It's National Marathon time again and those runners will be heading right down H Street. It does make for a fun spectacle, so I recommend watching from the sidelines. Unfortunately, it also means road closures. Please plan your travel accordingly. Here are the local closures:
# East on K Street NE
# South on 4th Street NE
# East on H Street NE
# South on 13th Street NE
21 comments:
Please, no bitching about this. Hosting races and such is part of life in a city. Yes, it's an inconvenience, but it doesn't help to bitch, and it's a really nice event for participants.
It's a really nice event for the guy running this event too.Last June the City Paper ran an article stating that he made ~$500,000. It's time that people start asking specifically what groups benefit, where they are located, and exactly how much money they receive. And finally how much does this nice event cost the DC taxpayer?
Brian, your request lasted a full 53 minutes!
When a marathon like this one draws people from all over, the city benefits from the hotel, restaraunt and tourism taxes it collects from the visitors. The hotels, restaraunts and gift shops benefit as well... and the venue hosts like the convention center who usually host the packet pick expo... and local running/ athletic stores who benefit from last minute purchases...
I used to run marathons and always made a point to thank the locals along the route for being understanding and coming out to support the runners. It may not have a monetary value but the sense of community is worth something to me. I'm right along the route in NE and plan to come out and cheer as the runners go by.
It's not "bitching" to criticize events on public policy grounds. I'm not anon at 9:46, but I do share his/her concerns. You can't simply assert that this is "part of city life" and therefore beyond question. We (dc taxpayers) are providing a track for a private event. What are we getting in return? (serious q, not rhetorical, and happy to hear that the benefits outweigh the costs).
What exactly are the downsides to closing the roads mentioned on our neighborhood for 5 hours on a Saturday? I know it will effect me going to work in the afternoon, but I'll just make a left here and a right there to avoid it. Police? That gets paid for with everyone's entry fee as well as SunTrust's sponsorship, and they usually choose volunteers on their days off to guard the streets. Increased foot traffic during the event? Lord, help us if Liberty Tree or Toyland get a few extra tables filled because of this. The fact that it is for profit means nothing. Personally, most races I run don't make that much money for their causes, like the Capitol Hill Classic, but they are fun to do, simple as that.
I think it's fantastic that they're running down H ST and they get to experience first hand the hell that the construction provides. I hope every brings their knee and ankle braces for the terrain.
It's probably the worst PR move you could make for a city to have people run through your construction projects.
Amateurs.
There is a paid cop at every single intersection getting paid overtime. The city has never collected the $$$ paid to the police and other city employees. In the past, the costs to the city was in the several hundreds of thousands of $$$. Some people do work on Saturday, the D6, 90s,X8 and X2 are delayed and rerouted so that you can play.
The auditor in me wants to see documented evidence of the costs for the marathon and the sources of revenue to cover those costs. Until then, I have a high degree of speculation for anyone who claims that this marathon will cost taxpayers a bundle or that the organizer profits a half a million dollars. I'm looking forward to this annual event, and supporting those who trained for it! Kia kaha!
Oops - I meant that I have a high degree of skepticism, but I do think that people complaining about the costs to the taypayer are speculating at best.
The auditor should check the August 13th, 2010 issue of Washington City paper. Check out the Greater Washington Sports Alliance or just running with yor blinders on
I have a idea how about asking DC or Suntrust to subsidize Metrobus in DC that day. Say if someone gets on a Metrobus in DC and can not continue there route because of this marathon give them 60 % off Metrorail fare to continue the journey via the area if possible.
Another question is why does this go all over the city outside of downtown. You have areas east of the Anacostia cut off from the rest of DC during these marathons.
Have they ever asked how residents feel about this.
Does the bitching ever end?
I remember a great 10k in Georgetown that ran in Georgetown until those dbags up there cried and bitched and moaned until there was no more event bringing thousands together to do something healthy and fun.
Wow, thanks Anonymous @ 2:00 PM. The City Paper article was enlightening (link posted below). Having recently run the Chicago and Boston Marathons, I have to admit that I fully support the DC Marathon and the camaraderie that sporting events of all types can promote. However, I don't support large amounts of city funds (taxpayer dollars) going to pay for the events, unless the return on the city's investment is greater than the investment itself. Still, I wish the runners luck and I'll be out there to cheer them on. Thanks again for the article.
http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/39581/the-greater-washington-sports-alliance-ceo-gets-hefty-city-subsidized
Egad -- thanks for the link to the article. I'm all for the marathon, and it doesn't bother me that city funds are spent on day-of type logistics or the like. Races are great. However, according to the article, in 2008 the organizer received a $500k grant from the city, and then paid himself a $415k salary. That seems excessive.
Wow, There's nothing like a few street closings to turn DC residents into budget hawks! Wecome aboard, fellow libertarians! I am with you. Save some energy for cutting public jobs and benefits, reducing welfare roles, housing vouchers, food stamps, entitlement programs, and all the other waste fraud and abuse that dooms DC.
As a resident of H st and a runner for the National Marathon, I can see why some people are "annoyed" with the road closures or "funding"... But also, this is a great race. It exposes our neighborhood to other communities. Runners from last year will see the development of this year. Granted it's not ideal "terrain", but it's still exposure. I hope people will come cheer us runners on. Plus, most of you will be sleeping, most elite/strong runners will be running on H st by 8am. This is the ONLY race out of a million that "interferes" with your 8am Saturday ritual on H st. It's one day and the road closures are only a couple of hours. If you are one of those "annoyed" people, sleep in. It'll be over before you wake up.
Question: If I'm at 11th and Maryland, NE, How should I get to the DMV in SW at 7AM on Saturday?
Normally, I would happily walk or Metro but my car kind of HAS to be with me at the DMV to get inspected. I'm totally fine with the race but, for the life of me, I can't figure out how I'm going to make this work.
-Stumped
Stumped: you're completely hosed, sorry.
You can ask the police right now where you should cross on Saturday. They'll tell you where you should go to cross. On Saturday morning, you'll go there, and they won't let you cross. You'll say "but the PSA Lieutenant said cross here" and they'll say "you can't cross here, sorry."
I have an appointment I absolutely must make in northern Virginia at 9am Saturday morning. I'm considering staying at a friend's in Alexandria for the night, just to avoid getting trapped.
Maybe you could rent a room at the Best Western on South capitol Street Friday night?
@Stumped. If they won't let you across Capitol at 6:30 or something I would assume that worst case you could do H to 395.
Maybe I was the exception last year, but I didn't have nay trouble getting out of the city taking H to 395.
Beautiful day for a run. Thanks to everyone who came out and cheered. It meant a lot and helps :)
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