WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- When the calendar shifts from August to September at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, excitement begins to build. That anticipation comes from knowing the Air Force Marathon takes place on the third Saturday of September, as it has for the past 29 years.
The first official Air Force Marathon was held Sept. 20, 1997, celebrating the service’s 50th anniversary. Since then, the race has guided runners through historic sites on Wright-Patterson AFB, including the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, the Air Force Institute of Technology, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, the base flight line, Huffman Prairie Flying Field and the Wright Brothers Memorial Monument.
What began as a single 26.2-mile race has grown into a multi-day event. The schedule now features a Thursday-Friday Expo, a kids’ 1K and 5K on Friday, followed by a 10K, marathon, half marathon, Fly! Fight! Win! Challenge and marathon 3-person relay on Saturday. For those unable to attend in person, virtual and deployed-location race options are available.
Each year, the event draws about 8,500 athletes from all 50 states and more than 18 foreign countries, supported by 1,500 volunteers who help create a memorable race-day experience. "Everything leading up to the race, the craziness, the stress, the finite details are all worth it when the National Anthem is played and the Lieutenant General starts the participants," said Jill Huffman, assistant race director. "It is a sea of people and has the same rush as opening the first gift at Christmas. For one minute time stands still and we can breathe. And then it's on to the next item and getting those participants through the course and across the finish line!"
So, whether this is your first Air Force Marathon or your 29th, here are a few things to know before race day.
Schedule of events
Thursday, Sept. 18
- Health & Fitness Expo – 3 to 7 p.m. at Wright State University’s Nutter Center. Open to the public at no cost, with no registration required. Attendees will find more than 100 exhibitors showcasing the latest in health, fitness and nutrition. Competitors must pick up race bibs here by presenting a photo ID and bib number. (Minors are not required to present an ID.) Bibs must be collected at this location unless participants selected the “race day packet pickup” option during registration.
Friday, Sept. 19
- Health & Fitness Expo – 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Nutter Center. Includes yoga and mobility clinics from 1 to 2 p.m. in Berry Room 1 and 2.
- Gourmet Pasta Dinner – 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Guests can enjoy pasta, salad, bread, fruit and dessert while connecting with fellow runners. Speaker: retired Marine Maj. Kim “Rooster” Rossiter, president of Ainsley’s Angels and professor of Disability Culture at Old Dominion University. Tickets are $30; children 5 and under are free. Purchase tickets at https://raceroster.com/store/96820/listing.
- Tailwind Trot 1K Kids Run – 6 p.m. outside the Nutter Center. Open to ages 4–12. Parents/guardians may also register separately to participate. Strollers welcome. All finishers receive a dog tag and refreshments.
- 5K race – 6:30 p.m. at the Nutter Center. The course winds through Wright State University’s campus. Awards for the top three male and female finishers in the overall, military and wheeled divisions.
Saturday, Sept. 20
- 10K race – 6:30 a.m. at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. Course runs through Area B and past landmarks such as the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine, Air Force Research Laboratory and Air Force Institute of Technology. Awards for the top three male and female finishers in the overall, active-duty military and mobility-impaired categories.
- Marathon and half marathon – 7:30 a.m. at the museum. Courses run through Wright-Patt’s aviation heritage sites in Area A, Area B and the city of Fairborn. The marathon is a Boston Marathon qualifier. Awards for the top three male and female finishers in the overall and military categories, plus a wheeled division for the marathon.
- Finish Line Festival – noon to 4 p.m. at the museum. Kicks off as soon as the first runner crosses the finish line. Features food, drinks and live music by the Air Force Band of Flight from noon to 3 p.m.
For more information regarding the Air Force Marathon, email usaf.marathon@us.af.mil or visit www.usafmarathon.com.