After completing 12 Marathons in 12 months, I had one more “bonus” one to go. I had signed up for (and “won” the lottery to get into) the Marine Corps Marathon on October 25 in Arlington, Virginia.
Allison and the kids were going to run the 10k (along the last 6.2 miles of the marathon course), but life got in the way and they ultimately couldn’t make it. In any event, I wasn’t sure if I would like a large marathon (about 23,000 finishers). I loved it!
We got to the starting line around 6 AM and had to wait in the drizzle and cold to go through security. After a while, rather than just put you through security, they just waived everyone through. OK, “security” done. Then it was off to the races. A crowded start through Virginia wound us across the Key Bridge into Georgetown. Running down the main street in Georgetown (where they filmed a Nike commercial) was enjoyable. The best though, was yet to come. We rounded out by the Lincoln Memorial then down Constitution and Independence Avenues, past the Jefferson Memorial, out in front of the Capitol Building, down past the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial, across back into Arlington and ending at the Marine Corps monument (commonly called Iwa Jima Memorial). It was an enjoyable experience and I will absolutely try to get in next year.
Morbidly Obese to MARATHON Runner 