United States Air Force Marathon

Summary

The United States Air Force Marathon is an annual event held on the third Saturday in September at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, home to the National Museum of the United States Air Force. It was established in 1997 to celebrate the Air Force's 50th anniversary.[1] The inaugural event had 2,750 entrants.[2] In 2013, the race hosted 15,424 runners.[2]

United States Air Force Marathon
Date21 September 2019
LocationWright-Patterson Air Force Base,
Dayton, Ohio
Event typeRoad
Distance5K run, 10K run
Half marathon, Marathon
Established1997
Edition25
Official sitehttp://www.usafmarathon.com
← 21 September 2019
25 September 2021 →
Start of the 12th annual Air Force Marathon

The event includes a full marathon, half marathon and 10K race. The Friday previous to the marathon includes a 5K race at the Nutter Center. The 26.2-mile (42.2 km) race has runners travel around historical places on Wright-Patterson and Fairborn, Ohio, including the Air Force Institute of Technology, Air Force Materiel Command headquarters, the Wright-Patterson flight line and the Wright Brothers Memorial Monument. The Air Force Marathon is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon.

Registration for the race opens on 1 January each year, with special discounts on opening day.[3] For the 2016 race, there were a total of 15,500 slots; 3,000 for the full marathon, 7,000 for the half marathon, 3,000 for the 10K, and 2,500 for the 5K.[4]

The Air Force Marathon has a $14 million economic impact to the Dayton area. It has sponsorship from Boeing, Northrop Grumman and USAA.[4]

The 2020 edition of the race was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, with all registrants given the option of either running the race virtually or transferring their entry to 2021, 2022, or 2023.[5]

Record holders[6] edit

Overall Male Full Marathon Josh Cox 2:20:57 2007
Overall Military Male Full Marathon Brian Dumm 2:27:49 2010
Overall Male Wheelchair David Berling 1:12:13 2017
Overall Female Full Marathon Lori M. (Eppard) Wilson 2:55:04 1997
Overall Military Female Full Marathon Lori M. (Eppard) Wilson 2:55:04 1997
Overall Female Wheelchair Thea Rosa 1:41:47 2015

References edit

  1. ^ "History of the Air Force Marathon". Retrieved 18 December 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Runners from all 50 states expected at 22nd annual Air Force Marathon". mydaytondailynews. Retrieved 25 October 2018.
  3. ^ Cogliano, Joe (31 December 2013), Air Force Marathon opens to sellout expectations, Dayton, Ohio: Dayton Business Journal, retrieved 25 January 2014
  4. ^ a b Cogliano, Joe (23 January 2014), Run on Air Force marathon slots could set record, Dayton, Ohio: Dayton Business Journal, retrieved 24 January 2014
  5. ^ "Air Force cancels 2020 Marathon, offers virtual option".
  6. ^ "Marathon History – USAF Marathon". USAF Marathon. Retrieved 25 October 2018.

External links edit

  • Air Force Marathon website