Thousands of runners logged 26.2 miles in D.C. and Arlington, Virginia, for the 49th annual Marine Corps Marathon on Sunday morning.
With the race comes dozens of road closures, crowds of cheering spectators and more than a few emotional tears.
Kyle King of Yucca Valley, California, was the first to cross the marathon finish line for the men, finishing with a time of 2:26:06. Tessa Barrett of Arlington, Virginia, claimed first place in the marathon for the women, finishing with a time of 2:39:36.
Calum Neff of Fulshear, Texas, won the men’s 50K with a time of 2:56:36. Anna Staats of Arlington, Virginia, finished in first place for the women in the 50K with a time of 3:44:42. Staats also won the women’s 50K in 2023.
Robert Taylor, who has been running the race for four decades, called the race a “pilgrimage.”
“I started in 1983 on a bet from a friend of mine who was in the Marines, and I got hooked. I ran it once, and I’ve been back every year since then,” said Taylor, a New Jersey native.
Taylor’s wife, Donna, has joined him every year since 1989.
“He told me I could never do this. And I said, ‘Oh yes, I could,'” she said.
“Many times we said, ‘OK, that’s it. This is the last one.’ And next thing I know, she signed me up for the next one,” said Robert. “So we’ve been coming back. We’ve had groups as many as 10, 15 with us, and we’re the only two surviving.”
Robert, a veteran, called the organization of the race superb and pointed to the “Wear Blue Mile,” a stretch where posters of fallen troops are displayed, as one of the most impactful parts of the event.
Jason Mercado, who is visiting from the Bronx to run his first Marine Corps Marathon, said he was looking forward to that stretch on Haynes Point.
“I’m gonna be emotional for that one. It’s one of those marathons where it’s gonna be a different type of experience,” Mercado said ahead of the race.
He plans to dedicate this run to his family members who served in the Marines and other branches.
The Marine Corps Marathon is the largest marathon in the world that doesn’t offer prize money. It has been deemed “The People’s Marathon.” It is often a runner’s first race at the 26.2-mile distance.
“Not only is it in D.C., it seems like it’s like one of the top ones to do,” said Sarah Lowe, a District resident. “This is gonna be my first one.”
While the weather Sunday is supreme for running, the months of training — including long runs on D.C. streets during the summer months — were brutal, according to Lowe.
“I always picked, like, the worst time of day. So just like sweating up a storm,” she joked.
Most of D.C.’s waterfront and dozens of streets in Northern Virginia are closed off for the race. For most of the course, thousands of spectators line the way to encourage runners.
“Both my parents ran the Marine Corps Marathon and said that the crowd support is the most amazing thing. This is one of the most emotional races to be in,” said Elle Monticello, who is running the 10K race.
“It’s my first Marine Corps, but I’m really excited to do the hometown race, and I love the marathon distance, so I’m excited to have my running club out there and just know a lot of people running, so I’m looking forward to the crowd and just running the streets,” said Grace Marmaris, of Arlington, Virginia, ahead of the marathon.
For the many first-time racers, Taylor has some simple advice as a four-decade Marine Corps Marathon: “Don’t get caught up in anybody else’s pace and have fun.”
WTOP’s Valerie Bonk contributed to this report.
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