For the time being, the Marine Corps Marathon is still expected to be held this fall. But a companion 10K race was just nixed.
Marathon organizers say both the MCM Kids Run and the MCM10K are being removed from the lineup for marathon weekend — Oct. 24-25 — and instead turned into virtual events.
“Every decision we are making with regard to the MCM Weekend schedule is intended to maximize the operational bandwidth required to host the 45th Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia on October 25th,” marathon director Rick Nealis said in a statement, alluding to the potential logistical difficulty of organizing a race with tens of thousands of runners during a pandemic.
The marathon starts near the Pentagon, goes through Rosslyn, then heads into D.C. before winding through Crystal City and ending in Rosslyn.
The full press release about the changes is below.
The Marine Corps Marathon Organization (MCMO) today announced changes to the 2020 MCM Weekend schedule by removing the live MCM Kids Run and MCM10K from the lineup of events happening on October 24-25. The MCM10K will now be a virtual-only event. Additionally, the MCM Kids Run has been rebranded to the MCM Semper Fun Mile, a one-mile virtual event for kids to run with their parents or guardians.
“Every decision we are making with regard to the MCM Weekend schedule is intended to maximize the operational bandwidth required to host the 45th Marine Corps Marathon in Arlington, Virginia on October 25th,” said Rick Nealis, director of the Marine Corps Marathon Organization (MCMO). “We know shifting the MCM10K and the Mile to virtual-only status greatly impacts those individuals who set a goal for themselves or their children to run with the Marines. We appreciate the understanding of these runners and promise a rewarding and engaging virtual experience.”
Registration for the virtual MCM10K opened to the public on Wednesday, June 3 at www.marinemarathon.com at $33 per entry. Additional entries have been added for anyone interested in running the popular 6.2-mile event, which must be completed between October 1 -November 10. All participants in the virtual event will be mailed a bib, the official event shirt and an impressive finisher medal. All finishers earn a personalized digital certificate.
The new MCM Semper Fun Mile is open to runners of all ages. This family-friendly virtual event is an opportunity for kids to get out and run a mile alongside trusted adults. The virtual run must be completed between October 1 – November 10. All participants will receive by mail a finisher medal, participant shirt and commemorative bib. Registration is open to children and adults starting on Wednesday, June 24 at noon Eastern at www.marinemarathon.com. Individual entries cost $20. Organized school or community groups of 10 or more are eligible for a reduced $13 entry fee by forgoing the mailing service and opting for group pick-up at Marine Corps Base Quantico – Fowler Hall.