Question for JohninDC

Hello JohninDC ,

This is not a Florida port question but not sure if you were over on the East Coast boards.

My daughter is running in the Marine Corps Annual Marathon this coming Oct. 2014. She is a Coastie Reservist as the race is open to all active and reservist Military. My question is: have you heard of this particular marathon? ...... and if so, could you recommend a nice but resonably priced hotel to stay? Under $200 per night- give or take, would be nice but considering the area, will be flexible

The attached link shows the route, so not sure if we should stay in VA or DC ? Any information or tips would be appreciated.

Also, I will be travelling with my 85 yr old mother and disabled sister so would you suggest public transportation or renting a car ? Not sure how easy it would be to get around DC, parking etc...... No wheelchairs involved, just one on a walker and one on a cane. Hopefully, I can handle both of them and still enjoy the race.

http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/MarineCorpsMara.htm

Thanks,

Cari H.

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I'm not John but the Marine Corps Marathon is one of the marathon majors being that is one of the five or six largest marathons in the world and very prestigious.

I would suggest you go to the Marathon website and start reading there.

You'll be able to find out where the headquarters and start are located and go from there.

You will not find a bargain hotel that weekend. The marathon fills up Washington DC with runners, families, and support groups.

Do not try and drive around, traffic will be congested because of the road closures for the marathon.

If your daughter is staying with you, stay near the start or near where she can get easy transportation to the start.

I'm not John but the Marine Corps Marathon is one of the marathon majors being that is one of the five or six largest marathons in the world and very prestigious.

 

I would suggest you go to the Marathon website and start reading there.

 

You'll be able to find out where the headquarters and start are located and go from there.

 

You will not find a bargain hotel that weekend. The marathon fills up Washington DC with runners, families, and support groups.

 

Do not try and drive around, traffic will be congested because of the road closures for the marathon.

 

If your daughter is staying with you, stay near the start or near where she can get easy transportation to the start.

Thank you for the advice. I just found out yesterday that she will be running in this race and also that Mom and Sis want to go as well.

We were hoping to get some DC touring in as well, so I better start looking at booking.

:)

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Hello JohninDC ,

 

This is not a Florida port question but not sure if you were over on the East Coast boards.

 

My daughter is running in the Marine Corps Annual Marathon this coming Oct. 2014. She is a Coastie Reservist as the race is open to all active and reservist Military. My question is: have you heard of this particular marathon? ...... and if so, could you recommend a nice but resonably priced hotel to stay? Under $200 per night- give or take, would be nice but considering the area, will be flexible

 

The attached link shows the route, so not sure if we should stay in VA or DC ? Any information or tips would be appreciated.

 

Also, I will be travelling with my 85 yr old mother and disabled sister so would you suggest public transportation or renting a car ? Not sure how easy it would be to get around DC, parking etc...... No wheelchairs involved, just one on a walker and one on a cane. Hopefully, I can handle both of them and still enjoy the race.

 

http://dc.about.com/od/specialevents/a/MarineCorpsMara.htm

 

 

Thanks,

 

Cari H.

 

 

.

Cari - I'm not John but I did live in Arlington VA (the beginning and end of the Marine Corps Marathon) for over 30 years :D and one of my brothers has run in the marathon. Congratulations to your daughter - it is a very big deal - over 30000 runners participate.

Obviously many roads in DC and Arlington will be closed that Sunday - plus parking in DC isn't easy in the best of times so I would look at hotels on the metro in Arlington. The marathon begins/ends in Rossyln within a couple of blocks of metro. The Courthouse, Virginia Square, and Ballston neighborhoods all have metro stops within a couple of miles of Rosslyn (on the metro's Orange Line). Another possibility is Crystal City (on the Yellow and Blue Lines) in south Arlington -- it has a metro stop and it looks like this year's marathon will go right thru that area.

Best of luck to your daughter!

Thank you for the advice. I just found out yesterday that she will be running in this race and also that Mom and Sis want to go as well.

 

We were hoping to get some DC touring in as well, so I better start looking at booking.

 

:)

 

 

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Book a hotel within walking distance to the metro.

I'd start my search for hotels in the Crystal City area near DCA -- lots of hotels (3 different Marriotts) in a rang of prices from expensive to outrageous. Another area with easy metro access is Rosslyn (part of Arlington just outside the Lincoln Memorial). The Key Bridge Marriott there has some great views.

