Parks Half Marathon
Rockville, MD
- Half Marathon
- Road (Paved)
- Official race website
The Parks Half Marathon begins just before sunrise on a scenic Montgomery County road and quickly transitions into a tour of beautiful Rock Creek Park. As you run through the park you’ll experience the sun rising through the tree cover and enjoy the sights and sounds of nature. Mile markers … MORE
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Hometown race
Given this race starting line was walking distance from my house, though I have run Maryland, I chose to run this race as well. I was looking for a new … MORE
Given this race starting line was walking distance from my house, though I have run Maryland, I chose to run this race as well. I was looking for a new long run route and was hoping this race would give me that.
This race was ok-it was pretty running through the park on well maintained paved trails. The course was not super hilly-though some rollers.
Race swag was simply a shirt you picked up at a sporting goods store the day before. The parking to pick up your packet was painful and packet pick up was about 8 miles from the start.
Race is very no frills-no gu on the course and aid stations as needed.
After the race, you needed to take the metro back to the starting line area which worked out for me as a local though the walk to the metro was a bit painful uphill.
They still use an actual chip for timing that you attach to your shoe and have to give back which I thought were non existent at this point. I was not a fan after I just ran of not being able to leave the finisher’s chute until I took my shoe off, unlaced it to give back the chip.
Medal was just ok and not too much in terms of food or an event afterwards.
This certainly does not have the calling or following of Frederick, Annapolis or Baltimore-but is a good race for locals.
Beautiful- but stay in the time limit
Course- ran most all the way through a park on paved trail. Saw some deer. Lots of down hill! Scenery- beautiful! Park run Production- ok this is where my issues … MORE
Course- ran most all the way through a park on paved trail. Saw some deer. Lots of down hill!
Scenery- beautiful! Park run
Production- ok this is where my issues are. There site referenced parking at metro station and start line as the same. Not true. Start line was a good 10 min walk… around a corner, up the road. If you didn’t know where you were going, and there wasn’t a gaggle, you’d be lost!
It was a one way run, and it ended near a different metro station, but not nearly as close as they made it seem. It was like 3/4 of a mile.
The cut off was 2:45. This mostly included the major intersections being blocked. However there was a car that blew through a side street block bc he was mad it was still closed waiting for late runners. The aid stations remained open which was nice. And the picture ppl and the medal people were also out there still. We finished at 3:08 (second run in 2 days) and by the time we got there, they were packing up food. Very little post run support. I would say if you’re able to do the run in under the cut off time, it prob would have been a great run(just make sure to find out where to start!!). If you’re concerned about the time, I’d choose a different one.
Swag was a standard long sleeve tech shirt and medal.
Rock Creek Park
I recommend this. I had a great time. That was primarily because I improved 18 minutes over the day before. It was a post-pandemic personal best. This run was big … MORE
I recommend this. I had a great time. That was primarily because I improved 18 minutes over the day before. It was a post-pandemic personal best.
This run was big and suburban. Everyone was friendly, a good 1500 or so. Many were members of the organizing club, including as pacers in yellow t-shirts. “Suburban” probably doesn’t sell it, because much of the venue was inside Rock Creek Park, on paved paths through fields and woods. Short of being on a trail or in a rural area, it was about as rustic as it could be.
The morning was crisp. The 6:45 start time contributed to the cool temperatures. It wasn’t so cool as to be brisk. It was just right for shorts and a t-shirt, even at the peak once the sun was up.
A cavil, not complaint, about the porta potties. I realized I can’t stand it when folks cut in line. The fault here was the arrangement. At least three people didn’t realize you had to queue up and darted into a unit while others were waiting.
The route is flat. There were two signs warning of steep grades, one uphill just before mile nine and another downhill at the end. The grades were gentle, even these two short stretches. It wasn’t flat like the canal towpath, but by any reasonable standard this would be deemed easy.
Between the time I signed up for this and the event, my father moved into an apartment building right by the end of the race. This is point to point, from King’s Farm to the Grosvenor Metro station. That was a bonus. They had pizza and eggs and sausage and bananas and lots of food and drink at the finish.
Rock Creek Park is very pretty...
and hilly. Add cool temps and driving rain and it makes a race I love. Nice support on the course despite rain. I liked the early start, 6:45am. It was … MORE
and hilly. Add cool temps and driving rain and it makes a race I love. Nice support on the course despite rain. I liked the early start, 6:45am. It was my second in a back-to-back half weekend. Nice bling, shirt and cap.