Washington DC Marathon

There are a couple marathons held in Washington DC. One is the Marine Corps marathon. It is also known as the People’s Marathon. Typically it takes place in late October prior to November 10 which is the birthday of the Marine Corps. In 2006 the MCM was recorded as the 4th largest marathon in the United States. Unlike many other marathons it does not offer prize money but still has a strong attendance record. Before 2006 it was the 5th largest marathon. 2006 also featured a new course for the race. It hits many different historic landmarks throughout the nation’s capital. In 2005 a group known as JeansMarines was disqualified from the race. They were a charitable organization and were part of the cause of a record number of disqualified entrants in the race that year.

The official site of the Marine Corps marathon is very similar to other sites of marathons. They provide links that have information for things such as registration, course maps and accommodations. They also provide training information and courses that can be used as helpful assistance for someone who wants to get in shape for the race. They even have a shop where information regarding the race can be bought, including some history and notes about the historic landmarks passed during the route. They also sell ChampionChips that are used for timing and tracking participants in the race. There is also a line of souvenirs available for the fan and participant alike.

Sponsored Links

There was also a marathon to be held that was the 2nd annual Washington DC marathon but was cancelled. In a last ditch effort many local residents pulled together and got over 550 runners to come out and participate in an unofficial race. It also included the help of a few local sponsors. This shows the determination and strength that a community can have and how well people will respond to facing the demise of something they dearly love.

You cannot go wrong with either of these runs through the nation’s capital. They each will hit historic landmarks and memorials that runners will desire to see. It is a good way to get to know the town and sightsee and would never be a boring run. The Marine Corps marathon has the benefit of being a very well organized event and people love to support the military especially in most recent memory. What could be better than running under the shadow of the Washington Monument or near the Vietnam Memorial.