Washington, United States · October
Pacing the Marine Corps Marathon
Rolling, with a hard finish
A rolling course through Washington and Arlington, known for its organisation and its atmosphere, and for a finish that climbs to the Marine Corps War Memorial.
Official site: dates and entry
Dates, ballots and entry rules change every year and are not listed here. Check the official site.
How to pace it
Rolling rather than flat, with the difficulty deliberately stacked toward the end. Both of the features this race is known for arrive when you are already tired.
The long bridge crossing in the thirties is the first. It is exposed, it is monotonous, and it lands almost exactly where most marathons start to hurt, so it functions as a psychological low as much as a physical one. There is also a course cut-off associated with it, which adds real time pressure for runners at the back and is worth checking on the official site before race day rather than discovering on the bridge.
The second is the climb to the memorial at the finish. It is short, but it is the last thing you do, and planning a flat-out final kilometre on the assumption of level ground is a mistake this course punishes visibly every year.
Plan for a final 10 km slower than your first, and treat anything better than that as a bonus.
Worth knowing
- The long bridge is exposed and arrives at the worst possible moment.
- There is a cut-off on the course. Know the pace it requires before the start.
- The finish climbs. Do not plan a level sprint.
What the common targets ask for
| Finish | Per km | Per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00:00 | 4:16 | 6:52 |
| 3:30:00 | 4:59 | 8:01 |
| 4:00:00 | 5:41 | 9:09 |
| 4:30:00 | 6:24 | 10:18 |