Come Run ’21!
The 21st Annual Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon makes its return October 2-3 for a community-wide celebration. Whether it’s your first year participating or you’ve run them all, there are plenty of ways to take part in one of Oklahoma’s biggest and most powerful events.
Sign up while you still can for the Marathon, Half Marathon, Relay, 5K, Wheelchair or Kids Marathon. Show your support by signing up to volunteer. Or find the perfect spot to join the cheering crowd along the sidelines. Take a look at the exciting weekend to come and let us know how you plan to join in the fun down below in the comments.
What to Expect Race Day Weekend
Race Weekend festivities kick off Friday, October 1, with the Health & Fitness Expo, presented by OU Health and the Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau, a two-day event that’s open to the public and showcases dozens of exhibitors with offerings for runners, walkers, health-minded consumers and the general public. The Expo is a great start to the OKC Memorial Marathon and catapults us into a weekend of running for a purpose. Bookending the experience is the Finish Line Festival at Scissortail Park, which invites finishers, participants and the rest of the community to share in the celebration of the #RUNtoREMEMBER.
The Memorial Marathon App is a useful tool for staying up-to-date and sharing race weekend plans with friends. It’s free to download and gives you access to runner tracking, interactive maps, schedules and a fun Photo Hunt challenge to share on social media for a chance to win exclusive Marathon merchandise. Be sure to download before October 1!
An Event for Everyone
Since its inaugural race in 2001, the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon has evolved into one of the most anticipated races for runners from across the country. New courses for each event will show off different parts of this everchanging city, in addition to beautiful neighborhoods like Crown Heights, Nichols Hills, The Village, Lakehurst, Mesta Park and Heritage Hills. The Marathon itself remains a Boston and Abbott World Marathon Majors qualifying event, but there is something for people of all ages and skill levels to enjoy, whether that’s running the Memorial 5K or splitting up the Marathon with your Relay team.
Young runners joining the Kids Marathon will complete the last 1.2 miles in-person after logging 25 miles prior to Race Day. This is a great way to spread the message of the Oklahoma Standard and to encourage healthy, active lifestyles in kids up to sixth grade.
In addition to several new safety measures, the weekend’s events will be spaced out accordingly to keep you safe. Get the full scoop on expanded staging corrals, mask requirements and more here.
Friday, October 1
11 a.m. to 7 p.m. | Health & Fitness Expo
Saturday, October 2
7:30 a.m. | Memorial 5K
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. | Health & Fitness Expo
10 a.m. | Kids Marathon
Sunday, October 3
6:25 a.m. | Wheelchair Division
6:30 a.m. | Marathon, Relay
7:30 a.m. | Half Marathon Wave 1
8:30 a.m. | Half Marathon Wave 2
Community Challenges Are Back!
New in 2021, the WHY WE RUN Weekend Series, presented by INASMUCH Foundation, allows you to double your participation and impact! To join, you’ll run the 5K on Saturday and the Marathon or Half Marathon on Sunday. Participants will receive not only event shirts and medals for both, but a WHY WE RUN Series medal and shirt, too! It’s not too late to adjust your registration to participate in the Series. You can contact the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon to register.
The Memorial Marathon and the Williams Route 66 Marathon in Tulsa have come together once again for the Oklahoma Standard Challenge. Runners who participate in the Marathon or Half Marathon in both races will receive a commemorative medal at the Williams Route 66 Marathon Finish Line.
If you and your Relay team are up for the challenge, try your best to beat the time of Governor Kevin Stitt and his team. Do it and you’ll get an “I Beat the Gov” running shirt to show off your accomplishment. All Relay teams that sign up and participate will be automatically entered!
Finish Line Festival at Scissortail Park
One of our favorite parts of the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon returning to in-person racing is celebrating at the Finish Line. Runners and supporters will make their way to the expansive Scissortail Park in Downtown OKC to receive finisher medals, take pictures and enjoy a much deserved burger and beer. The energy surrounding the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is undeniably electric, and Scissortail Park will be the perfect place to take it all in and revel in your hard work. You don’t have to be a runner to experience it!
Beyond the Finish Line
The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon’s sense of community and camaraderie courses throughout the entire city. Race Day Weekend is a perfect time to explore the rest of the city’s history and unique attractions, starting at the 50,000-square-foot Memorial Museum, built to honor those affected by what happened here and to share the lessons learned through interactive exhibits, galleries and archives. Touring the Memorial Museum gives visitors a much deeper appreciation for Why We Run.
Make the most of your trip by uncovering the many restaurants, shops, museums and activities in OKC’s best, most lively districts. Our Oklahoma City Adventure is a great place to start planning the fun you’ll have before and after Race Day.
If you haven’t already, book your hotel now and enjoy special weekend rates at some of OKC’s best hotels. Many Marathon Partner hotels are within walking distance to the Start Line and offer continuous shuttle services. Or, take the Streetcar, which loops through Downtown and Bricktown to Midtown and Automobile Alley. Check out the full Streetcar schedule here.
The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon continues to serve as a tribute to those who were killed, those who survived and those changed forever by the bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building on April 19, 1995. This inspiring national event also supports the privately owned Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum.
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How are you planning to join the #RUNtoREMEMBER?