a bit crowded. I had my son in the stroller so the security let me through the wheelchair access and didn't even swipe metro card. It ended up charging me $2.70 from Stadium-Armory to Rosslyn. Score!! Overall...it was a great experience. Everything went smoothly and more perfect than I could even imagine. I would definitely do this again...just register as early as it opens so I won't have to pay the price increases read more

Rock n' Roll USA Marathon - Course elevations - Races & Competitions Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was my first experience with the Rock 'n' Roll series, and I have to say I'm quite impressed, and chomping at the bits to sign up for my next one! This year, I ran the Half Marathon portion of DC. For starters, the expo was fantastic. I really think the expo is one of the most important parts of a racing event. It can really pump you up, get you excited, and leave you broke if done right. I've been to several that were very lackluster, but Rock n Roll and Brooks did a fantastic job. It was huge, there was a variety of merchandise, and lots of vendors to peruse after grabbing your gear. Speaking of, allowing me to customize my bib is always appreciated! Race morning was fantastic, despite the horrific weather. It POURED on us basically the entire race, but that didn't keep the race organizers from showing us a good time. When I arrived at the start, I found most people were hanging out under whatever shelter they could find until closer to race start. At about 10 minutes out, everyone started shuffling into the corrals without a hitch. Right at 7:30am the race began. Now, here's where things were different than other races I have run. Usually when you're a couple minutes out from the start, the corral barriers will be dropped, and everyone sort of pushes forward. Not so here. Each corral was treated like it's own wave, with each wave being released about 30 seconds apart. This was EXCELLENT. They had what I like to consider "bouncers" holding the ropes up between each corral, and would guide you into place before your wave starts. In doing this, you have the opportunity to be RIGHT at the starting line when the time is called, which makes you feel like you're leading the pack. Love it. The bouncers, while jamming out the great tunes being blasted, started a 10 second count down and then BOOM, they release you. Since the wave ahead of you has gotten a good distance down the road, you're not clambering on top of folks. Love love love it. I thought the course was great, though the hill at Mile 6 tried to legit murder everyone. Biggest hill I've ever run in my life. Outside of that, we got to run by the White House, Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial, zip by Arlington Cemetery, and then head out into the DC neighborhoods. My only complaint about the course is that the finish line is located so far from the start. I'm sure this is because of logistical reasons surrounding the location, but still. I'm not the biggest fan of the DC Metro, so it would've been nice to loop back and finish close to the start. At the finish, we were handed our medals by members of the armed forces, which was an honor, and I was sure to thank them for all they do for us. Speaking of medals, Rock N Roll makes some sweet bling. Not only are the race medals excellent, but you have many opportunities to earn additional medals throughout the series. I'm going for the Double Beat one (run two RNR races in a year), and would LOVE to earn the Beast of The East (run 3 of 4 I-95 races. Brooklyn, Philly, DC, Virginia). They had a medal engraving station set up at the finish, and since I PR'd this race (1:46:25!!) I opted to have it done! $20 and 2 minutes was all it took. I definitely spent more to engrave my NYC Marathon medal at Things Remembered. Thanks for such a great race, RNR. I most certainly will be running with you again soon! read more

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It was a cold day to run but it was a good race. There were bands mile. That was very cool. My cousin and I ran the race together. We ran the D.C. Race. This was much better than the Brooklyn race but because the Brooklyn race is still brand new I think they are still working the kinks out of that one. They have great medals and the shirts were pretty nice. This race is legit. read more

