Maybe The Real Marine Corps Marathon Was The Mile Markers Along The Way

Hey, you know how last week I said there are more reasons to run a marathon than just for time? Well, I decided to run the fiftieth annual Marine Corps Marathon for the mile markers.

AN ALTERNATIVE MARATHON GOAL

Thanks to recurrent minor injuries, I wasn’t quite able to knock out the training cycle I might have otherwise liked to. Therefore I showed up at the start line already knowing I wasn’t going to gun for a PR. Still, I like to have some sort of goal in mind. I decided attempting to take a photo of or with every mile marker would be a nice distraction as well as a good motivator to make it that next mile. As it turned out, I needed a little help from a friend to make the complete set, but we’ll get there…

A SLIGHTLY LESS RUDE AWAKENING THAN runDISNEY REQUIRES

I woke up at the comparatively civilized (iykyk) hour of 4:03am, just before my alarm. After a quick scan of the weather, I decided to forego an additional layer. Instead I slapped on my long sleeved crop from my Mayor costume and a jacket over. (The day turned out much warmer that I expected and I removed my jacket by mile 8, so this was definitely the right call.) Erika was ready shortly after, and we set off into the darkness.

Erika is very kind in the face of my constant state of heightened anxiety. She agreed to leave a little extra early to ensure we weren’t rushed getting to the start, which was 20ish minutes earlier than the Marine Corps Marathon standard. Happily we didn’t get stuck in any race traffic in Crystal City, and slid into the garage in record time. The shuttle line even moved pretty quickly given that there were 40,000 runners to contend with. Maybe everybody took Metro this year?

AND THEY’RE OFF

Upon arrival, we did the usual race prep activities like hit the bathrooms and do some light warmups before heading for the corrals. The fanfare this year was particularly subdued – I swear they used to have paratroopers drop with the American flag, didn’t they? Last year’s Osprey flyover didn’t happen either. Ah well.

The race started promptly at 7:20am, but we didn’t wind up crossing the start line until around 35 minutes later. Once again nothing a seasoned runDisney enthusiast hasn’t learned to deal with. Erika and I weren’t planning to run together, so we wished each other luck before quickly losing each other in the crowd.

EVERYBODY WANTS TO RUN WITH THE MARINES

And boy was there a crowd. I’d like to say I’m not going to belabor this point, but let’s be real – I probably will. As alluded to above, the Marine Corps Marathon opened up extra bibs for the 50th anniversary of the race. What is normally a 25K bib field was now 40K, and boy, you could tell. The course was packed at the start. While it did loosen up in many spots going forward, I found myself hemmed in at points along the entire route.

I totally understand the thought process behind opening up more bibs for the momentous occasion of the 50th running of the Marine Corps Marathon. I could even see the argument for keeping it that way. Nonetheless, I personally hope they go back to the smaller number next year. Yes, even if means they have to reinstate the lottery. I think it makes for a better experience.

But that’s enough complaining for now. Let’s get down to the mileage!

MILES 1-3

I started off stupidly enough. In the first mile there was already a bank of porta potties, and as it did not have a line I elected to stop. Turns out I did not need to pee yet, which amounts to so much wasted time, but those of us who can’t avail ourselves in the woods need to think ahead, you know?

Other than that, the first few miles are uneventful. MCM gets it modest hills out of the way early, which I prefer. I grabbed my first few mile marker photos as I wended my way deeper into and then further out of Virginia. I didn’t feel speedy but I did feel strong, which was good enough for me!

MILES 4 – 9

Shortly after mile 4 we crossed the Key Bridge and headed into DC proper. Our first area of note was my favorite early section of the race – Georgetown! This is one of the fancier parts of the city with lots of shops and restaurants, and therefore plenty of spectator support. There was a big tent set up with a cheer group from the local Lululemon, if that gives you an idea of what I’m talking about.

At mile 5 we turned and ran parallel to the water for awhile before heading into the Rock Creek Park segment of the course. We saw lots of people running on the trail as we pounded away on the pavement. This was a rather fraught portion of the route, as the parkway was positively PACKED with potholes. I saw at least one guy on the side of the course attempting to recover from a twisted something. Keep your eyes on the ground, runners!!!

The Rock Creek Parkway segment is lengthy, but things finally starting getting a bit more interesting about halfway through mile 9 as we ran up to the water again. (I think we saw the Capitol building at some point in there, but I’m a DC native and jaded about these things. 😅)

MILES 10 – 14

Inside mile 10 we ran past the Lincoln and MLK Memorials, then past the FDR Memorial at mile 11. Have I mentioned how much I like that a large percentage of the Marine Corps Marathon course is along the water? Because I do like it!

After bidding goodbye to mile 12 we embarked upon the Blue Mile, which is lined with photos of service men and women who were killed in action. The signs list the name of the individual as well as their age when they died. I tried to look at as many photos and read as many names as I could. May they rest in peace.

Just before mile 13, the signs end, replaced but a long line of volunteers flanking the course and waving American flags. Even as someone who is not particularly jingoistic under the best of circumstances but really isn’t right now, it’s an emotional experience if you let it in.

