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Marathon Details - Air Force Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > OH > Dayton > Air Force Marathon

Air Force Marathon

Air Force Marathon & Half Marathon, 10K, 5K

Dayton, OH USA

September 21, 2024

http://www.usafmarathon.com

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Race Details

Summary: The course is a 26.2 mile run that traverses historical places on Wright Patterson Air Force Base to include the National Museum of the United States Air Force, the Air Force Institute of Technology, Headquarters Air Force Material Command, the Wright Patterson AFB Flight Line, Huffman Prairie Flying Field and the Wright Brothers Memorial Monument.

The Air Force Marathon, held at an active military base, offers participants a unique blend of athletic challenge and patriotic celebration. Runners describe the event as a powerful experience, marked by the exhilarating roar of helicopters overhead and the motivational sight of aircraft along the course. The opportunity to run under the majestic wings of planes at the finish line is a highlight that leaves an indelible mark on participants' memories.

The marathon is well-known for its well-organized nature, with clear communication from race directors and enthusiastic support from volunteers who help create a motivating atmosphere. The event also features thoughtful touches like a "Blue Mile" to honor fallen service members, adding emotional depth to the race.

The Air Force Marathon serves as a vivid reminder of the military's presence and spirit, blending physical endurance with a tribute to service members. It attracts a wide range of participants, from competitive runners to military enthusiasts, all drawn by the unique opportunity to race in such a meaningful and dynamic environment.

Contact Information

Name:	United States Air Force Marathon
Address:	88 ABW/CVM 5135 Pearson Road, Room 252 Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433
Phone Number:	1-800-467-1823
Fax Number:	937-656-1803
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (344)

Course 4.3

Organization 4.5

Spectators 3.6

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Number of comments: 344 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 35 > ]

William Quinn from Ohio (9/23/2019) "Not as supported" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Air Force Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This is tough for me, because I love this race, but a lot has changed. The new route this year was fun, if a bit full of turns. The biggest change is fewer aid stations. If you look back at previous year comments, people talk about having water and sports drink every mile. No more. Often about two miles, particularly in the second half of the course. This is fine if you plan for it, I recommend carrying water, but don't count on the same level of support as this race used to be known for. Seems like the overall organization is still solid, just plan ahead.
Phan Nguyen from California (9/19/2017) "One of the best" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Decent hills at miles 1-3 and 23. These hills could have a significant impact to your performance. The rest of the course is relatively flat. The Gourmet pasta dinner was well worth it. The free shuttle buses from the start line to Fly Zone spectator area and back at the finish are convenient. The fly over of the world war II P-51 Mustang and F-22 Raptor was quite nice. Volunteers were very cheerful and helpful. Plenty of water stations: water, gatorade, gel, bananas, etc. Small race, but quite well organized.
R. S. from Texas (9/17/2017) "Great experience but not for a PR" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was a great experience. The Air Force aspect, running on the base, museum, Air Force personnel, fly-over and expo were fantastic. The course was very nice with a wide range of scenery, from old town to military to woods to fields and ponds. The weather was perfect in 2017. The medal is one of the best I've ever seen. So nice. My negatives are: 1) Complications with getting in/out of event. The shuttle buses pick up at the university Nutter Center which is within walking distance to several hotels. I read that parking and traffic would be a nightmare so I walked. There was actually plenty of parking and moderate traffic so I wish I had drove. 2) Bus Schedule. The buses into the event start at 4am and end at 6am. However, the run doesn't start until 7:30am so this created a lot of downtime waiting around the start area in the cold and dark. This also impacted the usual breakfast-to-run timing that most people train with. 3) Messy start. The Full marathon, Half marathon, and 10K all start at the same time with NO corral separation. The first 3 or 4 miles were a big huge mess of walkers vs elite runners vs casual groupings. To make it worse, the first few miles are up hill. 4) Messy finish. The Full and Half marathons merge again around mile 20 and are on a single, shared roadway until the end. This created a problem at the end when people are out of energy and you need to start dodging each other. Overall, this was a fantastic experience but I would not count on it as a hardcore marathon with any time goals in mind. Think of it as more of a casual marathon and enjoy the experience .
W. W. from Los Angeles (9/20/2016) "Expect the Unexpected" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 THE GOOD This is a run with majority of the route inside the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The route is relative flat, although there are some moderate up and down hills. The roads were smooth, most of the time. The weather was fairly cooperative. It was not hot with breeze. There was a rain after I finished. There were a couple of CV-22 Osprey aircraft flew around the starting area before the marathon started. We ran through the aircraft parking lot before you reach the finish line. That was cool. The arrangements made everyone felt the special of this Marathon. There were plenty of aid stations with Gatorade and water supplied. Some of them had Gel, banana, and cookie for you to grab. When we ran to outside of the base, and at the finish line, there were plenty of people to cheer up the runners. There was a large digital clock to telling the time we have spent on the course at every mile, although there were a few not working. There were many volunteers at each aid station. They were very enthusiastic, cheerful, and very helpful. There were quite a few entertainment stations. Some soldiers voluntarily on the roadside cheer up the runners with some jokes and funny lines. Because the route was mainly inside the base. Majority of the area were not accessible by spectators. The finish medal was well designed and it was fairly large. The medal design differs each year. The air force museum is an excellent place to visit. It is highly recommended. It is worthy a trip to Dayton, OH even you go there for visiting the museum only. THE BAD I had a muscle cramp. I stopped at every station after I had muscle cramp problem. There was no muscle spread at any station including the emergency rescue vehicles. The race delayed for 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. There was no announcement via common ways, such as text, email, official web site, or post a sign. I heard the news from some other runner who heard from some others. THE UGLY It took me 40 minutes from high way exit to finally having my car parked. The entire distance was about one mile. There were plenty of parking space. I have no idea of why it was so bad. This is unexpected to an event have run yearly for 20 years. And especially, it is unexpected for a military organizer.
J. F. from Boise, ID (9/29/2015) "Great race, great fly over!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 At first I was a little apprehensive about running this race since I knew that there would be some quiet stretches. This race is run mostly on Wright Patterson AFB land therefore many areas where spectators do not have access. I was surprisingly pleased and so glad I did this race. Race started with a U 2 fly over. There are many energetic volunteers and many service men and women along the course. The town of Fairborn goes all out and there is a few mile stretch running through there 'fly zone'. The course does have a few small hills but nothing major ( I still was able to PR). The medals are shirts are very nice in addition to a towel. Post-run food is average at best although the Jimmy John's sandwich was good.