Rock n' Roll USA Marathon - My cousin and me at the expo the day before the race - Races & Competitions Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I've done the R&R half a few times, but this year I did my first marathon. The weather was MISERABLE (can't be helped!) but despite that, there were a few things I'd change. 1. The "Rock n Roll" aspect is always lame! There are only a handful of bands along the way, and when you pass them you hear music for about 15 seconds. Some of the bands were good, some made me want to run faster. Nothing to write home about. I think the "rock n roll" idea is cute but it doesn't really come across. This race is not about the music. 2. The first half was a nice course, the second half was in no man's land and had 0 spectators. It was 90% uphill through a park, neighborhoods, and other random/remote areas. It would be AWESOME for the hardest part of the race to be in an area spectators could/would go to. Necessary at mile 20!! I thought the second half of the race was pretty neglected compared to the first part. 3. Expo was great, LOVED having it at the conference center in Mt. Vernon instead of at the Armory. This was a huge improvement, please keep it this way!! 4. Post-race area was pretty deserted due to the weather/my slowness by the time I arrived, but there were still hundreds of people finishing. They had packed up most of the food and drinks which kinda blew. Also, the last beverages I want at the end of 26 miles is 1. Milk 2. Beer. Could we get some water sponsors?? (ha ha, but seriously) 5. Despite these complaints, the race is very organized, the swag is pretty sweet, and it's awesome to have a full-length marathon right in my city. Love that. Thank you for continuing to come to DC and please come back again! read more

This was my second ever marathon, and also one of my first personal records in the distance. I had a thirty minute time difference 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. This event is formerly known as "National Marathon", but now called "Rock N Roll" . Pretty cold at this event, so dress slightly warm if you choose to run this, or have something in your bag at drop off. Enjoy! read more

it's my second half marathon, and first half with this race. It was so fun! The weather was perfect, hello 50s-60s with breeze ahhhhhhhhmazing!!! The volunteers were AWESOME, and Washingtonians were the BEST cheerleaders ever!!!! A lot of water & energy drink stations, and portable potties. Love the expo, too. A lot of freebies and good deals. I already signed up for 2017 marathon. read more

Rock n' Roll USA Marathon - 2016 Half Marathon Medal - So worth the soreness =) - Races & Competitions Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This was probably my least favorite race I have run, and it was primarily due to the freezing rain that pelted me the entire time I was running. There were hardly any spectators out (probably because of the crappy weather), so that was a big bummer for me. I was warned about a hill around mile 7, but no one told me there was a 90 degree incline at mile 6. I will never forget mile 6. My knees will never forget mile 6. Beyond that, when I finished it really started to pour, so I didn't stick around to listen to the band and took 2 sips of my mich ultra and then had to split for fear of my fingers falling off. it probably would have been more fun if we had better weather, but that's likely my fault. Who signs up for a race during stupid smarch? read more

Rock n' Roll USA Marathon 2015 This year the venue for the Health & Fitness Expo was at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. I thought this was a great choice because a lot of people are staying in downtown hotels and its a lot more convenient than taking Metro clear across town. The Race: Unfortunately this turned out to be a miserable morning for the race because of the cold rain that pelted runners throughout the course. Sadly, it picked up at the Stadium parking lot. Generally the course was the same challenging course as last year, so that was fine. However, when it comes to bag check, UPS (the handler of bag security/transport) gets a big fail. For some reason they can't keep the # tagged bags in order. This simple exercise should make it easy for runners to pick up their bag at the end of their race. Well today was extra miserable as people shivered in the cold, wind driven rain. Very sad to see and feel. I was afraid I was going to suffer from frostbite in my hands! Yes, that cold. I overheard some people saying that they were told that their bags were moved to a different truck and they had to hunt them down. What kind of nonsense was that? The system that was supposed to be in place utilized a certain set of surname groups which contained several thousand grouped bib numbers that were preset. At check-in, people went to the truck with their surname prefix for loading. This fell apart on pick-up. I guess just because you can deliver packages across the country efficiently doesn't mean you can deliver packages across town in the same manner. Time to hire another handler, Rock 'n' Roll USA. Oh, did I forget to mention they had similar issues last year? I doubt if I'll be running this race again in the future due to weather challenges like today. However, UPS sure didn't help with me changing my mind otherwise in the decision. Good luck DC runners :-( #DMV #rnrdc read more

This was my first half marathon last year. Came back for a second year. Course was pretty much the same, only with a lot more rain this time around! Lots of support throughout the run, which is great with over 25,000 people participating. Will definitely pencil this race into my calendar for next year! Great race for a first half marathon. Fairly flat with one big hill to conquer. read more

