The National Marathon was run from 2006 through 2010, before becoming the Rock ‘N’ Roll USA Marathon in 2011. The inaugural marathon had a qualifying time of 4:30 which meant a lot of people weren’t able to run it.
Five and eight years after the fact, I’ve prepared a throwback recap for the 2006 and 2009 National Marathons. Sit back and join me, as I tell about running dead last in the 2006 race, and stripping down at the halfway point in the 2009 race…
The race started and finished at RFK Stadium, and the first year it ran into Prince Georges County, MD. It was a hilly course that I will never forget. I assume the race organizers got enough complaints that they changed the course the next year so it stayed in DC proper.
Bill and I ran the Inaugural National Marathon in 2006 with our friend Bob. Several of the Cruisers ran the half marathon, but Bill, Bob, and I were the only ones to run the full marathon.
2006 National Marathon shirt
When the race started, Bill took off to run his own race, but Bob and I decided to hang with our half-marathoner Cruiser friends Jerome, Chuck, and Terri and stay with them until the races split off around the twelve mile mark. Less than a mile into the race we passed two porta-potties and since Terri had to go, we decided to stay together and stopped with her. We stopped as a group and waited and waited for the people inside to come out. Finally we were able to use it and and headed off… BEHIND the juggler and ambulance, and barely in front of the street sweeper! We were so embarrassed to be DEAD LAST that Terri and Jerome shouted over and over to all of the spectators, “We had to pee!”
We quickly gained ground on the slower runners now in front of us and around mile six we saw Miles waiting for us. He was sure that he had missed us when we didn’t run by at our expected time. He was happy to find us and jumped onto the course as a bandit (shhhh don’t tell anyone) and ran twenty miles with us. Around mile twelve, the Cruisers running the half split to the left to finish their race as we were sent to the right into the horrible hills of PG County, MD!
Miles, Bob, and I took it easy and talked the whole time. Miles told some of his infamous far-fetched stories to entertain us, and help make the miles go by faster. We chose to walk up some of the steep uphills, because, yes, they were that bad. At some point Bob showed me how I could fold my nylon vest up into a tiny square and slip it into the back zippered pouch, and then fasten it around my waist. I’d always wondered what that belt inside the pocket was for!
Bob, Deb, and Miles
Miles peeled off just before the finish line and Bob and I finished in 4:52:20 (11:09 pace). Bill had finished in 3:53:50 and had to wait an hour for me. When I finished he was freezing cold, and I can’t blame him for wanting to leave immediately! Our friend Ed was also at the finish line cheering us in. He hadn’t trained very well, but still ran a BQ!
Local distance-running star Michael Wardian won the inaugural 2006 race with a time of 2:30:55, beating 1208 other finishers. Mike went on to own the race winning it in 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012; and finishing second in 2009 and 2013.
Bill and I returned in 2009 with our Cruiser friends Chuck, Carolyn, and Beth. We got there bright and early at 5:50 AM and parked along the Anacostia River at RFK to wait for the start of the fourth annual National Marathon. We were able to park right beside the halfway point in the course.
Bill and Deb, eager to race
Cruisers Chuck, Carolyn, and Beth
We ran past the Capitol and the Russell Senate Office Building and I recognized several United States senators standing outside cheering us on. The photographer caught Bill as he ran down Constitution Avenue past the Capitol.
We had overdressed for the race, and by the time we got to mile 13 and passed by my SUV, Beth and I got the great idea to change clothes. We ran over and stripped down right there in the parking lot and changed into shorts and short sleeved shirts. Two open doors provided “pretty good” coverage for changing clothes. After a quick change we were back on the race course feeling much better!
We all stuck pretty close together and I finished in 4:30:00 (10:18 minute/mile pace). I think this is the race that we dubbed ourselves “The Cruisers Racing Team.”
That’s RFK Stadium in the background. Side note: I saw Bruce Springsteen there in 1985 for his Born in the U.S.A. tour. That concrete stadium was swaying!
