HalfRuns
23rd annual Potomac River Run Marathon & Half

23rd annual Potomac River Run Marathon & Half

Race Date

May 2, 2026

Location

Washington, DC

The Experience

On-line registation for Individual athletes closes on January 31 On-line registation for sponsors closes on April 8 -- for $250, you get your name on the web site on the back of the t-shirt -- for $500, you get your name, logo, and web site on the back of the t-shirt -- for $1000, you get your name, logo, and web site on the front of the shirt in full color

We look forward to welcoming you to our 23rd annual Potomac River Run Marathon & Half We welcome all runners and walker, we also welcome sponsors (see www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/marathon/sponsor.pdf) EVENTS: Thursday, April 30, 2:00 PM-6:00 PM, packet assembly and early-bird packet pick-up at ACE Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Institute, 2841 Hartland Road #401, Falls Church VA -- 0.7 miles from Dunn Loring Metro Station Friday, May 1, 12:00 noon to 5:45 PM packet pick-up at Pacers Running Store, 3100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington VA -- across the street from Clarendon Metro Station Friday, May 1, 6:15 PM to 8:15 PM pre-race dinner at Big Tony's Pizzeria, next door to Pacers, also 3100 Clarendon Boulevard, Arlington VA. Saturday, May 2, 7:15-8:45 AM, on-site at Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC. Closest Metro Station is Rosslyn 3 miles away in Arlington 8:00 AM: FULL MARATHON START 9:00 AM: HALF MARATHON START Flat - scenic - beautiful views of the Potomac River - tree-lined - shaded - out'n'back Start and finish at Fletcher's Cove 4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC USATF certified course Course elevation profile: ------------------------------- Highest point is 44m above sea level, lowest point is 12m above sea level Enjoy a lovely day on the C&O Canal Towpath! See displays about the historic C&O Canal before & after race The race course is 99% crushed gravel -- no hills -- no pavement except for two short stretches to prevent erosion, no cross streets Be aware the aid stations close down as the last runner approaches: Lock 10 closes at 1:00 PM. Lock 7 closes at 1:15 PM. Lock 6 closes at 1:30 PM. Please if you are a slow runner, bring your own water bottle to the race See our web page at www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/marathon for every detail about marathon weekend Event details and schedulePre-race dinner at Big Tony's Pizzeria next door to Pacers on Friday, May 1, at 6:15 PM. Add $10 dinner under Addtional Options Buy the race director's book You may order an authorgraphed copy of the race director's book The Man Who Stole The Sun for $14, and you can pick-up your copy at packet pick-up. Its heroine is an intrepid 14-year-old runner whose bravery rescues Marine Corps Marathon -- but it's much more than that! Off-Site Parking Options Parking is limited at Fletcher's Cove, and we must leave spaces open for the general public, as it's a National Park and open to the public even during races Thus we want as many participants as possible to park off-site, so that we leave some parking spaces available at Fletcher's Cove for the general public. Off-site parking options: • The River School entrance on Reservoir Road • W Street, Bending Lane, or Hutchins Place off Reservoir Road • Palisades Library, 4901 V St NW, Washington, DC 20007 • Our Lady of Victory School, 4755 Whitehaven Pkwy NW, Washington, DC 20007 • CVS/pharmacy, 4859 MacArthur Boulevard NW, Washington, DC 20007 For only $10 extra, we offer round-trip Red Top Cab rides from our host hotel TBD to Fletcher's Cove on race day, departing at 7:00 AM and arriving about 7:20 AM Please register for the taxi service AT LEAST TWO DAYS in advance From westbound Canal Road, Red Top Cab drops you off at Reservoir Road, at the entrance to Fletcher's Cove Please cross Canal Road CAREFULLY to get to Fletcher's Cove For the return trip after you finish, see the on-site Transportation Director. After you finish, as soon as we get groups of 4 finishers, we call Red Top Cab for a ride back to our host hotel, or elsewhere in DC area if you prefer

Logistics

Race Day

Saturday, May 2, 2026

Start Time

4:00 PM

Start Location

Washington, DC

Directions

Course Info

Course Type

Loop Course

Terrain

road

Difficulty

Ultra-Flat

Elevation Gain

0'

Net Drop/km

0 m (Flat)

Separation

0.0%

Race Day Weather

5-year historical avg

Start (Low)

54°

Afternoon (High)

74°

Warm — hydration strategy is key, start conservatively

0.2"

Precipitation

11 mph

Wind

67%

Humidity

About the Organizer

Safety And Health Foundation
Visit Organizer Website

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