C. K. from NJ (9/29/2015) "A great small marathon put on by the USAF" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I loved this race (although it wasn't my day for a PR). The course showcases the Air Force base and the surrounding communities. The community is supportive of the runners and loved the hotel (Marriott) which had personalized 'good luck' signs, course maps and a special runner's breakfast for us. Take some time to visit the AF museum while you are there - you won't be disappointed. The organization of this race was top notch, from the shuttles to the start area, to course directions and to the finish. How can you beat finishing under a tunnel of enormous AF planes? And the flyover at the start was a blast. There are plenty of portopotties, which is always a plus. Aid stations are numerous and huge thanks to the volunteers handing out sponges on a warm day. This is one I will definitely return to. It's a small race, with quiet sections, so if you're looking for the craziness of a Chicago or NYC, this probably isn't for you. However, if you're looking for excellent organization, on course support and an enjoyable and scenic course, as well as a chance to honor our USAF, look no further.
Chuck in Cincinnati from Milford,OH (9/21/2015) "The Flyover is Back !!!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Air Force Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I really like this race! Easy to get to, from packet pick-up to the race start and finish is so well done. All you have to do is run. Volunteers are fantastic, water stops everywhere, ton of port-o-pots, bag drop is perfect, AND the feature plane flyover can't be beat! Some say it is boring and quiet ? The only part of that course is the backside of the flight line to me, BUT what other marathon course doesn't have a boring section? For some reason I can't wait to do it again! I've done 34 marathons now, and I just enjoy this race. Well done Air Force. I will be back next Year !!!!
S. S. from Midwest (9/19/2015) "Avg Marathon, Great Water Stops, Lots of Volunteer" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Just finished the 2015 AFM and thought I would post my thoughts. There were decent hills at miles 1, 8, 21 and around 23 or 24. The mile 1 hill was the worst, followed by the mile 8 hill and the mile 23-24 hills were rollers that you felt because it was later in the race. There was a section of the race that went through a downtown area that was very nice. The race started out with an air force plan fly over that I think was a U2 and it was awesome. Today was a bit warmer than ideal, but I guess weather is a wildcard for a Sept event in Ohio (70 at start, 74 at finish). The town of Dayton was actually quite enjoyable. There are parts of town that seemed a bit risky and unsafe, but the Oregon district was fantastic and we had several nice meals there. Volunteers: Water stop volunteers were plentiful and enthusiastic. And, overall, there really were plenty of volunteers and they were friendly and supportive. It seem like, however, many of the volunteers knew a lot about the area of the event where they were volunteering, but not necessarily a lot about the event as a whole (i.e., if you asked a general volunteer about where the shuttle pick up was, it took a few tries to find one that actually knew). Water and Support: There were tons of water stations - I am sure I am wrong about this, but it felt like there was a water stop every mile and that each one had plenty of volunteers, water, gatorade and more than one of them had bananas, gu, etc. Big kudos for all the great water stations, especially on a pretty warm day. They also had a ton of ports-potties, which was AMAZING :) One pet peeve of mine that really isn't the end of the world (because you can just ask a lot of questions to work around it) was a lack of great signage in the main race area to direct you to the bag drop, shuttles, etc. I realize this is more of a nice to have than a need since you can ask people, but it would have made navigating the main venue easier. The Expo at packet pickup was a little weak for an event this size. Shirts and medals were very nice. Shuttle: Based on the recommendation by the event, we decided to take the shuttle from Nutter to and from the race venue. Getting to the venue at the start seemed to work fine, but getting back was a little frustrating. We waited at least 20 min for our return shuttle and then it took at least 20 min to get back to our car. We thought we had plenty of time to get back to our hotel for late check out at 1 pm, but we actually got back late due to this. That said, in prior years, they did not offer a return shuttle - so this is the first year they have offered this and I am hoping they will learn from it and improve the logistics for future years. Spectators: I thought that there were really nice spectators for the first 6-10 miles, but then they kind of died down on the course until you got back within a few miles of the finish. Having the marathon on a military base probably means there are parts of the race where spectators don't have access.
R. D. from Granville, OH (8/7/2015) "Best Organized Marathon Out There" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I've run the full once, and the half twice. Running the full again this year. This is without a doubt the best organized race I've ever run. Great number of Porta-Pottys at the start (in fact more than some races have for the entire course). Very friendly and polite people. LOVE the flyovers.
G. C. from Kentucky (10/13/2014) "No where to hide" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I never had attempted a September marathon and this race reminded me why. Perfect starting temps and a rapid rise. The course is largely around Wright Patterson base so you are exposed to the elements which this year included a fairly stout breeze and direct sun. The theme is great and the service men and women giving you medals was awesome. Post race food was plenty. There were a couple of major flaws. One, less than a week before the event I received an email that the Passkey system messed up hotel reservations and I had been moved to a hotel 45 minutes away from the race. Second, the shirt goof up is almost inexcusable and the quality of the hat was much worse than year's past. I can check this one off my bucket list, but I would not do it again.

