Marine Corps Base Quantico -- The 40th Marine Corps Marathon weekend will be Oct. 23 to 25 with the marathon and 10k event on Sunday Morning. Approximately 2,300 Quantico Marines and civilian employees are supporting this year’s event, with the help of 1,900 volunteers during the weekend. Participants have registered from all 50 U.S. states and 59 countries.
An opening ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C. to launch the Marine Corps Marathon Heath and Fitness Expo at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The expo is free and open to the public from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Oct. 23 -24. Marathon participants, approximately 30,000 runners, can attend Packet Pickup during the expo to obtain their official bib and participation shirt. The expo will also feature more than 200 vendors offering health screenings, product samples and showcasing fitness products.
Expo attendees can drop off gently used running shoes for the MORE Foundation Group or gifts to support the Toys for Tots program. Plus, Friday’s visitors can meet retired Sgt. Maj. Jim Kuiken, and his guide dog Freedom; or Rocky Bleier, a Vietnam Veteran and former Pittsburgh Steeler. Saturday’s guests include Jeff Bostic, a former Washington Redskin.
Some say “Marathon of the Monuments,” is a suitably moniker for the marathon designed to include a scenic route through some of the most impressive landscapes and national monuments the nation’s capital has to offer.
Spectators preparing to support a runner should know the bib number and even create a custom sign in their honor. Download the free “Marine Corps Marathon” app to follow a runner, view marathon routes, track weekend events, or receive news and alerts. Stay clear of the marathon course and identify boundaries outlined my law enforcement, Marines, and marathon organizers.
Aid stations will be staffed by more than 750 Sailors and civilian medical professional volunteers. Medical information on registered runners will be provided by the American Red Cross at the MCM Info tent in the Finish Festival.
The USA Track and Field-certified 26.2 mile marathon course starts Oct. 25 in Arlington, Va. on Route 110 between Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon. An estimated 18,000 new runners will participate in the marathon for the first time. The race starts at 7:55 a.m. and journey to the finishing point at the Marine Corps War Memorial in Rosslyn, Va.
For visitors on foot or bike, the Metro one-day-pass provides convenient transportation to the far corners of course as early as 5 a.m. A free pre-race shuttle service hosted by Hyundai will be available Oct. 25 at the corner of 23rd and Crystal Drive and travel to Runners Village in the Pentagon North Parking Lot. Check online for post-event shuttles, taxi services, Uber services and road closures.
Available for the iPhone and Android platforms, the MCM App offers easy access to all essential MCM Weekend information including maps, schedules, photos, videos, weather forecast, runner tracking service, social media feeds and live results. Throughout MCM Weekend, runners can follow the MCM Twitter account (@Marine_Marathon) for the chance to win one of 40 Goodie Bag giveaways.
The MCM website will post live results throughout the day at www.marinemarathon.com.
— Writer: iirby@quanticosentryonline.com