Discount Registration for the 2012 Marine Corps Historic Half

The Marine Corps Historic Half celebrates its fifth anniversary on Sunday, May 20 by taking runners on a 13.1 mile journey from the retail hub of Central Park through the historic downtown streets, up hospital hill to awaiting Marines at the Historic Half finish line. Boasting a grandiose start line adorned in stars and stripes, a course overloaded with crowds and entertainment, a technical competitor shirt and stunning finisher medal, the Historic Half has become a favorite running destination for runners from the Commonwealth and across the country. Save $15 off the entry fee (or 20 percent) by signing up when registration opens on January 25. The price escalates to $80 in March. Take the first step toward accomplishing an impressive goal and register to run with the Marines. 

Relay Adds Energy to Historic Half Weekend

How appropriate that an event titled 'half' would carve an additional fraction of the distance by halving the half and allowing 250 teams of runners to log roughly a quarter marathon as a Historic Half relay team. The first team member will complete miles one to six before tagging in a partner in the relay zone near the residential area of Fall Hill Avenue.  The second runner will run to the finish line.  Relay runners will receive a distinctive ribbon on their medal and a specially designated competitor shirt for the collaborative effort in covering the 13.1 mile distance.  Cost per team is $90.

Semper Fred 5K: Fast, Fun and Friendly

Starting and finishing under the same impressive scaffolding structure as the Historic Half, the Semper Fred 5K will be held in conjunction with its longer-distanced sister run on Sunday, May 20. Registration opens on January 25 and costs $35. All participants receive a star-studded technical competitor shirt. Finishers earn an impressive medal with recognition-worthy runners receiving age awards, calculated in five year increments.

Celebrating Five Years in Fredericksburg

A special thanks to all the almost 20,000 runners who have participated in the Historic Half since its debut in 2008. As a show of appreciation, the Historic Half will provide every runner who registers to run the Historic Half in 2012 a year-long membership including free museum admission to the Fredericksburg Area Museum and Cultural Center. With great pride in the host community, the Historic Half introduces all runners to the museum located in historic downtown that brings life to the stories of Fredericksburg's past. Members can enjoy exhibits featuring George Washington and his Masonic tradition, the Revolutionary, Civil and World Wars and life on the Rappahannock River. The complimentary membership has a $45 value. Additionally, all registered runners will receive from the MCM a specially commissioned, creatively illustrated souvenir course map highlighting the landmarks of Fredericksburg and the Historic Half course.
Irish Sprint 10K Offers Early Access to MCM
For those runners seeking entry to the MCM but not looking for a repeat of the tense registration day process, there's an option to secure a spot in this year's MCM hassle-free and nearly six weeks early.  On March 17, up to 2,000 runners hit the trails of Prince William Forest Park for the Irish Sprint 10K.  As a reward for completing the 10K distance, all runners crossing the Irish Sprint finish line will receive a guaranteed entry into the certain-to-be-sold-out 2012 MCM.  Registration for the Irish Sprint 10K will open on January 25, over a month and a half before the MCM registration opens on March 7.

New Gender Defender 5K Pits Men against Women

In the 1940s a comic strip called Li'l Abner gave rise to a practice known as Sadie Hawkins Day, where women take the bold initiative by chasing down and then inviting the man of their choice out on a date-a practice almost unheard of at the time. In 2011, the MCM turns this concept on its ear by hosting a race pitting the sexes against each other across a 3.1 mile distance. On August 25 aboard Marine Corps Base Quantico, the Gender Defender 5K will include a gender differentiated start to determine ultimate supremacy, pink and blue participant shirts, unique gender-specific awards and two separate finish line celebrations - the finish line man cave and women's boutique.

Get Ready for 37th Marine Corps Marathon Registration

MCM registration opens for the general public on March 7 and is expected to close quickly. Get online and get in early that day. Active Duty discount registration opens on February 23. Need more info on the MCM to be held on Sunday, October 28? Let's leave this description to one of the MCM runners: "The Marines are awesome, the spectators amazing, the amount of work that obviously went into this is mind boggling. I was told this was one of the greatest things ever experienced and I absolutely agree. We all cried at different times for so many reasons. The emotion of the day was totally unexpected. The thought behind this race is what it's all about. God bless our troops!"

Where to Stay in Fredericksburg

Book a Fredericksburg-area hotel through the Historic Half reservation page. Additional options include the event headquarters hotel, the Hilton Garden Inn Fredericksburg, conveniently located adjacent to the Healthy Lifestyle Expo and the event's start and finish area. For a more unique stay, rooms are available at the Richard Johnston Inn, in the heart of historic Fredericksburg, considered on the of the Best B&Bs of the South, or the new and luxurious 1890 Caroline House.