I like the 1 star, "Eek Methinks not." I ran the half marathon in March 2013 and it was poorly organized and very low class for what you pay for, even the shirts were boring, especially for the price that you pay. Go to Baltimore and run the Baltimore Marathon or half, much higher quality than these fly by night organized runs. Anyway, this year my wife really wanted to run the marathon, so I bought us registrations. My wife is now pregnant and she tried to have it differed to next year, give it to a friend of ours, or get a return (even partial) and they wanted nothing to do with that. They are were so standoffish on the phone, it took for ever to even get a hold of someone, and then the person was extremely rude. I guess the registration will go on Craigslist to see if anyone wants to purchase this. Get your head out of your, you know what. This run is terrible. read more

The actual event is pretty good but DO NOT order any race day apparel from them! I ordered a shirt for my bf when he completed his first marathon and it took 2 weeks to ship (3 weeks to receive) and it was the wrong shirt !! Tried to call customer service but no answer. Desperate and wanting to get my bf the perfect race day gift I decided to just order another one. BIG MISTAKE. It has now been OVER A MONTH and they have not sent the shirt yet. I've called and emailed their customer support with no answer. At this point they are just stealing from me. If you are going to charge THIRTY dollars for a freaking T-shirt atleast provide good customer service. SERIOUSLY DO NOT buy their race day merchandise. read more

This was a really badly organized race. I arrived in D.C. and went to the expo to find that my bib was missing and I was assigned a new bib. I found the rock n roll staff at the expo were rude, unknowledgeable and unhelpful. When I came out of the check in area to the vendor space and realized that I was given a women's shirt (I'm a guy) I tried to go back to the check in area and was harassed by the security guard who was adamant to prevent any crowd back flow, although there was hardly a crowd there at the time. I had signed up for the the paid tracking service for myself before running the Rock n Roll marathon in DC. When I went to the expo to pick up my bib they couldn't find my original bib and assigned my a new bib. They assured me that the runner tracking service would not be affected due to this and it would be updated accordingly. However, during the actual race, runner tracking posted times that were way off for all of my splits. The splits showed that I was running much slower than I actually was. I was using this feature during the race to pace myself so the wrong times caused a lot of anxiety. Moreover, I felt embarrassed that it posted the incorrect times to my facebook profile. For example, it posted that I crossed 20 Mile at 10:36:33am, with a time of 03:02:59. However, based on my official finish split posted in the Myfinisher Center, my 20 mile split should be 2:34:15. Its not even like it posted the clock times since there was only a lag of about 3.5 minutes between the clock time and my chip time. This service was absolutely useless and caused additional anxiety and embarrassment during and after the race. It also never gave a finish split, neither text nor fb post. Also, on race day the whole gear check situation was complete chaos and caused me to miss my start in coral 1. There was no streamlined way of processing gear checks and caused a long gear check lines. As if this wasn't bad enough, the port-a-pot situation was also an epic fail. They put most of the the port a pots along the corals but too little near the gear check where the demand for them caused massive serpentine lines and more panic and hysteria. If the port a pot line wasn't bad enough to do you in the gear check line surely would have or vice versa and a lot of people including myself missed our designated corral start times despite showing up super early at the race. read more

Ran the 2014 1/2 Marathon this year. Didn't do packet pick up due to my husband being able to do it for me but he reported ease during pick up on Thursday evening. Port-o-Potties were plentiful, and the start was smooth. The race course was nice, great tour of the city, challenging climb up Rock Creek, and enjoyed the variety of bands. The Parking Premium Pass was worth it since I had to be somewhere else right after. Given that we paid $100+ for the race though, I gave it only four stars b/c the post race munchies were pretty chintzy. Pretzels, and Power Bar? I suppose the bands and the post race beer was what took up the funds but a little more recovery food is more important to me. I may be biased due to the mountains of goodies we get from the Army Ten-Miler which is half the cost of the RnR. You decide. Otherwise, a good experience helped by perfect running weather (cloudy, 40s). read more