Marine Corps Marathon - MCM Facts and Trivia

MCM Facts and Trivia

Start Marathons and other road races are traditionally started with a pistol. The Marine Corps Marathon boasts a slightly bigger starting gun: A 105mm Howitzer.

Ground Pounders Only four individuals have completed every marathon since the inaugural running in 1976: Mel Williams of Virginia Beach, VA; Al Richmond of Arlington, VA; Matt Jaffee of Rockville, MD; and Will Brown of Raleigh, NC. At the 25th running of the MCM, this elite group was given the name "Ground Pounders" at a ceremony at the Washington Post.

Sold Out! The 15th running of the MCM was the first to sell out with a field of 13,000 runners. In 2011 the MCM sold out within 28 hours of registration opening, filling the 30,000 runner capacity. For the 2012 MCM, all 30,000 registration sold out within 2 hours 41 minutes.

Oprah TV personality Oprah Winfrey ran the 1994 MCM to celebrate her 40th birthday. She finished with a time of 4:29:15. Since that time the mantra "Beat Oprah!" has carried many MCM runners to a sub-4:30 finish.

Challenge Cup A race-within-a-race, the Challenge Cup was initiated at the MCM in 1978. The Challenge Cup is a competition between the United States Marine Corps and the British Royal Navy/Marine running teams. An 1897 Victorian silver cup, donated by the British in 1978, is awarded to the winner each year. A female division was added in 1998. The finish time for the top three runners for each team are added and the lowest total running time is declared the winner. The USMC claimed the Challenge Cup victory for both male and female divisions at the 2011 MCM with the British taking the cup in 2012 for a total of 23 wins for the Royal Navy and 12 for the USMC since the race started in 1978

MCM Mascots Miles the Bulldog and his sister Molly are faithful MCM companions, cheering on and entertaining runners at all MCM events. Miles models bib number 1775 to honor the year the USMC was founded, while Molly proudly displays bib number 1943, a nod to the year in which the Marine Corps Women's Reserve was created. In 2011, Miles added "10K Finisher" to his resume when he impressively completed all 6.2 miles of the MCM10K.

USMC Runners The first female active duty Marine MCM winner was 1st Lieutenant Joanna Martin at the 1979 MCM. 1st Lt Martin, native of Woodbridge, VA and stationed at Camp Pendleton, CA at the time, finished with a time of 2:58:14. Four years later, the first male active duty Marine won the MCM. Sargeant Farley Simon of Alea, Hawaii finished with a time of 2:17:46.

2001 Marine Corps Marathon The status of the 2001 MCM was in serious question until three weeks prior to the scheduled race day. Post-9/11, approval by the Commandant of the Marine Corps to proceed with the marathon was contingent upon a new security plan. With approval in place, mile five on the MCM course gave runners an up-close view of the terrorist attack on the Pentagon. Many 2001 MCM finishers agree this was a very special race.