Just got back from an interesting weekend in DC (actually, we stayed in Arlington). Most of you probably wouldn't be crazy enough to spend it exactly as I did--running my first marathon, along with 30,000 other similarly afflicted folks. It was the 30th annual Marine Corps Marathon, and it seemed like all of DC was out to cheer us on Sunday.

But I thought I'd share some details, as the logistics worked out so nicely.

Flight: flew Spirit Air from our hometown of Myrtle Beach directly to Reagan National in DC. Great flights, both early to leave, early to arrive. $98 per person r/t (inlcuding all taxes & fees).

Hotel: Radisson Reagan National (it's actually one metro stop north of the airport, in Crystal City). Great stay; not the Ritz, but at $88 a night, a great bargain. 5-7 minute walk to the metro station. Service was great, quick shuttle to the airport, complimentary computer access in the business center.

Restaurants:

Friday night we ate at a really cool, neighborhood tex-mex restaurant called Tacqueria el Pablano. It was in Arlington a mile or so south of the Radisson, on Mt. Vernon St. (or Rd., I believe); anyway the road runs parallel to Jeff. Davis Hwy (Hwy 1). Very reasonably priced, great burritos, etc., and a killer margarita (I'm an aficionado; usually the only margaritas I drink are the ones I make--no mixer!)

Breakfast Saturday morning was in the Eastern Market section of DC, at the little lunch counter in the indoor section of the flea market there, called Market Lunch. We all had the buckwheat blueberry pancakes--very, very good--light & fluffy, unusual for buckwheat pancakes. It's a no-frills lunch counter, where the personalities behind the counter alone are worth the visit.

Saturday lunch--on my own, in the hotel room, staying off my feet in preparation for running the next day. Guilty pleasure: Papa John's pizza; as I hardly eat that kind of food anymore, it was heaven! My better half, her brother, and his s/o had what she termed an over-priced and non-descript lunch somewhere in Georgetown.

Saturday dinner: Legal Seafood, just across the street from our hotel. Nice dinner; it takes a lot to get me excited about a $25 fish entree; Legal was pretty good. Nothing I can't get here in MB for less, though. But to finish on a high note, nice atmosphere (especially at the bar, as we wiled away our 1 hour wait), and good service.

Sunday breakfast: an energy gel 10 minutes prior to the start of the marathon

Sunday afternoon: we had a great tapas meal at a place on Crystal Drive (a block over from our hotel, between 20th and 23th streets). The place is Oyamel. Very reasonably priced antojitos menu ("little dishes"), from which we ordered shrimp tacos--pretty good, a little dry; trout on a wonderful mole sauce; and the best were mushroom, wild onion and gaucamole sauce tacos. The latter, although they sounded a little kooky, were outstanding. I think each dish was between $4.95 and $8.95.

Sunday night: we were wiped out; me from running 26.2 miles, and my better half from logging probably that many miles between metro and walking to try to see me at various points along the course, including the crucial mile 23, where I got an energy gel, water, and most importantly, a kiss to carry me through to the finish.

Final thoughts:

All of the people we encountered in Northern Virginia, from servers to locals, were incredibly nice and helpful.

Eastern Market was a great place to walk around and shop. My wife liked it a lot better than Georgetown. While not as big or glitzy, she said it was more real, more interesting, much more reasonable in prices. The market produce there (every saturday morning I believe) was outstanding.

Rock Creek Park is beautiful, as is strolling (well, running; but I could imagine strolling) along the river at Potomac Park just south of the monuments/mall area.

Oh, and the metro is as awesome as ever. (Save your ticket after your last stop though, you need it to exit the metro.)

Over & out.

Great report, glad you had a nice time.

It's Mt. Vernon Avenue -- area I grew up many moons ago.

Haven't been to the Eastern Market -- I'll have to check it out the next time I'm in town.

Will be in Myrtle Beach over New Years. Maybe we can hook up for a drink. Maybe the iceeu2's will be in town.

Congratulations on the marathon! What a great achievement. The Taqueria Poblano that you went to is actually in Alexandria, in a nice neighborhood called Del Ray. (There is another one in Arlington on N. Harrison St.) Nice to hear some good feedback about Arlington and Alexandria -- sometimes this board makes it sound like you are in the outer ring by staying in those suburbs. Crystal City around your hotel has had a facelift recently and with Oyamel and Jaleo it is becoming a brighter, convenient location.

Thanks for the tips about Eastern Market, haven't been there recently and will soon.

Nice to read this report. We live in NVA and my husband used to run the marathon (and area triathalons, before his back surgery a few yrs ago). He dreams of running it again. So glad NVA was good to you.

Great trip report, and I'm glad to hear that there ARE some placed in Crystal City at night and weekends. I've never stayed there and it seems to get a lot of thumbs-down here at Fodors.

I love that lunch counter at Eastern Market; seems to be THE weekend breakfast place for locals.

Thanks for the corrections guys:

Taqueria Poblano, on Mount Veron Avenue, in Alexandria (not Arlington--the lines between the two seem to get a little blurred).

Budman,

I'd love to meet for a drink around New Years in MB. Your favorite--Liberty, for an oatmeal stout or two?

Congrats! What was your time? Happy with it? Thanks for the tapas restaurant mention- I'm always on the lookout for good ones, smart way to eat!

Count me in for New Years, we'll probably be in Pawleys Island!

Chuck, congrats on the Marathon! I'm worried because I'm NOT staying off my feet Saturday (Rockettes Radio City, early cocktail party, no booze for me and dinner downtown).

If you want, email me at [email protected] for the marathon details!

LLindaC,

I trained for approximately a 10 minute per mile pace, and I finished basically on target, with a 4:31 total time. The start was VERY SLOW; for the first 5 miles, it was wall-to-wall people, with lots of walkers everyhere. I managed only about 12 minute miles, refraining from running anyone over, for the first 6 miles. Then things cleared up and I was able to go fast enough the last 13 miles to meet my goal.

GoTravel,

A little New Years GTG at MB with you and Budman sounds great (anyone else out there with a taste for some great local-brewed beer feel free to tag along).

I know you'll do great at NYC this Sunday. I ended up walking more than I planned Saturday morning around Eastern Market, and it was okay. One last piece of advice: resist the urge to actually join the rockettes on stage!

If we are there...and the chances are we will be...we would love to GTG with everyone...Happy Thanksgiving.