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Marathon Details - Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks

North America Marathons > USA > MD > Bethesda > Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks

Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks

Bethesda, MD USA

November 14, 2004

http://www.marathonintheparks.com

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By Year:

2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 Top 3 Finishers

Race Details

Scenic point to point that traverses historic neighborhoods, Rock Creek National Park, and finishes in festive Bethesda, Maryland.

Contact Information

Name:	Marathon in the Parks
Address:	6910 Greentree Road Bethesda, MD 20817
Phone Number:	301-767-0002
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (59)

Course 4.2

Organization 4.8

Spectators 3.7

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Number of comments: 59 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]

A. L. from Phoenix, AZ (8/16/2007) "Killer hills, great scenery" (about: 2003) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my first marathon, and I thought I was prepared, but I didn't realize how severe the hills were. If I had known how hilly it was, I probably would have thrown more into my training. That said, I loved it, and would do it again. I was definitely back of the pack, but I didn't really mind - the support was fine. My favorite part was coming up a hill just before the run entered the rail trail around mile 23 - it felt great to gas up a steep hill and then coast to the finish. The shirt, by the way, is awesome - it is by far my favorite cold-weather running shirt.
R. B. from Washington, DC (9/25/2006) "Now a half marathon - great local/training race" (about: 2006) 3 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 MCRR did a great job bringing back this race - even as a half instead of the full it had been in past years. And the long-sleeve Brooks Dri-Fit shirt alone was worth the registration fee! The course is slightly hilly and mostly on a 5 foot-wide path, so don't expect to fly by people on your way to a PR. The water stops were too infrequent for this surprisingly humid day, so I wish I had brought along my own supply. In general, it's a really neat local race that introduced me to a path that will be great for my own training. The finish line in downtown Bethesda was neat, but you run through a tunnel immediately before the finish so there are only spectators on the last 100 yards. It's definitely a well-run event, and a great race for those training for a fall marathon or for those who live locally.
George Neil from Williamsburg, Virginia (1/2/2005) "Challenging but pretty course" (about: 2004) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Nice small race. The themed water stops helped keep your humor while pushing those hills. No spectators to speak of but really nice paved trail though the woods. The heated tent at the start was great and the traffic control well done. The pasta dinner was a waste of money. They ran out of food and it wasn't much to get excited about anyway: canned sauce, cookies from a box, lettuce salad; you get the picture. Save your money and find a good local Italian restaurant. Those cash awards can help with the travel expenses! Good food at the end.
F. D. from Delaware (12/8/2004) "A wonderful, small marathon!" (about: 2004) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I concur with the positive comments made in other posts. Having run several large marathons, I found the smallness of this one to be a refreshing change! Every aspect of the race is geared towards the runners - from the heated tent, the friendly volunteers, the themed water stops, and the sweets at mile 23 to the great food at the finish, the easy travel logistics, the fantastic shirt, and the placement of port-a-johns along the course. Although the hills were the most challenging I've had to face in a marathon, I would definitely do this race again... I'd just be a bit better prepared! The part of the course that runs in the park is beautiful! Thanks for such a professionally-run event!
K. B. from U.S. (12/1/2004) "Quality marathon" (about: 2004) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I had a great time running this race. The organization was top-notch. There was a heated tent at the start which was a welcome sight given the brisk morning. The course was well marked as were the aid stations. Every aid station had Ultima and water in the same order with color-coded cups. It is not a huge marathon and much of it is run on a paved trail which limits the number of spectators, but those that were there were very enthusiastic. My family was able to see me at the start, 5 miles, halfway and finish, with some moderate walking. The finish-line amenities were more than enough. The course itself is an honest one. The profile provided does not adequately represent the severity of the hills from roughly 4.5-9 miles. From 9 to roughly 23.5 is relatively flat or downhill with the occasional incline until a decent hill at 24. The final 2 miles are at a very slight incline that is accentuated because of its location in the race. Overall I really enjoyed this race, got a BQ and would recommend it to anyone looking for a well organized, relatively small, moderately challenging marathon.
