As a brain tumor survivor I go to the Dc Race every year. It's he best. Entertainment. Always a…read moreton of tables with food and activities. The kids get a medal The wall of hope is awesome and who wouldn't want to warm up with an America idol! Stay in a hotel near freedom plaza so you don't have to worry about parking! The tribute to survivors in the beginning of the walk is beautiful!

Every year, over 10,000 registered runners participate at Race for Hope. It is a well organized…read morefund raising event for brain tumor research. Wall of Hope and survivor's tent always makes me choked up. The weather in the early morning has been crisp and fm refreshing every year. The kind spirits and the will to go on are contagious. At the finish line, there is water table, banana, bagel, and cold drinks for everyone. The area is well guarded and secure. Until next year.

I signed up for the upcoming Marathon but recently found out, upon checking their website, that the…read moreMarathon is no longer available and they only now offer the half marathon.  This happened to me twice now, and neither changes were communicated to customers. The company changed the product and did not communicate this change and refused to refund or offer any other resolution to customers of any kind, due to a waiver we signed absolving us of any right to a refund or the right to dispute. I understand with COVID a lot of businesses are going through hardships, but at the very least communication and compromise would have been nice, but no. Lesson learned, please be careful when signing up for future races as they may be altered and you will not be refunded even though the change was no fault of your own.

This was a very poorly organized event. My friend and I ran the 5k, and they made all runners pick…read moreup their packets at the expo (DC Armory) on Thursday or Friday before the event. Not a minor inconvenience, as having to drive to DC on a weeknight is no fun. From the organizer's stand point, I can understand the logistical reasons for it. However, if making people come out to pick up packets, they should have been more thorough at giving instructions. First of all, the expo parking was horrible. The lot we were supposed to park at was not labeled clearly and was very difficult to find.. Not to mention extremely hard to even get to! How can you tell us to go this way to the lot, only to have us cross 3 lanes of high speed traffic to get to the other side within like 30 feet or we'll miss the entrance completely? It was super dangerous and nerve-wracking. Also, the lot had no lights so it was hard to see. Were we the only ones that didn't realize the DC Armory was the national guard building? Maybe I need to go into DC more.. But we didn't know that we couldn't take any food or drinks into the building until the bag check at the door. Apparently we weren't the only ones. The poor man in front of us had a bag full of girl scout cookies. He had to leave his whole bag there and pick it up later, but it wasn't secure at all. It was placed under the table along with other people's bags, and anyone could get to them. The participants should have been notified of this beforehand. The expo itself was okay. We got our packets quickly enough and the staff were friendly. We didn't stay long though because nothing at the expo really called to us. For the day of the race, I kind of felt like they shunted the 5k runners to the crappier part of the track. There was nothing to see except side roads and bridges overhead, and the road we ran on was full of potholes and bumps. Yes, I know our 5k is pittance compared to the half or full marathon, but we still paid our fees and came out to have a good time running. We did enjoy the bands that were placed along the track. After the race, all the road closures made it extremely difficult to get an Uber. We had to walk over half an hour in the cold to get somewhere near enough for an Uber driver to get us. While we knew about the closures, it did not make for a pleasant end to the race, and I can imagine it caused a ton of inconvenience to the folks who live there. Overall, not something I'll go for again. At least the medals were cool.

For those of you who are wondering what am I doing in DC? well I bucket listed another Half…read moreMarathon with NIKE!!! My 6th half marathon with NWM. What can I say? It was the best out of all the half marathons I've ever done. What makes it spectacular? Hmmm 13.1 miles filled with historical scenery & beautiful weather but over all running with your BFF's beside you on your birthday weekend. Through the course, such a great support system and 15,000 runners right by your side. Mile 1-3 you run passed the US Capitol, the National Gallery of Art, National Archives, Freedom plaza and the White House. Mile 4-8 you run passed George Washington University, WaterGate, The Kennedy Center, Roosevelt Island, Arlington Cemetery, Vietnam Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, MLK Memorial, and 9-13 Washington Monument, The Holocaust Museum, Bureau of Engraving, Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial and George Mason Memorial. Such a memorable run, which I think I'll run all over again!! BTW I just love the little blue box See you next year DC!!!

Still a great race. I am lucky to have run it two years in a row. A little more crowded this year…read morebut still efficient with the start times, no bottlenecks on the course, and easy packet pick up.The best part of this years race, the supporters! Particularly, the three bros with the following signs: Bro 1 sign: swipe right Bro 2: one word TINDER. Bro 3: I'm here for the 14:1 ratio My regret is that I did not run back to take a picture! Until next year...

