Marine Corps Marathon Goes Virtual Due To Coronavirus Concerns

WASHINGTON, D.C. — All events planned for the 2020 Marine Corps Marathon Weekend Oct. 23-25 in Arlington, Virginia, and in the nation’s capital will transition to virtual only due to ongoing public health concerns surrounding the coronavirus and in order to abide by the guidelines of local governments.

“We explored various approaches to safely execute a live event and held numerous meetings with Marine Corps leadership, local government and public health officials,” said Rick Nealis, director of the Marine Corps Marathon Organization, in a statement. “We understand this is disappointing news for many, but we could no longer envision a way to gather together in compliance with safety guidelines. While we are unable to celebrate in person this October, we are excited about the opportunity to bring the 45th anniversary event to the homes of runners around the world through a rewarding and engaging virtual experience.”

Libby Garvey, Arlington County board chair, said that "health and safety are our top priorities during this challenging time."

“The Marine Corps Marathon is a treasured event and tradition in our community that Arlingtonians look forward to each year. As we celebrate the race’s 45th anniversary this year, we will be enthusiastically and virtually cheering on each runner. We can’t wait to welcome these dedicated athletes and fans back to Arlington in person in 2021," Garvey said.

The virtual MCM Weekend events including the MCM, MCM10K, MCM50K and the MCM Semper Fun Mile must be completed between Oct. 1 and Nov. 10, the Marine Corps' birthday. All participants will receive the corresponding participant shirt, commemorative bib, patch and/or finisher medal. Runners also will have access to an online event program, personalized finisher certificate, the MCM Audio Experience and several new digital engagement platforms.

Additional instructions and a link to the registration change form will be sent this week to the e-mail address provided by participants during registration. The deadline for currently registered runners to take action on the change form is Aug. 5.

Runners currently in the live MCM or MCM50K category have the option to:

• Defer entry to a future year (2021, 2022 or 2023) of the runner’s choice at no additional fee;
  • These runners will have a guaranteed virtual entry available for purchase for 24 hours following initiation of the deferment process.
• Request a full registration refund including carbo dining tickets and bib mail out, if purchased.

Runners who already deferred to a future year and paid a deferment fee will receive an automatic refund of the $30 fee and have the option to:

• Remain deferred for 2021, 2022 or 2023; or
• Request a full registration refund including carbo dining tickets and bib mail out, if purchased.

Runners who previously transferred directly from the live to the virtual event have the option to:

• Request a partial refund of the registration fee minus the $45 virtual entry fee; or
• Cancel registration and request a full registration refund including carbo dining tickets and bib mail out, if purchased.

Virtual event registration is open to the public. Entry fees are $45 for the MCM and MCM50K; $33 for the MCM10K; and $20 for the Semper Fun Mile. Refunds of registration fees will be processed beginning Aug. 6 and may take between four to six weeks. Processing fees will not be refunded.