M. G. from Fredericksburg, VA (11/26/2004) "Wonderful Experience" (about: 2004) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was as challenging a course as I have run anywhere. The first 10 miles were rolling and next year when I do the event again I will take more time early and less on the flatter less rolling part of the course. The race staff and volunteers were absolutely excellent. The theme water/food stations were a hoot. I never really thought about crowd support as I focused more on the beauty of the parks we encountered. Great job!
K. A. from Massachusetts (11/19/2004) "Everything about this race is top-notch" (about: 2004) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 If you read all the positive comments from other posts about this race I can attest that they are all true and then some. There is not a single detail about this race that clearly hasn't been thought through and made the best it can be. Expo, though small (it is a small race), had everything you could want. Pasta party had door prizes, there was a heated tent at start, Hendrix nat'l anthem, I could praise the organization, the water stops, the volunteers, the shirt, etc. for pages. However, the course - they say rolling hills but they left out the word 'constantly.' For maximum enjoyment - start out slower than natural through the early tough hills and pick up the pace in the park. It's a challenge.
J. S. from Alexandria, VA (11/16/2004) "A good marathon, but perhaps not for slower runner" (about: 2004) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my eighth marathon, and the first time I ran this race. Overall, my experience was marred by a pronation problem with my left foot, which slowed me down at least 20 minutes (but was not a fault of the race, per se). Also, one of the people I was running with had to drop out after mile 14 with knee pain. But she probably ran too soon after her last marathon. This race is very well organized, has great volunteers, a good pasta dinner, and good course support. Parks also always provides a nice windshirt in the goody bag. This year's edition was colored black. Perhaps that was appropriate, given the hill profile. None of the hills are that serious. But there are a lot of them. Half of the race is along a rolling bike trail beside Rock Creek. And the last three miles are uphill to Bethesda, mostly along a railroad grade. In my view, the hills in these last 16 miles were necessary and manageable. But the hills in miles 6-10 were, IMHO, gratuitous. They don't need to be there. The race is called 'Marathon in the Parks,' but it doesn't really hit the parks until mile 10. Miles 0-10 are really filler in between the start at the Shady Grove Metro station, and a long descent into the valley of Rock Creek. It would make an excellent half marathon course, but the extra 13.2 is neither the most scenic nor straightforward to run. Even the park section is not its best in November. Also, this really is not a race for any back-of-the-pack folks. Park really does have a firm 5 1/2 hour time limit. The water station folks were great, holding food and extra drinks on a table for back-of-the-packers, even after their formal closing time. And sidewalks and other routes were always available to anyone after roads reopened to traffic. But as a 12-13 minute miler, I got the distinct feeling that the course was closing down around me, every time I got to a road crossing or water station. There were several times that I worried if was still on the right course. I'm pretty self-sufficient on a race, and have mapped running routes before for my running club. But even so, feeling like the race is closing up around you can wear on you, psychologically. I'm glad I ran this race, but I can't recommend it to any of my pace group peers. It's a good race for someone who appreciates communing with nature, and solitude to think. But it definitely is geared toward faster runners.
C. L. from New York (11/15/2004) "Painfully Beautiful" (about: 2004) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The course is beautiful. At one point in the course there were deer watching runners go by just ten feet away from the trail. Unfortunately, it was 28F at the start and it's a very small marathon so spectators there were few. There were long stretches where there was not a single soul in sight. The volunteers were amazing as were the themed stations. One amazing guy had a table of chicken broth in the middle of nowhere around Mile 16. It was awesome. The pasta dinner left much to be desired, but overall the organization was OK, considering it was such a small marathon (just 740 people). It's a beautiful course, but it rolls like nothing else. This is not the marathon for beginners or for the recently injured. I was both, and by Mile 19 there were tears. I had to walk a lot of what was left, but I finished. I'd save this marathon for my second or third, not a good first one to run. NOT GOOD FOR FIRST-TIMERS! Overall, I had a great time! It was beautiful! Just painful.
D. V. from Ashburn, VA (4/18/2004) "Pleasant but Incredibly Hilly" (General Comments) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a wonderfully beautiful course winding through suburban Maryland. It spends a lot of its time on trails and without significant crowd support. They don't mention much about the hills, but this is a rolling course, AND I MEAN ROLLING. Forget PR's and the clock, enjoy the trail running, the foliage and the crisp, comfortable marathon weather.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 > ]



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A. L. from Phoenix, AZ (8/16/2007) "Killer hills, great scenery" (about: 2003) 1 previous marathon \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 This was my first marathon, and I thought I was prepared, but I didn't realize how severe the hills were. If I had known how hilly it was, I probably would have thrown more into my training. That said, I loved it, and would do it again. I was definitely back of the pack, but I didn't really mind - the support was fine. My favorite part was coming up a hill just before the run entered the rail trail around mile 23 - it felt great to gas up a steep hill and then coast to the finish. The shirt, by the way, is awesome - it is by far my favorite cold-weather running shirt.
R. B. from Washington, DC (9/25/2006) "Now a half marathon - great local/training race" (about: 2006) 3 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 MCRR did a great job bringing back this race - even as a half instead of the full it had been in past years. And the long-sleeve Brooks Dri-Fit shirt alone was worth the registration fee! The course is slightly hilly and mostly on a 5 foot-wide path, so don't expect to fly by people on your way to a PR. The water stops were too infrequent for this surprisingly humid day, so I wish I had brought along my own supply. In general, it's a really neat local race that introduced me to a path that will be great for my own training. The finish line in downtown Bethesda was neat, but you run through a tunnel immediately before the finish so there are only spectators on the last 100 yards. It's definitely a well-run event, and a great race for those training for a fall marathon or for those who live locally.
George Neil from Williamsburg, Virginia (1/2/2005) "Challenging but pretty course" (about: 2004) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 2 Nice small race. The themed water stops helped keep your humor while pushing those hills. No spectators to speak of but really nice paved trail though the woods. The heated tent at the start was great and the traffic control well done. The pasta dinner was a waste of money. They ran out of food and it wasn't much to get excited about anyway: canned sauce, cookies from a box, lettuce salad; you get the picture. Save your money and find a good local Italian restaurant. Those cash awards can help with the travel expenses! Good food at the end.
F. D. from Delaware (12/8/2004) "A wonderful, small marathon!" (about: 2004) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I concur with the positive comments made in other posts. Having run several large marathons, I found the smallness of this one to be a refreshing change! Every aspect of the race is geared towards the runners - from the heated tent, the friendly volunteers, the themed water stops, and the sweets at mile 23 to the great food at the finish, the easy travel logistics, the fantastic shirt, and the placement of port-a-johns along the course. Although the hills were the most challenging I've had to face in a marathon, I would definitely do this race again... I'd just be a bit better prepared! The part of the course that runs in the park is beautiful! Thanks for such a professionally-run event!
K. B. from U.S. (12/1/2004) "Quality marathon" (about: 2004) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I had a great time running this race. The organization was top-notch. There was a heated tent at the start which was a welcome sight given the brisk morning. The course was well marked as were the aid stations. Every aid station had Ultima and water in the same order with color-coded cups. It is not a huge marathon and much of it is run on a paved trail which limits the number of spectators, but those that were there were very enthusiastic. My family was able to see me at the start, 5 miles, halfway and finish, with some moderate walking. The finish-line amenities were more than enough. The course itself is an honest one. The profile provided does not adequately represent the severity of the hills from roughly 4.5-9 miles. From 9 to roughly 23.5 is relatively flat or downhill with the occasional incline until a decent hill at 24. The final 2 miles are at a very slight incline that is accentuated because of its location in the race. Overall I really enjoyed this race, got a BQ and would recommend it to anyone looking for a well organized, relatively small, moderately challenging marathon.
M. G. from Fredericksburg, VA (11/26/2004) "Wonderful Experience" (about: 2004) 3 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This was as challenging a course as I have run anywhere. The first 10 miles were rolling and next year when I do the event again I will take more time early and less on the flatter less rolling part of the course. The race staff and volunteers were absolutely excellent. The theme water/food stations were a hoot. I never really thought about crowd support as I focused more on the beauty of the parks we encountered. Great job!
