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Georgia > Soldier Marathon & Half Marathon
Columbus, GA • Saturday, November 9, 2013 • Course Map
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The streets of both Fort Benning and the peaceful, serene setting of the Columbus Riverwalk form the backdrop for the brand-new Soldier Marathon & Half Marathon, which makes its 4th annual running through this southwest Georgia city in the fall of 2013, along an out-and-back course that starts and finishes at the Army installation's new National Infantry Museum, which opened to the public in 2009.
Dedicated to the life, service and heroism of the infantrymen who have served the U.S. in war over the past two centuries, the 190,000-sq.-ft. museum hosts an interactive tour with galleries detailing the contributions of infantries in wars all the way back to the Revolutionary War, leading up to the wars today in Iraq and Afghanistan. The museum is located just outside the gates of the Fort Benning Army installation in the park known as Patriot Park, and this is where the marathon and half marathons start and finish.
From the museum, those running the 13.1-mile half marathon can expect a course that's largely fast and flat and run on paved surfaces nearly the entire route. The race takes runners through two "halves," in a way, in that the first nearly 6 miles of the race are run along the streets of Fort Benning, starting at the Infantry museum and then proceeding on a loop that takes runners along Sigerfoos Road, Lumpkin Road, the aptly named Running Avenue and Baltzell Avenue before bringing the field back nearly all the way to the museum.
The second half of the race takes runners out onto the Columbus Riverwalk, a paved pathway for walkers, runners, bicyclists and inline skaters that stretches more than 20 miles along the winding banks of the Chattahoochee River. This nearly all-flat section of the half marathon route takes runners along the river for the entire second half of the race, where they can look across the river into Alabama as they make their way through a series of linear parks and bridges before hitting the turnaround point and heading back toward the museum for the race finish.
Both the half marathon and the full marathon share an 8:00 AM starting time, and runners in both races have seven hours to complete the course. More than 1,400 runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes crossed the finish line in both races combined at the event's 2012 running, including 824 finishers in the half marathon alone.
Race
Weather & Climate
Nestled along the banks of Georgia's Chattahoochee River, right along the state line that divides Georgia and Alabama and lying just over 100 miles southwest of Atlanta, Columbus typically sees mild to moderately warm and occasionally wet weather in the mid-fall.
In November, temperatures average between 46°F and 68°F, while rainfall totals for the month average just over 4 inches. On the day of the race (Nov. 9), the average low is 47°F and its average high is 70°F.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Soldier Half Marathon
Starting Time
8:00 AM
Fees
Civilian fees:
$45 for the half marathon, if registered by January 31, 2013
$70 between February 1 - July 31
$80 between August 1 - September 30
$90 between October 1 - November 4
$95 after Nov. 4
Military fees:
$40 for the half marathon, if registered by Jan. 31
$45 between Feb. 1 - July 31
$55 between Aug. 1 - Sept. 30
$65 between Oct. 1 - Nov. 4
$75 after Nov. 4
Registration
To reserve your spot in the fall 2013 running of Columbus's Soldier Marathon, Half Marathon or Kids Marathon, register online at Active.com.
Official Race Website
www.soldiermarathon.com
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