Bigger than before

That registration number -- 16,490 runners, as of March 21 -- is a significant bump from the 12,000 entries the event attracted last year, continuing a general pattern of growth since the first race in 2006.

Organizers want that to continue.

"We would like to grow this race in a smart and safe manner," wrote Jennifer Schiller of the Greater Washington Sports Alliance in a Wednesday e-mail.

"Our goal for next year will be 20,000 runners."

That would put the race within striking distance of its fall competitors, the Marine Corps Marathon and the Baltimore Running Festival, which hosted 30,000 and 22,000 participants last year, respectively.

The Baltimore event, however, maintains substantially larger prize purses than the other two, and the races' times reflect that: Last year's winning Baltimore time of 2:13:11, run by David Rutoh, was more than five minutes faster than either of the Washington races' recent winners.

Flat course

If low prize money is to blame for slightly slower winning times, the course itself is not, and that bodes well for the all-amateur crowd that Suntrust attracts. While there's a relatively steady uphill climb before mile 7, organizers are touting the flat topography of the nation's capital, calling this weekend's flagship race the fastest looped, Boston-qualifying course in the country.

Racers form a rough figure-eight, going clockwise through the city's Northwest portion, then dropping off the half-marathoners near the start before taking a brief, counter-clockwise run along the Anacostia River.

The course shifts a bit from year to year, but the only major changes took place in year two, according to Schiller. That's when organizers moved to a route that snaked entirely within the limits of Washington, DC.

One other fairly reliable factor on the course has been Michael Wardian, an Arlington resident who has won four of the last five years. Wardian, a national 50k champion, has an international reputation for taking on a packed schedule of races.
For example, at a time when many runners would be tapering, Wardian took on international competitors in late February at the Colonial Half-Marathon in Virginia, finishing third.

Reichmann, of Maryland, is no slouch herself: At age 36, she's on marathon number 16, and her kids are starting to get into the act.

""They run several races -- little toddler trot races," she says.

"They have several ribbons and trophies up in their rooms."

If you know someone who's running and you're trying to stake out a spot to watch, I suggest bringing a blanket. (One of our commenters has some advice on good viewing places too.)

Recent National Marathon posts: