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West Virginia > Freedom's Run Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K & 5K
Shepherdstown, WV • Saturday, October 12, 2013 • Course Map
The scenic rolling hills of the lower Shenandoah Valley, as well as four of the country's most historic national parks, will be the setting at the 5th annual running in the fall of 2013 of the Freedom's Run Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K, 5K and Kids Fun Run races, which start and finish in West Virginia and take runners across the Potomac River into Virginia for most of the race.
For the half marathon race, runners follow an out-and-back course that starts and finishes in downtown Shepherdstown and takes runners through the historic grounds of the Antietam National Battlefield Park, the site of the 1862 Civil War battle that was also the bloodiest one-day battle in U.S. history. Just over 800 runners crossed the finish line in the half marathon at the event's 2011 running, out of more than 2,100 finishers overall in all four races combined.
Filled with rolling hills throughout the course, the half marathon starts where both the half and the full, 26.2-mile marathon also finish up, near the Shepherd University football stadium. From there, those running the half follow West Virginia Highway 480 over the Rumsey Bridge across the Potomac River into the Sharpsburg, Md., area, where the highway becomes Maryland Highway 34.
Runners then follow the highway eastward through the Antietam National Cemetery and into the battlefield park, turning left on Sharpsburg Pike to head northward into the park.
Approximately the next four and a half miles of the half unfold through the battlefield park and feature a number of the park's historic sites, including the Burnside Bridge and the park observation tower. Following the run through Antietam, the last few miles of the race are thankfully a bit more flat, as runners head through the C&O Canal towpath along the river back into Shepherdstown for the finish at the football stadium.
Limited to a maximum of 1,000 entrants each in the full marathon and half marathon, the Freedom's Run event is open to both runners and walkers, for which participants are limited to 8 hours and 5 hours to complete, respectively. The scheduled starting time for the half marathon is 8:05 AM (the full marathon starts at 7:00 AM).
Race Weather & Climate
Nestled along the banks of the Potomac River in West Virginia's northeast corner, about 70 miles northwest of Washington, D.C., and roughly 75 miles west of Baltimore, Md., Shepherdstown typically sees October temperatures that average between 39°F and 66°F, while rainfall totals average just over 3.5 inches for the month.
On the day of the race (Oct. 12), the average low is 40°F and the average high is 68°F.
Course Map
View the race route map for the Freedom's Run Half Marathon
Starting Time
8:05 AM - half marathon
7:00 AM - full marathon
Fees
$45 for the half marathon
$80 for the full marathon
$25 for the 10K
$25 for the 5K
Registration
To reserve your spot in the early fall 2013 running of Shepherdstown's Freedom's Run Marathon, Half Marathon, 10K or 5K race, register online at the event website.
Official Race Website
www.freedomsrun.org
Leave a Comment
Ever run in West Virginia's annual Freedom's Run Marathon or Half Marathon? Share your impressions, stories and tips from the event.
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