K. A. from Massachusetts (11/19/2004) "Everything about this race is top-notch" (about: 2004) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 If you read all the positive comments from other posts about this race I can attest that they are all true and then some. There is not a single detail about this race that clearly hasn't been thought through and made the best it can be. Expo, though small (it is a small race), had everything you could want. Pasta party had door prizes, there was a heated tent at start, Hendrix nat'l anthem, I could praise the organization, the water stops, the volunteers, the shirt, etc. for pages. However, the course - they say rolling hills but they left out the word 'constantly.' For maximum enjoyment - start out slower than natural through the early tough hills and pick up the pace in the park. It's a challenge.
J. S. from Alexandria, VA (11/16/2004) "A good marathon, but perhaps not for slower runner" (about: 2004) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This was my eighth marathon, and the first time I ran this race. Overall, my experience was marred by a pronation problem with my left foot, which slowed me down at least 20 minutes (but was not a fault of the race, per se). Also, one of the people I was running with had to drop out after mile 14 with knee pain. But she probably ran too soon after her last marathon. This race is very well organized, has great volunteers, a good pasta dinner, and good course support. Parks also always provides a nice windshirt in the goody bag. This year's edition was colored black. Perhaps that was appropriate, given the hill profile. None of the hills are that serious. But there are a lot of them. Half of the race is along a rolling bike trail beside Rock Creek. And the last three miles are uphill to Bethesda, mostly along a railroad grade. In my view, the hills in these last 16 miles were necessary and manageable. But the hills in miles 6-10 were, IMHO, gratuitous. They don't need to be there. The race is called 'Marathon in the Parks,' but it doesn't really hit the parks until mile 10. Miles 0-10 are really filler in between the start at the Shady Grove Metro station, and a long descent into the valley of Rock Creek. It would make an excellent half marathon course, but the extra 13.2 is neither the most scenic nor straightforward to run. Even the park section is not its best in November. Also, this really is not a race for any back-of-the-pack folks. Park really does have a firm 5 1/2 hour time limit. The water station folks were great, holding food and extra drinks on a table for back-of-the-packers, even after their formal closing time. And sidewalks and other routes were always available to anyone after roads reopened to traffic. But as a 12-13 minute miler, I got the distinct feeling that the course was closing down around me, every time I got to a road crossing or water station. There were several times that I worried if was still on the right course. I'm pretty self-sufficient on a race, and have mapped running routes before for my running club. But even so, feeling like the race is closing up around you can wear on you, psychologically. I'm glad I ran this race, but I can't recommend it to any of my pace group peers. It's a good race for someone who appreciates communing with nature, and solitude to think. But it definitely is geared toward faster runners.
C. L. from New York (11/15/2004) "Painfully Beautiful" (about: 2004) First Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 1 The course is beautiful. At one point in the course there were deer watching runners go by just ten feet away from the trail. Unfortunately, it was 28F at the start and it's a very small marathon so spectators there were few. There were long stretches where there was not a single soul in sight. The volunteers were amazing as were the themed stations. One amazing guy had a table of chicken broth in the middle of nowhere around Mile 16. It was awesome. The pasta dinner left much to be desired, but overall the organization was OK, considering it was such a small marathon (just 740 people). It's a beautiful course, but it rolls like nothing else. This is not the marathon for beginners or for the recently injured. I was both, and by Mile 19 there were tears. I had to walk a lot of what was left, but I finished. I'd save this marathon for my second or third, not a good first one to run. NOT GOOD FOR FIRST-TIMERS! Overall, I had a great time! It was beautiful! Just painful.
D. V. from Ashburn, VA (4/18/2004) "Pleasant but Incredibly Hilly" (General Comments) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 This is a wonderfully beautiful course winding through suburban Maryland. It spends a lot of its time on trails and without significant crowd support. They don't mention much about the hills, but this is a rolling course, AND I MEAN ROLLING. Forget PR's and the clock, enjoy the trail running, the foliage and the crisp, comfortable marathon weather.

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Marathon Details - Montgomery County Marathon In The Parks