Making Waves for Coral + The PPROM Foundation - A Baltimore Running Festival Fundraiser (Draft)

The fair yet challenging course travels through the many diverse neighborhoods including the scenic Inner Harbor waterfront area, historic Federal Hill and charming Fells Point. The route also travels through the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore right past the penguin exhibit who will undoubtedly be dressed in their tuxedos awaiting your arrival. Miles 16-20 of the marathon route have been compared to Boston’s famed “Heartbreak Hill” but runners are rewarded with a loop around Lake Montebello which provides some relief and flat terrain. The final 5 miles are mostly downhill and boast some of our most friendly spectators who have been known to hand out gummy bears and open their homes for bathroom emergencies. Then it’s a left turn onto Pratt Street to a finish in the shadow of the USS Constellation and a celebration of your run along the waterfront promenade through McKeldin Square, West Shore Park and Rash Field.

Restrictions:
1) Participants in the Marathon must be at least 16 years old
2) Participants must be able to complete the course in 7 hours (16 min/mile pace)

The half-marathon start line is a party on the shores of Baltimore’s famed Inner Harbor, the 13-mile mark of the marathon. Complete with a live band and 10,000 of your new best friends, this unique set up allows for the fastest marathoners and those attempting to qualify for Boston to pass and assures that the marathon champion will be the first to cross the finish line for the LIVE television coverage on WBAL-TV. The half-marathon will run its own course for the first 3 miles and merge with marathon at Patterson Park. From that point, marathoners and half-marathon participants will run the same course to the finish line in Baltimore’s famed and iconic Inner Harbor!

Restrictions:
1) Participants in the Half-Marathon must be at least 14 years old
2) Participants must be able to complete the course in 5 hours (22:54 min/mile pace)

The 5K race has grown in terms of the number of participants each of the past few years and we look for that trend to continue this year. Many RunFest participants start with the 5K one year and increase their race distance the following year.

In 2019, the 5K will once again start at Light and Pratt Streets in Baltimore’s iconic Inner Harbor. The flat 5K course will show off the scenic view of Charm City’s most famous landmark. 5K runners also enjoy the same amazing home stretch as the other race distances – finishing their run along Pratt Street near McKeldin Square!

5K finishers receive a finisher medal, just like all the other race distance finishers, which makes us one of the only 5K races that honors our runners in this way and we are excited to do so. With our multi-race festival concept and our “City for Everyone. A Race for Everyone.” event slogan, we want every one of our participants to be able to proudly display a medal that they worked hard to earn.

Restrictions:
1) No age restrictions for 5K
2) Must complete course by 9:15am (~90 minutes) or course may be shortened

The 5K race will start promptly at 7:30am. Runners are asked to stage themselves along Calvert St. beginning at 7am. Yellow Flags will mark waves 1-5. We ask that you seed yourself in the appropriate wave according to the following expected finish times:

WAVE 1: Under 30 min.
WAVE 2: 30 min. to 35 min.
WAVE 3: 36 min. to 44 min.
WAVE 4: 45 min. to 59 min
WAVE 5: 60 min. or Longer
Please do your best to run with the appropriate wave. This will help everyone have the best on-course experience. We will start the waves with a 1-2 minute separation to allow the crowd to spread out. Remember, timing mats will be located at the start & finish lines recording each racers exact time and place

Complete the 5K and the Half-Marathon on the same day. (Crazy, right?) The 5K will start at 7:30AM and the half marathon at 9:45AM.
(The start lines are the same location for each race.)