shoes99
DIS Veteran
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2000
- Messages
- 8,078
We just got back from Washington DC via AMTRAK. We went down to view the Marine Corps Marathon and support our fitness instructor. It was quite an experience for us and we had a great time. Here is a mini-trip report.
Who: Milton & Michele
Depart: Metropark NJ via AMTRAK
Arrive: Union Station Saturday October 25th
Transfer: Took the Red Line and the Blue Line to get to the Pentagon City Metro Station and walk to the Doubletree Hotel.
Room was not ready so we took the Metro to Crystal City Meto Station and the Runners shuttle to the Hyatt Regency. As we were sitting on the very full shuttle, who gets on but our fitness instructor and her family. Small world. We spent some time with them, then we went to the Runners Expo at the Hyatt. I never saw so many fit looking people in one area before. We spent some time looking at the exhibits then we went back to our hotel.
RACEDAY:
I don't know if anyone else has attended a large capacity event, but there were 18,000 runners plus family and friends all in one area. It was amazing to see. The race was sanctioned but there was no price money, so you really had to be dedicated to race 26 miles and 385 yards. We had to take the meto to Arlington Cemetary to walk down to the starting line. It was a Marine Marathon so there were lots of flags, and even a cannon.
We decided to travel to checkpoints to cheer on our friend Gina.
I think we walked 10 miles that day. Here is our adventure.
Start: Iwo Jima Monument in Arlington Cemetary.
Checkpoint Mile Marker 5. Stay and wave to Gina....She waved back.
Walk from Arlington across Arlington Mem Bridge to Lincoln Memorial. Race checkpoint Marker 13 (1/2 marathon) and water station,wave to Gina as she went by. She waved back. She had been running for 2 hours.
Walk From Lincoln Memorial, past Vietnam Memorial, past White House, around Washington Monument, to checkpoint Marker 17. We waved to Gina and she waved back. She had been running almost 3 hours.
We walked 4 blocks to the Smithsonian Metro Station and took the metro back to Virginia and the Arlington Cemetary Metro Station.
We positioned ourselves at checkpoint Marker 25. The race was 3 hours old and the elite runners had already finished.
The men's winner was Peter Sherry, 35, Great Falls, VA
Time: 2:25:07
The women's winner was Heather Hanscome, 25, Alexandria, VA
Time: 2:37:59
We saw Gina, and she heard us yelling at her. She smiled...
Gina's finishing time was 4:13:43, very respectable for a 39 yo Mother of Two and Full Time Fitness Instructor.
We looked for Gina after the race but never did find her in the sea of silver race blankets.
We were so tired after our ordeal, we went back to the Doubletree and took a nap.
We are athletes ourselves, but a have a newfound respect for anyone who would attempt to run 26 miles.
Margaret Hagerty, the oldest female runner in the race at 80 years old, finished in 6:59:10. Jonathan Mendes of NYC, who at age 83 was the oldest runner, finished in 6:47:36.
We stayed in VA for the night, then took AMTRAK back to NJ this morning. It was quite an experience for us.
Michele
Who: Milton & Michele
Depart: Metropark NJ via AMTRAK
Arrive: Union Station Saturday October 25th
Transfer: Took the Red Line and the Blue Line to get to the Pentagon City Metro Station and walk to the Doubletree Hotel.
Room was not ready so we took the Metro to Crystal City Meto Station and the Runners shuttle to the Hyatt Regency. As we were sitting on the very full shuttle, who gets on but our fitness instructor and her family. Small world. We spent some time with them, then we went to the Runners Expo at the Hyatt. I never saw so many fit looking people in one area before. We spent some time looking at the exhibits then we went back to our hotel.
RACEDAY:
I don't know if anyone else has attended a large capacity event, but there were 18,000 runners plus family and friends all in one area. It was amazing to see. The race was sanctioned but there was no price money, so you really had to be dedicated to race 26 miles and 385 yards. We had to take the meto to Arlington Cemetary to walk down to the starting line. It was a Marine Marathon so there were lots of flags, and even a cannon.
We decided to travel to checkpoints to cheer on our friend Gina.
I think we walked 10 miles that day. Here is our adventure.
Start: Iwo Jima Monument in Arlington Cemetary.
Checkpoint Mile Marker 5. Stay and wave to Gina....She waved back.
Walk from Arlington across Arlington Mem Bridge to Lincoln Memorial. Race checkpoint Marker 13 (1/2 marathon) and water station,wave to Gina as she went by. She waved back. She had been running for 2 hours.
Walk From Lincoln Memorial, past Vietnam Memorial, past White House, around Washington Monument, to checkpoint Marker 17. We waved to Gina and she waved back. She had been running almost 3 hours.
We walked 4 blocks to the Smithsonian Metro Station and took the metro back to Virginia and the Arlington Cemetary Metro Station.
We positioned ourselves at checkpoint Marker 25. The race was 3 hours old and the elite runners had already finished.
The men's winner was Peter Sherry, 35, Great Falls, VA
Time: 2:25:07
The women's winner was Heather Hanscome, 25, Alexandria, VA
Time: 2:37:59
We saw Gina, and she heard us yelling at her. She smiled...
Gina's finishing time was 4:13:43, very respectable for a 39 yo Mother of Two and Full Time Fitness Instructor.
We looked for Gina after the race but never did find her in the sea of silver race blankets.
We were so tired after our ordeal, we went back to the Doubletree and took a nap.
We are athletes ourselves, but a have a newfound respect for anyone who would attempt to run 26 miles.
Margaret Hagerty, the oldest female runner in the race at 80 years old, finished in 6:59:10. Jonathan Mendes of NYC, who at age 83 was the oldest runner, finished in 6:47:36.
We stayed in VA for the night, then took AMTRAK back to NJ this morning. It was quite an experience for us.
Michele
