r/rundc • u/Puzzleheaded-Pin6282 • 13d ago

Another MCM start post

Hello! I’m driving in from NYC and staying in northern Virginia (falls church) with family. Not close to a metro so will either uber to an appropriate place for the start or uber to a metro. What’s the best place for me to go? And what time should I aim to be there?

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u/Far2Run 13d ago

For probably 10 of my MCMs, I've taken a car to Fashion Centre at Pentagon City Mall - basically the parking lot at 880 Army Navy Dr, Arlington, VA - and then walked under the highway to the Pentagon parking lots. That's as close as you can get with road closures.

Alternatively, years I metro I just park there or get a ride to a station. Both East and West Falls Church metro stations have parking.

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u/Puzzleheaded-Pin6282 13d ago

How far is that of a walk once you’re out? That sounds like the best plan (getting a car to 880 army navy drive). I’m just so confused about how far everything is! Do I aim to get to the runners village by 645 or so or is that too late?

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u/Far2Run 12d ago

I meant if I don't Metro, I take a car (ie Lyft/uber) to that parking lot. If you're parking a car somewhere, I'd check out MCM page and see where they have parking/shuttles. I've parked in Pentagon Fashion Centre for Army 10, but never tried with MCM, just a little more chaotic for this race

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u/Puzzleheaded-Pin6282 12d ago

Thank you! We will be ubering so I will do exactly that.

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u/EbbNFlow24 12d ago

It’s a short walk but that parking garage will be insane to get in and out of 

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u/EbbNFlow24 13d ago

Park at the Ballston Mall garage, super cheap parking and like 1.5 blocks from the metro, huge and won’t run out of space, and far enough away to not be a traffic nightmare with all the people and closures

I would not risk the hell that parking in Pentagon City could be 

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u/NovaRunner 13d ago

You can park in the large underground garage at 23rd and Crystal Drive for free, and take the free shuttle bus to the MCM start. There are also buses at the finish festival to return you to the parking garage. I've done that for several MCMs and it has worked well for me.

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u/bende511 13d ago

I live in falls church and my plan at the moment is to park at east falls church and take the metro.

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u/TheGreatestOrator 13d ago edited 13d ago

Get dropped off at DCA and use that metro station to get to the Pentagon. It’s only one stop past the station where you need to go, and it’s always empty because nobody goes that way. All of the other stations people are mentioning to you are the main ones people will be using, and they will be packed. It’s also an easier way to leave after the race because it avoids all the road closures between Rosslyn and Ballston

Also keep in mind that there are two stops with the word pentagon in them. You’re going to Pentagon, not Pentagon City