Marine Corp Marathon

[pigletliz]

So when is everyone starting their training and what plans are you using?
I'm a 3 times per week runner (and also crosstrain at least 3 times) and plan to stick with that, but increase the mileage from the 15-18 miles per week I'm currently running starting in June. 15 miles is the longest I've ever run at a time, so I'm a little nervous about how well my knees and shins are going to take the longer runs. I'll be doing a beginner type plan that peaks at one 20 mile run.

I'm currently using the Galloway marathon training for my 2nd full. I'm also doing cross-training several times a week. My full takes place in 2 weeks, so I will know what I need to tweak. It does go up to 26 miles, but I like knowing what to expect.

I didn't see the Galloway improvement plan until now, but I think I may add an extra day of running at the end of May. I want to go into the MCM confident that I have a strong base. I don't have to be super fast, but I want to enjoy it.

 

[Chiomaca]

So when is everyone starting their training and what plans are you using?
I'm a 3 times per week runner (and also crosstrain at least 3 times) and plan to stick with that, but increase the mileage from the 15-18 miles per week I'm currently running starting in June. 15 miles is the longest I've ever run at a time, so I'm a little nervous about how well my knees and shins are going to take the longer runs. I'll be doing a beginner type plan that peaks at one 20 mile run.

I'll start training in earnest at the end of May. That's when I started the last two years, first with Team in Training and then with a local running group that had a fall marathon training group. I haven't run longer than 20 miles (okay, I think maybe 21 because there was a wrong turn in Sydney Harbor last fall,) before a marathon and I don't feel like I've missed anything by not running more. I'm planning to re-use the same plan from last year - it got me a PR in my Half and Full, so I'm hoping to improve on those times.

 

[pigletliz]

Just wanted to update this post. Thanks to all of your advice, I had a great race. The time was not what I was looking for, but I ran it with someone who had a foot injury. Our goal was to get him across that bridge. What an amazing experience! The conference series had wonderful speakers; I saw new vendors; I attended the First Timer's Rally and took a picture with Bart Yasso. The Wear Blue Mile was incredibly moving. I heard there were huge issues for those caught in the security mess, as well as a lack of support for those at the very end. I'm sad that everyone didn't have the same wonderful experience. I will definitely run this race again.

 

[dta87]

Just wanted to update this post. Thanks to all of your advice, I had a great race. The time was not what I was looking for, but I ran it with someone who had a foot injury. Our goal was to get him across that bridge. What an amazing experience! The conference series had wonderful speakers; I saw new vendors; I attended the First Timer's Rally and took a picture with Bart Yasso. The Wear Blue Mile was incredibly moving. I heard there were huge issues for those caught in the security mess, as well as a lack of support for those at the very end. I'm sad that everyone didn't have the same wonderful experience. I will definitely run this race again.

I totally agree! It was an amazing race! I almost broke down during the blue mile it impacted me so much. I was caught in the security mess, missing the start of the race but I blame myself for thinking I could sleep until 4:45 and still make it in time. I didn't meet my time goal either, my training over the summer was impacted by a multitude of excuses.

 

[pigletliz]

I totally agree! It was an amazing race! I almost broke down during the blue mile it impacted me so much. I was caught in the security mess, missing the start of the race but I blame myself for thinking I could sleep until 4:45 and still make it in time. I didn't meet my time goal either, my training over the summer was impacted by a multitude of excuses.

I took the very first yellow line in from Huntington, so it was super easy. Thank goodness for relatives who know all of the routes Kind of pain to stand around, but my nerves always make me go early. I even go early for Disney. Sorry you missed your time goal, though. I say go for it again in 2016

Check out the Wear Blue: Run to Remember group. The strength of Lisa Hallett, the founder, and the families/friends of those fallen soldiers is just amazing. I participated in their Circle of Remembrance immediately prior to the race, where everyone said the name of the fallen soldier that they were running for. So heartbreaking to hear parents call out the name of their child or fellow soldiers calling out for their fallen brothers/sisters. I ran for Staff Sgt. Nicholas C. Fredsti, whom I didn't know personally. They gave me his name for the Memorial Day run, so I thought I should continue to honor his memory. http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/

 

[dta87]