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 35 > ]



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William Quinn from Ohio (9/23/2019) "Not as supported" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons \| 6+ Air Force Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 2 This is tough for me, because I love this race, but a lot has changed. The new route this year was fun, if a bit full of turns. The biggest change is fewer aid stations. If you look back at previous year comments, people talk about having water and sports drink every mile. No more. Often about two miles, particularly in the second half of the course. This is fine if you plan for it, I recommend carrying water, but don't count on the same level of support as this race used to be known for. Seems like the overall organization is still solid, just plan ahead.
Phan Nguyen from California (9/19/2017) "One of the best" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 Decent hills at miles 1-3 and 23. These hills could have a significant impact to your performance. The rest of the course is relatively flat. The Gourmet pasta dinner was well worth it. The free shuttle buses from the start line to Fly Zone spectator area and back at the finish are convenient. The fly over of the world war II P-51 Mustang and F-22 Raptor was quite nice. Volunteers were very cheerful and helpful. Plenty of water stations: water, gatorade, gel, bananas, etc. Small race, but quite well organized.
R. S. from Texas (9/17/2017) "Great experience but not for a PR" (about: 2017) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 This was a great experience. The Air Force aspect, running on the base, museum, Air Force personnel, fly-over and expo were fantastic. The course was very nice with a wide range of scenery, from old town to military to woods to fields and ponds. The weather was perfect in 2017. The medal is one of the best I've ever seen. So nice. My negatives are: 1) Complications with getting in/out of event. The shuttle buses pick up at the university Nutter Center which is within walking distance to several hotels. I read that parking and traffic would be a nightmare so I walked. There was actually plenty of parking and moderate traffic so I wish I had drove. 2) Bus Schedule. The buses into the event start at 4am and end at 6am. However, the run doesn't start until 7:30am so this created a lot of downtime waiting around the start area in the cold and dark. This also impacted the usual breakfast-to-run timing that most people train with. 3) Messy start. The Full marathon, Half marathon, and 10K all start at the same time with NO corral separation. The first 3 or 4 miles were a big huge mess of walkers vs elite runners vs casual groupings. To make it worse, the first few miles are up hill. 4) Messy finish. The Full and Half marathons merge again around mile 20 and are on a single, shared roadway until the end. This created a problem at the end when people are out of energy and you need to start dodging each other. Overall, this was a fantastic experience but I would not count on it as a hardcore marathon with any time goals in mind. Think of it as more of a casual marathon and enjoy the experience .
W. W. from Los Angeles (9/20/2016) "Expect the Unexpected" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 4 THE GOOD This is a run with majority of the route inside the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The route is relative flat, although there are some moderate up and down hills. The roads were smooth, most of the time. The weather was fairly cooperative. It was not hot with breeze. There was a rain after I finished. There were a couple of CV-22 Osprey aircraft flew around the starting area before the marathon started. We ran through the aircraft parking lot before you reach the finish line. That was cool. The arrangements made everyone felt the special of this Marathon. There were plenty of aid stations with Gatorade and water supplied. Some of them had Gel, banana, and cookie for you to grab. When we ran to outside of the base, and at the finish line, there were plenty of people to cheer up the runners. There was a large digital clock to telling the time we have spent on the course at every mile, although there were a few not working. There were many volunteers at each aid station. They were very enthusiastic, cheerful, and very helpful. There were quite a few entertainment stations. Some soldiers voluntarily on the roadside cheer up the runners with some jokes and funny lines. Because the route was mainly inside the base. Majority of the area were not accessible by spectators. The finish medal was well designed and it was fairly large. The medal design differs each year. The air force museum is an excellent place to visit. It is highly recommended. It is worthy a trip to Dayton, OH even you go there for visiting the museum only. THE BAD I had a muscle cramp. I stopped at every station after I had muscle cramp problem. There was no muscle spread at any station including the emergency rescue vehicles. The race delayed for 30 minutes before the scheduled start time. There was no announcement via common ways, such as text, email, official web site, or post a sign. I heard the news from some other runner who heard from some others. THE UGLY It took me 40 minutes from high way exit to finally having my car parked. The entire distance was about one mile. There were plenty of parking space. I have no idea of why it was so bad. This is unexpected to an event have run yearly for 20 years. And especially, it is unexpected for a military organizer.
J. F. from Boise, ID (9/29/2015) "Great race, great fly over!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 At first I was a little apprehensive about running this race since I knew that there would be some quiet stretches. This race is run mostly on Wright Patterson AFB land therefore many areas where spectators do not have access. I was surprisingly pleased and so glad I did this race. Race started with a U 2 fly over. There are many energetic volunteers and many service men and women along the course. The town of Fairborn goes all out and there is a few mile stretch running through there 'fly zone'. The course does have a few small hills but nothing major ( I still was able to PR). The medals are shirts are very nice in addition to a towel. Post-run food is average at best although the Jimmy John's sandwich was good.
