13th annual USAF Marathon takes place in September Published Aug. 7, 2009 By Chloe Gibbs Marketing & Publicity, Force Support Squadron MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The thirteenth annual United States Air Force Marathon is less than two months away, taking place on Sept. 19, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. Events include the full marathon, half-marathon, individual 10K, 5K, and a wheelchair race. The event is open to the public, with competitors from around the world and a participation goal of 10,000 runners across all events. The USAF Marathon is always held in September to commemorate the founding of the Air Force as a separate military service on September 18, 1947. During the race the Air Force Marathon runners pass by the Air Force Museum, Air Force Institute of Technology, the Wright-Patterson AFB flight line and the Wright Brothers Museum. The full-marathon's closed course includes hydration stations each mile and there will also be nine medical stations strategically placed throughout the course and at the finish line. Every runner who crosses the finish line will be presented with a commemorative finisher's medal featuring the RQ-4 Global Hawk. Along with the medallions, there will also be over 300 uniquely designed awards presented to overall and age category winners. All events are walking friendly, as long as participants pace to complete the race within the course time limits. The time limit for the full marathon is 7 hours, the half marathon is 6 hours, and the 10k must be completed in 4 hours. Runners should plan to arrive at Wright-Patterson AFB on either Sept. 17 or 18 to attend the Sports and Fitness Expo, as there is no race day packet pickup. Interested participants can register online for a reduced price. Active-duty Air Force members participating in the Air Force Marathon are authorized Permissive TDY IAW AFI 36- 3003, Military Leave Program. More information, including registration information and a full list of awards, visit the Website at www.usafmarathon.com.