You can head further south into Old Town Alexandria or even Springfield (as far south as the Metro goes); the Pentagon parking lot gets taken over as a staging area and transport the morning of the race is strained but workable.

A long time ago I used to run 10K races -- the idea of adding 20 miles to the end of one of those is amazing to me. My son completed his first (and only, according to him) marathon in Richmond a few years ago. Good luck! :)

Thanks to all for the great info. I have bookmarked this thread and will be searching out hotels in the next week or so.

Cari H.

:)

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I'd book as early as possible -- that race attracts 10,00+ runners plus family and friends. Metro is the way to go - good luck! :)

I'd book as early as possible -- that race attracts 10,00+ runners plus family and friends. Metro is the way to go - good luck! :)

It's actually even more popular than that -- recent years have had 30,000 participants! Get your hotel room(s) now.

According to Wikipedia "The MCM was established in 1976 and is currently the third largest marathon in the United States and the eighth largest in the world. The race field of 30,000 is composed of runners from all 50 states and the District of Columbia and more than 50 countries. The MCM is known as "The People's Marathon" because it is open to all runners ages 14 and above and is the largest marathon that does not offer prize money."

I just wanted to touch base with all of the posters that have helped out with some great travel advice for the Marine Corps Marathon in October.

I was able to book a room at the same hotel as my daughter, who is representing the US Coast Guard, along with some of the other runners.

Courtyard by Marriott Pentagon South in Alexandria. I got a great AAA rate.

From the information that I gathered from the hotel, it is near the metro and has restaurants and such within walking distance.

I'm sure it will be a busy weekend but am planning to get in some DC tours as well. Arriving Friday morning and leaving mid-day Monday with the race being on Sunday. :)

Again, thanks to all,

Cari

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I just wanted to touch base with all of the posters that have helped out with some great travel advice for the Marine Corps Marathon in October.

 

I was able to book a room at the same hotel as my daughter, who is representing the US Coast Guard, along with some of the other runners.

Courtyard by Marriott Pentagon South in Alexandria. I got a great AAA rate.

 

From the information that I gathered from the hotel, it is near the metro and has restaurants and such within walking distance.

 

I'm sure it will be a busy weekend but am planning to get in some DC tours as well. Arriving Friday morning and leaving mid-day Monday with the race being on Sunday. :)

 

 

 

Again, thanks to all,

 

Cari

 

 

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Cari, you'll have a blast! Marathon weekend is always lots of fun and congrats and thanks to your daughter for her service!

Enjoy the crowds and the weather! DC should be beautiful in October!

I just wanted to touch base with all of the posters that have helped out with some great travel advice for the Marine Corps Marathon in October.

 

I was able to book a room at the same hotel as my daughter, who is representing the US Coast Guard, along with some of the other runners.

Courtyard by Marriott Pentagon South in Alexandria. I got a great AAA rate.

 

From the information that I gathered from the hotel, it is near the metro and has restaurants and such within walking distance.

 

I'm sure it will be a busy weekend but am planning to get in some DC tours as well. Arriving Friday morning and leaving mid-day Monday with the race being on Sunday. :)

 

 

 

Again, thanks to all,

 

Cari

 

 

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Cari - the name is a bit of a misnomer since it is about 4 miles from the Pentagon in the Landmark area of Alexandria. There is no metro stop within walking distance but I see that it has a complimentary shuttle to the Pentagon (that 4 miles is all highway with HOV lanes so barring an accident it shouldn't be a long shuttle ride). It is very close to Landmark Mall. I'm sure you all will have a great time - especially if there are lots of other runners and their families staying there. Good luck to your daughter!

As long as the shuttle runs early enough on race day you'll be fine - as mentioned above, you are not close to a Metro stop.

Landmark Mall has taken a bit of a turn south in recent years (as have lots of malls across the country :(). Your best bet for local eats outside of the area near your hotel is either Crystal City (Arlington, clustered near route 1 and 23rd St.) or Old Town Alexandria.

Good luck with the race! :)

Thank you to the above posters that responded today.

I did go back to the hotel site and did see that it is shuttle service to the metro, so thanks for the heads-up on that.

I am just excited that I not only have a place to stay at a decent rate but also one that my daughter will be staying at as well. I hope to have a great weekend and an enjoyable tour of our Nation's Capital.

Great information,

You all are the best,

Cari

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