Rock and Roll Marathon Series

This race had good drop-​off and pick-​up areas for your stuff. The start-​line experience was positive, but then it went downhill after that. I did the ½. The course itself was not very exciting and did not cover many DC highlights and the music along the route was average at best. One could believe that since we are running in DC, you would have seen more landmarks along the path. Instead the latter half of the course went through some residential neighborhoods. I don’t think the race map was well planned. The race signage/​mile markers were poor and the ratio of «spot-​o-​pots» to runners was very imbalanced and caused very long lines. I ran the NYC ½ in 2014 with a far better experience dispite that it costs the same as the DC Rock and Roll. I will not run this race again.

I found out that I am pregnant, early stages of pregnancy and my Dr. wouldn’t allow me to run the marathon, I tried to contact someone for weeks, no one got back to me and after a week I found another contact that I emailed the situation, and their answer is no refunds and I cant give it to someone else, if I want to push it to the next year, I have to pay $ 39 extra. It seems like people are not allowed to have these kind of situations because the organizers are not understanding/​or recognize these circumstances– to them is all about the money, the reason Colleen gave me is because they already have purchased T-​shirt and medal for me, so that’s part of what I have paid before… she got attitude when I said they need to be more understanding of the situation– this will be the last time I do anything with these organizers! they are claiming that they do this for a good cause but yet they have no idea what comes with being humanitarian!

I sustained a concussion a week before the race after training for months with my colleagues. Unfortunately the doctor advised that I not do the race to avoid more injury. Despite my doctor’s note and pleaing with the race coordinators they kept telling me that the bid was «nonrefundable and «nontransferable.» This was upsetting because the race was over $ 100 which is a lot of money for me. So on top of not being able to run the race with my friends, I was not able to transfer the race to next year or able to get it refunded. I will not being doing this race again.

4.25 stars. So I decided to run a half marathon with a friend who was coming in all the way from Illinois simply to run this race. Now, while it is true that I had a relatively successful high school career and this particular friend trained under the same legendary coach, our stories take quite divergent paths sometime after that. While he set a course towards regimented training over the past few years and has a goal of running half marathons in all fifty states, my training regimen disappeared in its entirety and recently had consisted of equal parts alcohol consumption and no running. And while my training method clearly deserves to be mocked, I did take the last few weeks seriously enough to drop a few pounds and ensure that I wouldn’t be thoroughly embarrassed.
We got to the race and there was a punch of pop music blasting through the speakers. I guess this is what pumps up most people although I guess it isn’t necessarily any worse than my admittedly odd selection of Brand New and Childish Gambino. Then there was this absurdly peppy announcer making bland «personal» statements about runners from each group. It was early in the morning on a weekend, and I was mad at myself for making this commitment.
Thankfully, it got far better from there. As you are running, there are a number of live bands playing that certainly pump you up. The first was playing a cover of Goldfinger’s «99 Red Balloons» which surely went over nearly everyone else’s head but I thoroughly enjoyed. Then there was the band that was decked out in obligatory Irish gear (leading to a taunting ROLL TIDE from me) in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. It was somewhere around mile 3 and I noticed my pace wasn’t too bad (right around 10 minute/​miles). Everything was going great until mile 6 when you had to traverse an absolutely monster hill from Rock Creek Park to Adams Morgan. It was amazing how many people quit right there. I kept my legs moving but it was clear that this one hill was taking a lot out of me. I survived and moved on to mile 7.
I really have to thank all the Adams Morgan and Mount Pleasant folks for having some of the more interesting race signs, trinkets, food items (what is irish soda bread?), and beer samples. Miles 7 – 11 moved in pretty short order as a result. It doubled as the area of race where multiple friends were cheering me on so I almost didn’t notice that the bands were a bit less interesting during these miles.
Mile 12. It is always hilarious to hear everyone’s support while the runners are basically like SHUT THE FUCK UP when you are telling them that they only have one mile left. Yeah, one mile isn’t a big deal on its own. But after 12 other miles? I knew their intentions were good so I soaked it in with a smile. Some of the other runners? Not so much. I have expected a fight between runners and well-​intentioned supporters at the 12.5 mile mark.
The finish featured another killer uphill. My friend remarked that the course overall was far more hilly than the New Orleans one he had run earlier this year. Well, that makes sense because the topography of New Orleans isn’t exactly mountainous. The takeaway is that this isn’t necessarily the best course for beginners.
Swag. There was SO MUCH FREE STUFF at the finish line. Water, Gatorade, Jamba Juice, Power Bars, all sorts of fruit and bagels, and, of course, BEER and music. Say what you want about the course, but these guys put on an impressive show and swag bag.
Overall? This is more fun to run that most races, but Cherry Blossom 10 miler is still the most enjoyable race I have run in DC. I’d strongly recommend it, however, for people who already are seasoned runners.