I took the very first yellow line in from Huntington, so it was super easy. Thank goodness for relatives who know all of the routes Kind of pain to stand around, but my nerves always make me go early. I even go early for Disney. Sorry you missed your time goal, though. I say go for it again in 2016

Check out the Wear Blue: Run to Remember group. The strength of Lisa Hallett, the founder, and the families/friends of those fallen soldiers is just amazing. I participated in their Circle of Remembrance immediately prior to the race, where everyone said the name of the fallen soldier that they were running for. So heartbreaking to hear parents call out the name of their child or fellow soldiers calling out for their fallen brothers/sisters. I ran for Staff Sgt. Nicholas C. Fredsti, whom I didn't know personally. They gave me his name for the Memorial Day run, so I thought I should continue to honor his memory. http://www.wearblueruntoremember.org/

I was stationed at the Pentagon for 3+ years so I was pretty familiar with the Metro routes. The day started off bad when I missed the first train at Tysons by 20 seconds putting me 15 minutes behind and then I was not prepared for 30,000 runners and spectators trying to get off the trains at the Pentagon station in a relatively short timeframe.
Thanks for the link, I will definitely check that out.
Also, thanks for the words of encouragement, I definitely want to run this again (although the switch in Expo venue has me questioning this) and hopefully I will not have the injuries, illnesses and lack of dedication that caused me to miss nearly 30 of my workouts during the Galloway training plan leading up to this race

 

[Slogger]

Just wanted to update this post. . The Wear Blue Mile was incredibly moving. I heard there were huge issues for those caught in the security mess, as well as a lack of support for those at the very end. I'm sad that everyone didn't have the same wonderful experience. I will definitely run this race again.

Glad to hear that you had a good experience. What mile was the Wear Blue Mile? I'm not sure if it was called the same thing in 2013 but I got so choked up that I stopped running and started thanking everybody, high-fives, hugs, etc.....very moving.

Can you describe more about what happened for those who finished near the end of the race?
I'm with you, definitely want to run this again.

 

[pigletliz]

Glad to hear that you had a good experience. What mile was the Wear Blue Mile? I'm not sure if it was called the same thing in 2013 but I got so choked up that I stopped running and started thanking everybody, high-fives, hugs, etc.....very moving.

Can you describe more about what happened for those who finished near the end of the race?
I'm with you, definitely want to run this again.

The Wear Blue mile (12?) was the one with the pictures of the fallen service members, followed by the American flags with the black name lanyards. Very sad to see so many young faces. The person I was running with was a retired Marine. He slowed down at every picture to pay his respects and I gave high-fives to every flag person on my side. I was wearing a WB: r2r Blue shirt and even though we slowed down, I felt like I flew through that mile.

The end of the race seemed to be a bit chaotic. My friend finished it towards the very end. Apparently the MCM kept the course open a little bit longer to make up for the snafu at the beginning. She said the mile markers 23 - 26 were gone when she came through and the aid stations were mostly packed up. After she passed the finish line, they received water and a clear, empty bag. No red finisher's jacket, no banana, no PowerAde. There was no direction on where to go (and too many roaming spectators) , so she never took a picture at the Iwo Jima Memorial. She did say that the announcer called out her name when she finished, but the video recording had already stopped. She was thrilled to receive her medal and is already planning her training to "Beat the Bridge" next year. I know someone else who was swept before the half mark. She spent 2 hours on the "straggler's" bus. That had to suck.

I will say that as much as I loved this race, it certainly made me appreciate run Disney's race day order.

 

[Slogger]

Yes, that was how the Blue Mile was when I ran. Definitely made me think about priorities and the sacrifices others have made.

Sorry to hear the end of the race was chaotic. At least your friend got a medal, the year I ran there were runners that finished in the time required but they ran out of medals.
I can't imagine how hard it is to organize an event for 30,000 runners, plus spectators, security, traffic, food, etc. Surprised more doesn't go wrong at times.

 

[Optimator]

I will say that as much as I loved this race, it certainly made me appreciate run Disney's race day order.

I'm really surprised to hear about all the problems.

I've run MCM 3 or 4 times and always found it to be extremely well organized. Extremely crowded in the finishers' area, but that was because they had it sequestered from the spectators so tightly.

I had to go back and see the last year I ran it and it was 2012 (Wow, could it have been so long ago? How did that happen?) so I guess a lot has changed in the last few years.