Our first food station cropped up just before mile 14. Remember how last year they were already out of gels by the time I arrived? You’re never gonna believe this – it happened AGAIN! A nice Marine was rooting through the garbage on the ground, looking for unopened packets and handing them out. I took one if only to reward her determination (also it was the mint one and I like it).

MILES 15 – 19

We hit mile 15 and left the waterfront behind us, stomping inward to the National Mall and past the DC gauntlet at the 25K mark (you have to hit the gauntlets by certain times or risk getting swept). This area is a highlight for many as you run past the National Monument in mile 16 and then tackle the perimeter of the Mall in miles 17 through 19.

I spent most of my Mall time looking for a bathroom that was NOT a singular porta potty with a jillion person line, finally finding a bank of them just before I left. It still cost me about 5 minutes and there was no toilet paper, but I felt a lot better.

I also passed the second food stop, which miracle of miracles still had Untapped gels!

MILES 20 – 23

Now I was facing my least favorite part of the entire course: the 14th Street Bridge. I can’t fully articulate why I hate it so much; I just do. Maybe because it’s mile 20 and there’s almost no course support, so both your personal energy AND the collective energy flags. But I was happy to see the mile 20 marker.

Mile 21 is not that interesting – we skim past the Pentagon area, but there isn’t a ton of to see; it’s mostly just roads. The good news is that shortly after you come to miles 22 and 23 and my very favorite part: Crystal City!

Crystal City is absolutely packed with spectators cheering and waving signs and playing music and handing out candy and drinks (I got some Bud Light). No matter how tired I am, Crystal City never fails to cheer me up.

MY MARATHON MILE MARKER DREAM NEARLY DIES

However! Somehow, some way, I completely whiffed the mile 23 marker. I had my head up and my eyes peeled for it, but it got away from me. I was super bummed as I had snagged photos of all 22 other mile markers up to this point. How had I let this happen?!

Luckily, I had a secret weapon: Erika was a couple miles behind me. I texted her to keep a look out and send me a photo if she could. And reader, SHE CAME THROUGH.

As it turns out, it’s not that crazy that I missed it, as the mile 23 marker was borderline hidden behind a tent and some foliage. But Erika scoped it out and saved the day. Dr. Sun always gets it done, baby!

MILE 24 – 26.2

Beyond Crystal City there isn’t much left between you and victory except a couple miles of roads and a handful of spectators. The food stop about halfway into mile 23 was still stocked, which was a positive. And then of course it becomes a simple matter of eating away at the remainder.

And I felt okay! I was still slow, and I had a few mysterious knee twinges here and there (patellar tendinitis, I BANISH THEE), but I was trucking along. I did take a few walk breaks but I was able to keep running for the most part. You know, as long as I wasn’t blocked by another human wall. Not that it was necessarily a given wall’s fault; as noted above, there were a lot of humans on said course.

The important thing is that I kept stomping along. By consequence, the steps took me there – to mile 25, to mile 26, and that last evil .2 up the hill to the finish. My sixth Marine Corps Marathon was behind me. Oorah!

BIG MARATHON FINISH!

Once again the enlarged field reared its ugly head; the finish line was packed with people all shuddering to a much-needed halt. I made my slow cattle-call way through the chute, picking up a water bottle and downing most of it before I had even collected my medal. I snagged a quick selfie with the Iwo Jima Memorial, then rejoined the line to zombie-horde-shuffle toward the finisher festival.

There was one more surprise waiting for my in the runners-only area. Marines were tossing out MCM-branded fleece blankets and ponchos to the finishers. And when I say tossing, I mean tossing. There was no organized line or anything, so it was all rather like attempting to catch a t-shirt at a concert.

LIKE I SAID, MAYBE 40K IS TOO MANY FOR A MARATHON…

I eventually got my blanket, and thus can’t really complain, but by the time Erika finished they were out?! Boo. (We saw quite a few volunteers with blankets, which is interesting…) They told everyone who finished after the blankets ran dry to email the organizers. Erika, let us know if you get your blanket!

They also ran out of watermelon and BANANAS, of all things! How do you run out of bananas??? There are always tons of bananas left! They did not, however, run out of free beer, which is something.

Once you walked past the beer garden you were not permitted to backtrack, which I was not aware of in advance but thankfully I didn’t really need to go back. I ultimately wound up finding Erika is line for the shuttle back to the parking garage in Crystal City. Said line was long, and they even threatened that if we didn’t make it on by 5pm we’d have to figure out our own way back! Thankfully we managed to board a shuttle in time and were heading home by 4:30pm or so.

WHAT I LEARNED FROM MARATHON #22

My 2025 Marine Corps Marathon was okay. I was pretty slow, but that’s to be expected when only just ramping up training post-injury. There is still much to learn from any race experience. This time I learned I need to continue fine-tuning my hydration and body temperature, which is a challenge for me. I also learned that runDisney isn’t the only race organization that struggles with field size, and at a certain point you just have to roll with it. We’re all friends on the course, right?

I did, as I hoped, finish whole, and am toying with the possibility of signing up for MCM #51… I just hope they announce they’re going back to the original field size!

P.S. My favorite spectator sign said “My wife will finish twice tonight.” In the immortal words of Zaphod Beeblebrox, 10/10 for style but minus several million for good thinking, yeah? 😆

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