I've done this race over ten times but this will probably be my last one. The logistics are a…read morenightmare and they seem to be getting worse as the race field keeps getting larger. The Metro used to open at 5am for this race. Now it opens at 7am. The first train got there at 7:50am. So definitely find another way to get there if you are in waves 1-4. The start and finish used to be near bag check. This changed a long time ago but it still sucks and the shuttle lines are longer than ever. The start/finish areas are really confusing due to the sheer volume of people in the area. It's not completely clear where and how far everything is. The race, itself, is great. The course has changed but it's still nice and the atmosphere is awesome. There aren't as many people cheering as Cherry Blossom or Marine Corps Marathon but it's still fun. It's very crowded but that should be expected and other DC races are just as crowded. If you can park at the Pentagon, you're staying nearby, or can run/bike over you're probably fine. For anyone taking the Metro, plan on joining wave 6 or later. Maybe wave 4-5 if you go straight to the start without stopping.

The Army Ten Miler takes my breath away…read more Cue song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K4a6ampIGao). Literally. Yesterday was my second attempt at running the Army Ten Miler. My first attempt was in 2010, I had an asthma attack and found metro at mile 3 to go to urgent care. This year, I was determined to finish, although I had tight lungs and difficulties early on. I don't know what it is about this race or the time of year, it's weird cause I only have issues with asthma only twice in the last decade, so maybe I'm allergic to men in uniforms (in that case I'm jumping off a bridge now cause that makes me sad), or maybe unbeknownst to my knowledge the race course is filled with dust and cat dander (only two triggers I can think of). Overall, I'm glad I at least finished and would have to say it's well run and well organized race. But let's break this down into the official rules, the good and the bad: Rules: -Mobile phones, mp3 players, ipods, and headphones are prohibited. No joke.There are security checks and you are subject to so they may find these items and make you check them in. I saw people stopped for headphones on the course too. I suggest you bring your own pedometer, because although they say they have mile markers for every mile, no one in my wave saw signs for the first three miles, I had to ask someone with a pedometer where I was. I felt so lost without my run keeper app on my iphone. -Bag check in requires that you use the clear plastic bags they provide. You will need to dump out the contents of any purse or bag into the plastic bag. -The race is organized by waves by pace, you can move down a wave to a slower pace but not move up. The Good: It's just awe inspiring to run one of the world's largest ten mile races along side wounded warriors, ROTC, and Santa Claus. The course is as flat as can be. The Army volunteers are amazing. Little do people know that many of them have been there since 1:30 am setting up, and by the time our wave rolled around they were getting a little loopy and hilarious on their megaphones. They joked about getting the water from the Potomac, warned against peeing off course etc. etc. This race is loaded with spectators, with clever signs. The runners were actually thanking them for coming out, and then they were thanking us, it was just a race of shiny, happy people all around. The bands along the way are even good (they never played Journey! YES!) Tons of people who saw me running in a Red Sox cap shouted predictions about them winning the world series. I love you all. My friend found me at the finish line, and didn't cheer for the wrong person this year!!! The Bad: -The last two miles are a let down and utterly boring. I would have killed for some music or entertainment at this point other than a witnessing a road rage incident on the 14th street bridge. There are no spectators, and it's along side a highway. The finish line will not come into sight until you are few feet away. -It's a healthy twenty minute walk from the finish line to the start line, and there are no signs to tell how to get back to where you started. There are shuttles available though. -Because this event is so popular, expect lines for everything, getting on the metro, getting off the metro, getting through security to go into the corrals, bag check, shuttles and food/water at the end.I would recommend adding time to travel to accommodate. -Although the packet picket at the Stadium Armory is pretty efficient and they offer free parking, I would recommend never driving there. The traffic is awful, the lots are often full and the DC parking enforcement is out in full force ticketing (just walking up to the stadium I saw an entire row of cars with pink tickets although the signs indicated it was ok to park at those hours). Metro is the right way to go. I would say this is one of the must do DC races, I might need a lung transplant to do it again but Hooah!!

