MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- In just 7 minutes, 18 seconds, runners snatched up all entries to the Marine Corps 17.75K, which opened for public registration at noon today.
The event, on Saturday, March 28 in Prince William County, VA, grants finishers special access to the 40th Marine Corps Marathon (MCM), making guaranteed access a “hot commodity” prior to the MCM Lottery opening this Friday, March 13.
“This is a special day for Marine Corps 17.75K runners who now have the opportunity to gain entry to the 40th anniversary MCM,” says Rick Nealis, MCM Director. “Soon they will be focused on ‘running with the Marines’ in October.”
Runners from 36 states, the District of Columbia, Canada and the Virgin Islands are registered to run the event with the field nearly equally split between men and women. At least one quarter of the 17.75K registered participants are military members from all service branches, including 244 U.S. Marines.
The unique 17.75K distance equals 11.03 miles and commemorates the year the Marine Corps was established.
The Marine Corps 17.75K course rolls through the twists and turns of the densely wooded Prince William Forest, bringing runners to the finish, where they will receive impressively designed medals presented by U.S. Marines. New this year are the finisher medals and creatively designed runner bibs that feature the forest.
Only 17.75K finishers age 14 and up will receive the coveted “Access Granted” card, enabling them to register for the 40th MCM that will be held in Arlington, VA and throughout the nation’s capital. Those receiving Access Granted will have through midnight March 30 to complete their registration for the MCM, which will be held on Sunday, Oct. 25.
On March 13, the MCM begins public registration through the MCM Lottery at marinemarathon.com. Runners registering through the Lottery will be notified of their confirmation status by email, starting March 25.
For more information about the MCM Lottery and Marine Corps 17.75K, part of the MCM Event Series, visit marinemarathon.com.
Media interested in covering the Marine Corps 17.75K, should contact Tami Faram, MCM Public Relations Coordinator at 703-432-1840 or tami.faram@usmc.mil.