2009 unisex shirt…
2006 and 2009 race bibs…
2006 and 2009 finishers’ medals…
After Rock ‘N’ Roll took over the race, we decided that we wanted to run it so we signed up in 2012. I was training for it when I hurt my back and had to stop training the month before the race. Bill and Beth ran it, and I sadly slept in…
- Questions:
- What’s the hilliest race you’ve run?
- Have you run a Rock ‘N’ Roll race?
- Who’s racing this weekend?
I’ve just raced! And yes it was hilly – a 21km trail with three big climbs – awesome! As usual I’ll be right smack bang in the middle of the field.
That’s funny you mention Mike Wardian as he was just out here (NZ) last week running Tarawera!
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Hope you had fun at your race!
I saw Mike’s pictures on IG from Tarawera. Did I understand correctly on Twitter that the race had to be shortened and therefore runners weren’t able to qualify for Western States at it? Was it weather related?
I’m not sure about qualifying for WS, but yes the race had to be shortened and rerouted due to Cyclone Luci, as the forest portion had a risk of falling branches and runner injury. Next year!
Sherry recently posted…I must be a runner because…
I love hearing racing stories from others. I felt like I was right there with you all. Great story telling!
I have ran in a couple hilly races; a 10k, half and my marathon (a lot hillier than I thought it would be).
I have not run in a rock n roll race. If my knees were 100% right now I would be training for the Rock n Roll San Diego marathon but I will just settle for a half in May. My hubby has done the Las Vegas marathon and it was at night! That would be hard for me, eating wise would be difficult.
Lindsey @ OneMotherofaDay recently posted…Friday Five: Family & Friends Edition
I ran the Virginia Rock ‘N’ Roll Half a few years ago, so at least I got to experience it. I have medal envy of the bling Bill brought home from Rock ‘N’ Roll USA, though!
I’ve only run one evening race. I would have a lot of trouble planning my eating for that so I wouldn’t have stomach issues.
Hope your knee problems get resolved!
I love reading race stories – as a non-racer I didn’t think I would, but I guess I like running vicariously. I’m feeling good after my run yesterday (thank you for the support!) – I was sure I’d be sore today. Guess I’m in better shape than I thought! Enjoy this beautiful weather before it snows again, Debbie. Blech.
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I’m glad that you’re not too sore after your run yesterday. It’s easier to get back out there and run again when your post-run experience isn’t too miserable!
My fingers are crossed that it doesn’t snow… I didn’t think I’d ever here myself saying that!
Haha, that’s a bummer about the portapotties. Cool back stories on those races though!
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I remember thinking that it was either so cool or so embarrassing to be behind ever single runner in the race after our porta-potty stop… In hindsight, it was just hilarious!
So, I ran my first Rock n Roll race last weekend in DC, the USA, which is the descendant of the races you’ve recapped today! It was an awesome race, well organized with a great course, but the killer hill was like Culvert Hill at miles 6? I will never ever forget that hill!
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Yes, I hear they do a good job!
You have some pretty good memories associated with the National Marathon 🙂 Running just in front of the sweeper in one, and stripping during the other! My goodness.
I think the hilliest race I’ve ever run is either the trail half we did earlier this month, the Blue Ridge Half, or maybe the Varmint. It’s hard to pick one. Oh and the Virginia 10 Miler in Lynchburg was pretty hilly, too. My very first race ever was a Rock N Roll race- the Country Music Half in Nashville. My second race was also a Rock N Roll Race- the half in VA Beach. Never again will I run a race at the beach in September, haha!
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The Varmint Half is hilly? I would have guessed that the “bowl” of Burkes Garden inside the mountains would be flat.
[…] there being a demand for a spring marathon in DC, we didn’t get another one until the 2006 National Marathon. The National Marathon has been a huge success, especially since becoming one of the Rock […]
Debbie,
Thanks for the trip down memory lane. My wife and I signed up for the 2006 half but at the turn off point, we felt soo good we decided to run the full marathon. It was hilly and I remember that there wasn’t much food left when we got to the finish line. But overall, a fun race.
I’m glad you enjoyed it, Brian, and could relate to those hills in PG County.