This is my second time running Rock n Roll DC Half Marathon. Aside from running 13.1 miles, I had a…read moreball and definitely would like to run this half next. Expo: Runners were to pick up their bibs and running materials from the Walter E. Johnson Convention Center in DC, which has plenty of space for a large race expo. I thought the expo was a bit meh, because there was not much merchandise. Ok, there was some RnR DC merchandise, but not what I wanted. However, I really wanted a magnet for the fridge, but there were none to be found at the expo. I think the limited amount of RnR-sponsored merchandise is probably due to folks not really having an interest in purchasing things at an expo...especially when you can get these items at a cheaper price from other vendors. Overall, I though the crowd flow at the expo was fine because bib and T-shirt pick up was a breeze even though it was a bit overcrowded during the post-work hours. The Half: I thought the RnR DC Half Marathon has very nice course that takes runners through many points of interest in DC. Some sights include the Washington Monument, Lincoln Museum, Arlington National Cemetery, Rock Creek Park, Howard University, and several historic DC neighborhoods. For the most part, the course is very chill with a huge EXCEPTION of an uphill climb around 7.75 miles. For this hill in Rock Creek park, runners will have to do a near 150ft climb, so you have been warned. While there is an intense uphill climb in Rock Creek Park, a good chunk of the last part of the half is downhill (from Mile 10 onward) with a couple of small climbs. I thought the folks at RnR and DC did a great job will street closures, course management, and bag drop/pick up. I just wish the folks at RnR could work with the city to open the metro a bit earlier on race day for folks who live in outskirts or outside of the city. On weekends, the metro opens around 7 am, but that does not provide enough time to use public transportation from my neck of the woods to the start by 8 am. Yes, Ubering is an option to get to the start, but due to the road closures near the start, traffic can be a little rough. While I drove myself to the race, I decided to park near DuPont Circle, which was about a 1.5-mile walk to the start. LOL, I learned from my mistakes of taking an Uber to last year's half. What happened last year? The traffic was so bad, that I ended up renting a city bike to bike the remaining 3 miles to the start. Upon arriving near the start area, there were no available docks to park the bike, so I had to ride another 1.5 miles away from the start area to dock the bike, THEN I had to jog/run to the starting area. I was really lucky bc I managed to drop off my bag with only seconds to spare. The post race festivities were fine. I did not stick around too long after I redeemed my free beer and Fit Vine wine. I thought the 90s tribute band was pretty awesome.

Fun point-to-point half marathon, but don't underestimate the hills in some DC neighborhoods! The…read morerace started on the National Mall near Constitution and 14th St, and ended at RFK stadium. You run by some landmarks such as the Washington Monument, Lincoln Memorial and Kennedy Center, but I wished you'd see more!! As with any other Rock n Roll race, everything went very smoothly. From pre-race communications to the Expo to the Start/Finish Lines, we were well informed as participants and knew exactly what to expect before showing up on race day. Since the race ends a few miles away, don't forget to bring a topped up Metro card or have a pre-planned ride home because the line at the Stadium Metro station was super long with people waiting to use the ticket vending machines!

This was a well-organized event for a great cause! Everyone was so nice and the energy was amazing…read more Before the official start, the DC mayor spoke and we had the Zumba pump-up dance class right in freedom plaza, the energy was contagious! I felt so pumped up for the 5k!

I ran this race when the government shut down and they had to push it back a month.... they gave…read morethe option to the registered participants to transfer their bibs, so I bought a bib from a friend. The course takes place for the first 9 or so miles on the George Washington Parkway so when the government shut down, they had to delay the date of the race, which was unfortunate for many people, but lucky for meeee!! I used to live very close to Mount Vernon and have run along the Mount Vernon trail many times in my 5 years of living there. I wouldn't call the course HILLY, but it is sort of like "rolling hills" just up and down up and down. It was taking a toll on my knee that's for sure. The race is limited to just 5,000 people, which puts it on my list of smaller runs I've done. I believe the race is rated one of the top half marathons to do in the country. It has to be because of the beautiful views you have. The whole run is just peaceful views of the Potomac. My best advice is to make sure you wear sunglasses. When the sun rises, it's right in your eyes since you are running North/North-east literally the whole race. Registration includes a nice drawstring bag instead of a t-shirt, which is cool since I seriously have enough race t-shirts. And I use the bag that says 2013 Wilson Bridge Half Marathon on it all the time. It's good quality. Also a good run for race bling junkies. You get a pretty hefty medal at the end.

