The 41st Marine Corps Marathon – Race Recap

Running past the monuments to our nation’s history is emotional enough. But during the Marine Corps Marathon, there is a blue mile at around mile ten. It serves as a tribute to fallen soldiers, featuring photo placards spaced sadly all too closely together and yet only a infinitesimal fraction of the names and images of brave men and women.  These are the heroes who have made the ultimate sacrifices in war and peacetime in the neverending fight for freedom and justice for all. I got choked up running this mile, just as I did anytime a Marine offered words of encouragement to me on the course. These people and their families are all heroes. I’m just some guy running along a road through our nation’s capital.

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And what sights to be seen during that course. I hopscotched around the National Mall yesterday but there is something to be said for running past them during a 26.2 mile tour.

The MCM is one of the largest marathons in the US and despite the sheer volume of runners, I still caught up with some running buddies I’ve made along the way. Full credit goes to Brian Wright for spotting me at the runners village and it was nice to catch up with him and Jim Spernyk in the predawn hours. Jim was running his first ever Marathon, typically preferring the half distances. That meant to day was going to be his PR no matter what… spoiler alert – he did great!

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As the sun rose and the Osprey aircraft did their flyover, the announcer mentioned President Barack Obama posted a welcome and good luck message to the MCM Facebook page. He said he was proud of me… well, me and the 30,000+ other runners. But it’s still pretty great.

From the howitzer firing to signal the start, it was a mad dash. The crowded field was a series of jockeying positions, and although we were to self-seed based on our expected finishing times, more than a few folks were shall we say overly optimistic for their paces. It meant there was a fair bit of pinballing ducking and weaving in the opening mileage… or what I like to call Millennium Falconing based on the flying patterns of that Corellian freighter in the Star Wars saga.

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I’m pretty sure the last time I was at the Kennedy Center I was on an 8th grade field trip and we saw Johnny Mathis.

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My prior prediction for 10 am at mile 15 was pretty close…

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Whooshing round the Mall and its monuments, I took a moment to grab a few selfies with the obelisk for Washington and the dome of the Capitol building.

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Heading back, we passed this intersection playing the soundtrack to Team America: World Police. The song and the sign says it all.

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I beat the bridge, a challenge to reach the 14th Street bridge in Mile 18 by 1:15 p.m.  I was there before then for sure, and thankfully, as the day got much hotter as the time went by.

Once on the other side, it was a loop by the Pentagon, a place I snapped some photos at before I spotted the sign that very clearly said no photos.  I hope this doesn’t get me into too much trouble:

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Heading into Crystal City, I was struggling.  I don’t think I had prep the caloric intake well for this event, worried as I have been about the ol’ bathroom scale.  On top of that, the climbing temperatures were taking a toll.  I was definitely fading fast… but rallied enough to grab a selfie with a person dressed as Katy Perry’s Superbowl backup fish — I just can’t quit you, Left Shark!

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The closing mileage to get to the Iwo Jima Memorial and the finish line proved a grind.  There was a lot more walking than I would have liked and I did my best to pick it up whenever a Marine shouted words of encouragement — given all they do, it seemed like a small thing to press forward.  But the truth is I’m no Marine — I struggled mightily.

As I think I’ve said before, there are few things more humbling than having a Marine encourage me and say thank you to me.  I was glad to be able to say thank you to the men and women volunteering (or possibly volun-told as a few ex-Marines running the event told me happens now and again).  In the end, the event was selfishly a reminder of how lucky and fortunate I am to be an American and to have the backing and support of this great nation that continually enables me to go and do what I want — the pursuit of life, liberty, and hopefully some happiness.

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Therefore to all the people, in and out of uniform, great and small in this amazing, diverse, and unparalleled nation, my heartfelt thanks.  In spite of a Presidential election that has seen some of the most vitriolic and disheartening rhetoric and acts, I believe in our country, in our people.  I believe that we are capable of such great things… and taking a step outside of the current political atmosphere, of looking about at our past and what we can build upon, I believe in our future.  I believe in it mostly because of the amazing individuals I have encountered.

Our flag’s unfurled to every breeze
From dawn to setting sun;
We have fought in every clime and place
Where we could take a gun;
In the snow of far-off Northern lands
And in sunny tropic scenes,
You will find us always on the job
The United States Marines…

(Kevin’s Note:) Along with we the people of the United States of America.

Semper Fi.

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