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Marine Corps Marathon early registration open for military

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Rachel Martinez
  • McGuire Public Affairs
MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, NJ. --  The 32nd Annual Marine Corps Marathon is scheduled for Oct. 29 in Arlington, Va. While online registration begins May 9, active-duty and Reserve military personnel can register now. 

Runners may register as a solo runner, but there are also a number of categories available in which they can compete as a team. Team categories include: men; women; masters; organization; military; and mixed. Active-duty military members are also invited to participate in the Marine Corps Marathon Squad Challenge by creating a team of nine-to-13 military members. 

This year's marathon will also include a 10k run and a one-mile Healthy Kids Fun Run for children, ages 6 to 13. 

The Marine Corps Marathon began in 1976 with 1,175 participants. It has since grown to become the fifth largest U.S. marathon. Known as "The People's Marathon," it is the largest marathon in the world that does not offer prize money. 

"I started running the marathon before it was cool to do so," said Chief Master Sgt. (ret.) Roger Ball. "I probably ran it at least a dozen times. It is a great run and very well supported." 

The Marine Corp Marathon has special significance for Chief Ball.
"It was the first marathon I ever ran and I didn't finish it," he said. "I didn't train right and give the marathon the respect it deserved. But when I was 30, I ran my personal best at the Marine Corp Marathon. I ran it in 2:57:17, and I still haven't topped that."
One McGuire Airman will follow in Chief Ball's footsteps and make this her first marathon. 

Capt. Jessica Williams, USAF Air Mobility Battlelab, began running in 2004 when the new physical fitness test was implemented. 

"I had a difficult time running the one-and-a-half mile run," she said. "It was very embarrassing. To improve my score I started running/walking one mile every other day. I did that for three weeks until I could run one mile the whole way through. Then I increased to one-and-a-half miles. A few weeks later I increased to two. Then two-and-a-half. Then three, and so on. After a few months I was running four to five miles several times a week. I ran at a very, very slow pace, but I was building up my endurance, and I found that although slow I was able to run farther and farther distances." 

After improving her endurance, Captain Williams took the plunge and signed up for the Paris half-marathon in the fall of 2004. Her only goal was to finish the half marathon, which she did with tears of joy. 

"It made me realize that I am capable of accomplishing a lot more than I thought I could," she said. "I just had to try hard and not give it up." 

Since then, Captain Williams has run in seven half-marathons, two ten-milers and a slew of other races. She said she now feels ready to try a full marathon. 

"I did a lot of research on which marathons are good for first time marathoners. The Marine Corps Marathon was at the top of the list. It is a flat course, goes around many scenic sites, and it has thousands of participants so there are always a large number of folks running next to you that maintain the same pace as you." 

To train for the marathon, Captain Williams bought a marathon training book designed for non-runners that contains a good running plan for beginners. She also said she references running Web sites and talks to other runners to help refine her training plan. 

Some of those runners are members of the McGuire Running Club, which Captain Williams leads. Members of the running club regularly get together to participate in races or weekly runs. 

"I try to go on my long runs with other members of the McGuire Running Club or sign up for races to encourage me to stick it out and complete it," said Captain Williams. "Running with others provides me with accountability and forces me to follow through and finish the longer distance. There are days when I don't really feel like running and I need to find ways to motivate myself to do it. Running with others really helps." 

Despite the challenge of a full marathon, Captain Williams said she cannot wait for it.
"My only goal is to finish the race," she said. "If I can finish all 26.2 miles and not be picked up by an ambulance, I will be truly elated." 

Anyone interested in joining the McGuire Running Club can call Captain Williams at (609) 754-7938 or e-mail her at jessica.williams2@mcguire.af.mil. For more information on the marathon, visit www.marinemarathon.com.