Do. Not. Register. For. This Race…read more They really need to remove "best race" from their tag line. It's completely fraudulent to schedule a race, offer deferrals for next year (for an additional fee), cancel the race, and then have no date and be incommunicado regarding a new race date; no goods or services received. What a sad shame and disgrace to the sport and local DC running. I have e-mailed the organizer Steve Nearman and asked him for a refund - but have not received a reply on that, or a credit. At this point I will be turning to my credit card company and disputing payments for the Woodrow Wilson Half Marathon. There have been zero updates via e-mail, zero updates on the website, and zero updates via social media. Organizing a race is difficult, I have no doubt - but the total blackout on communication for nearly 5 months is inept. I have made my own attempts to reach out to the organizer Steven Nearman, but only received vague "a date is coming in a few weeks" sort of responses. Weeks go by, still no update, still no race date, nary a peep. I started running 2.5 years ago, have lost over 50 pounds, been through a variety of injuries, and have come out still loving and getting a lot of reward out of the sport. While I'm no elite or pro runner and just your average mid-30's person who found running later in life while chasing that chubby inner 8-year old who never played any sports, I've volunteered for several races, ran many myself, and am always trying to convince others to join me. But Steve Nearman (and others?) with the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half have seriously soured things. I don't pretend to know the challenges in organizing a large race, but the lack of communication and total silence is inexcusable - all while taking runner's money. Whether small or large, I've never seen race communication handled so poorly. For those getting taken by the "best half marathon" headline - please save yourselves the $100+ dollars. Don't do it. Do not register. I've paid over $100, and haven't received anything at all. Not a t-shirt. Not an e-mail update. Not even a banana. Mind-bogglingly fraudulent and scammy. An addendum: Don't believe the highly skewed positive comments on the Facebook page for this race. Even mildly negative questions or concerns are deleted, censored, and blocked. Ie, simple follow up questions about deferrals or cancellation discounts. If you have integrity in your decisions, you don't censor feedback or questions. April 11th, 2016 update in response to below: Paid race participants are not mind readers. They rely on organizers to communicate effectively and with transparency to registrants - who have already given them their money. We can't know what's going on if you don't tell us. There was NO effort by WWBHM or Steve Nearman to reach out and communicate with deferred registrants, nor clear timelines about when to expect details. Nada. Nothing. Zero. Dates about information is/was vague, delayed constantly, and always with my attempt to reach out. The Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon made no attempt to contact registrants on their behalf, and keep them in the loop. There is no excuse for the blackout communication for paying customers. The fact that the race organizer cannot even own up to this fact speaks volumes. The fact that he essentially threatened me by asking me to remove my honest experience here and send this to his attorneys, is immoral. Eat your pride, take responsibility, and commit to hopefully doing things better in the future. Additionally, what "free" registration have they offered? This is the first I'm hearing about that offer. Can WWBHM please back this up? A deferral is not "free" - I paid to register for the race. I also paid an additional $20 deferral fee. That's not a "free" race entry - I *paid* for it! Are you saying you'll refund my registration & deferral fee, and allow me entry? When did you offer that? Because great, I totally accept. But the organizer knows this is not what they responded to me (because they never responded when I asked for a refund due to the lack of any updates). Everything about my experience is one hundred percent honest. Anyone is welcome to contact me with more information and I stand by it fully.

1st time running MCM and I loved the event. I was with over 20 other runners from LA and we all…read morereally enjoyed the race and some have already signed up for the 50th next year. The course was great, for the most part, especially the Rock Creek section. There are some parts that are not so great, but that's to be expected. The last 100 yards was a little brutal but what can be better than finishing at the Marine Corps War Memorial with the Iwo Jima statute. The expo is kind of far away at National Harbor but the shuttle was very efficient (at least on Friday eve). Expo was on the smaller side, really with not many interesting exhibitors. The race store was good, with attractive race products. The race shirt was a half zip which was very popular. I saw it all over town afterwards and the next day. The finish was crowded, to be expected. There was plenty of refreshments (water, snacks, watermelon, chocolate milk) in the finish corral. The beer garden was okay. There were long queues for the Metro and shuttle. But the lines had died down completely by the time we left. The race is definitely worth doing, plus DC is such a great place to visit, especially in the fall. Definitely recommend the race!

I am a first time participant and had a blast this weekend! The pre-event Health Expo and bib…read morepick-up was run so smoothly at the Gaylord Expo Center. The race itself was beautifully done! The shuttles ran on time, the course was wide, a few rolling hills, bridges, and beautiful landscape. I appreciated all the Marine Corp members who assisted with every aspect of the race, including the Expo, lining the streets, water stations, and even the band that was playing at the post-race street fest. I would definitely do this marathon again. Excellent experience.