C. K. from NJ (9/29/2015) "A great small marathon put on by the USAF" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I loved this race (although it wasn't my day for a PR). The course showcases the Air Force base and the surrounding communities. The community is supportive of the runners and loved the hotel (Marriott) which had personalized 'good luck' signs, course maps and a special runner's breakfast for us. Take some time to visit the AF museum while you are there - you won't be disappointed. The organization of this race was top notch, from the shuttles to the start area, to course directions and to the finish. How can you beat finishing under a tunnel of enormous AF planes? And the flyover at the start was a blast. There are plenty of portopotties, which is always a plus. Aid stations are numerous and huge thanks to the volunteers handing out sponges on a warm day. This is one I will definitely return to. It's a small race, with quiet sections, so if you're looking for the craziness of a Chicago or NYC, this probably isn't for you. However, if you're looking for excellent organization, on course support and an enjoyable and scenic course, as well as a chance to honor our USAF, look no further.
Chuck in Cincinnati from Milford,OH (9/21/2015) "The Flyover is Back !!!" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 3 Air Force Marathons COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I really like this race! Easy to get to, from packet pick-up to the race start and finish is so well done. All you have to do is run. Volunteers are fantastic, water stops everywhere, ton of port-o-pots, bag drop is perfect, AND the feature plane flyover can't be beat! Some say it is boring and quiet ? The only part of that course is the backside of the flight line to me, BUT what other marathon course doesn't have a boring section? For some reason I can't wait to do it again! I've done 34 marathons now, and I just enjoy this race. Well done Air Force. I will be back next Year !!!!
S. S. from Midwest (9/19/2015) "Avg Marathon, Great Water Stops, Lots of Volunteer" (about: 2015) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 Just finished the 2015 AFM and thought I would post my thoughts. There were decent hills at miles 1, 8, 21 and around 23 or 24. The mile 1 hill was the worst, followed by the mile 8 hill and the mile 23-24 hills were rollers that you felt because it was later in the race. There was a section of the race that went through a downtown area that was very nice. The race started out with an air force plan fly over that I think was a U2 and it was awesome. Today was a bit warmer than ideal, but I guess weather is a wildcard for a Sept event in Ohio (70 at start, 74 at finish). The town of Dayton was actually quite enjoyable. There are parts of town that seemed a bit risky and unsafe, but the Oregon district was fantastic and we had several nice meals there. Volunteers: Water stop volunteers were plentiful and enthusiastic. And, overall, there really were plenty of volunteers and they were friendly and supportive. It seem like, however, many of the volunteers knew a lot about the area of the event where they were volunteering, but not necessarily a lot about the event as a whole (i.e., if you asked a general volunteer about where the shuttle pick up was, it took a few tries to find one that actually knew). Water and Support: There were tons of water stations - I am sure I am wrong about this, but it felt like there was a water stop every mile and that each one had plenty of volunteers, water, gatorade and more than one of them had bananas, gu, etc. Big kudos for all the great water stations, especially on a pretty warm day. They also had a ton of ports-potties, which was AMAZING :) One pet peeve of mine that really isn't the end of the world (because you can just ask a lot of questions to work around it) was a lack of great signage in the main race area to direct you to the bag drop, shuttles, etc. I realize this is more of a nice to have than a need since you can ask people, but it would have made navigating the main venue easier. The Expo at packet pickup was a little weak for an event this size. Shirts and medals were very nice. Shuttle: Based on the recommendation by the event, we decided to take the shuttle from Nutter to and from the race venue. Getting to the venue at the start seemed to work fine, but getting back was a little frustrating. We waited at least 20 min for our return shuttle and then it took at least 20 min to get back to our car. We thought we had plenty of time to get back to our hotel for late check out at 1 pm, but we actually got back late due to this. That said, in prior years, they did not offer a return shuttle - so this is the first year they have offered this and I am hoping they will learn from it and improve the logistics for future years. Spectators: I thought that there were really nice spectators for the first 6-10 miles, but then they kind of died down on the course until you got back within a few miles of the finish. Having the marathon on a military base probably means there are parts of the race where spectators don't have access.
R. D. from Granville, OH (8/7/2015) "Best Organized Marathon Out There" (about: 2012) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I've run the full once, and the half twice. Running the full again this year. This is without a doubt the best organized race I've ever run. Great number of Porta-Pottys at the start (in fact more than some races have for the entire course). Very friendly and polite people. LOVE the flyovers.
G. C. from Kentucky (10/13/2014) "No where to hide" (about: 2014) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 Air Force Marathon COURSE: 3 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I never had attempted a September marathon and this race reminded me why. Perfect starting temps and a rapid rise. The course is largely around Wright Patterson base so you are exposed to the elements which this year included a fairly stout breeze and direct sun. The theme is great and the service men and women giving you medals was awesome. Post race food was plenty. There were a couple of major flaws. One, less than a week before the event I received an email that the Passkey system messed up hotel reservations and I had been moved to a hotel 45 minutes away from the race. Second, the shirt goof up is almost inexcusable and the quality of the hat was much worse than year's past. I can check this one off my bucket list, but I would not do it again.

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Marathon Details - Air Force Marathon