Marine Corps Marathon Pledge to Runners

The Marine Corps 17.75K has been cancelled. Schools and places of work are closing. Public gatherings and events are being postponed, cancelled or conducted virtually. And individuals are left wondering how best to manage these challenging times. So now what?

This is new and different and difficult for all of us. A tremendous amount of effort and energy by the Marine Corps Marathon Organization was expended in recent days as we considered and then prepared for the cancellation of one of our premier events, the 17.75K. Now, we look ahead to the very near horizon with the MCM Lottery opening on March 18 and the continued open registration for Historic Half Weekend on May 15-17.

Registering for a long distance running event requires a willingness to commit an extended period of time to succeed in this effort. Weeks and months of training runs, cross training and meal prep are required. We know that the added burden of these uncertain times may add a new challenge in mustering up the confidence to pledge such a high level of dedication.

Understanding runners may demonstrate some apprehension to look too far down the road and commit to registering for an event, the MCMO offers the following Pledge to Runners in an effort of reassurance.

1. The MCMO will continue to work on coordinating the most organized running events. We maintain our focus on the big picture as well as the smallest details ensuring all runners have the best possible experience when they #RunWithTheMarines.
2. The MCMO will maintain our commitment to informing our running community about developments related to our events. With resources like the MCM website and our social media channels, the MCMO will share details with open, honest, transparent communications.
3. The MCMO will always be fair and runner-centric in making decisions about our events, just as we were with the 17.75K cancellation and the multiple solutions offered to participants. With this reassurance in mind, runners may feel empowered to register for future events with the knowledge they will be supported even in the most extreme circumstances, such as those we currently face.

Think about the time forthcoming when this crisis has ended and how rewarding it will be to achieve the significant goal and well-earned accomplishment of completing your half marathon or marathon. Runners who participated in the 26th Marine Corps Marathon in 2001 have a sense of that feeling. Just weeks after the devastating attacks of September 11, runners gathered for the MCM and ran within 50 yards of the Pentagon. While silence pervaded the scene at that portion of the course, inside their minds, runners swelled with pride of country, reflected on enduring through times of unimaginable uncertainty and pushed themselves to demonstrate American resolve. President George W. Bush declared that those attacks can “shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America.”

And so, runners, the MCMO pledges to create the platform for you to accomplish all this and more and we look forward to seeing you at a start line soon.