<h1>Abebe Bikila Day International Peace Marathon & Half</h1>
ACE
AbebeBikilaDena

20th Abebe Bikila Day
International Peace Marathon & Half


Saturday, September 5, 2026
8:00 AM full marathon, 9:00 AM half marathon
Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road, Washington DC
The last Saturday to qualify for 2027 Boston Marathon

2027 Boston Marathon registration
  • Opens Monday, September 7, at 10:00 AM, and
  • Closes Friday, September 11, at 5:00 PM EST
  • Via B.A.A.'s online platform Athletes' Village.
  • Registration is not first-come, first-served.
  • B.A.A. only accepts athletes whose previous times are more than X:XX faster than the qualifying time in their age group.
  • In 2025, X:XX was 6:51.
  • B.A.A. pre-verifies qualifying times.
  • Pre-verify your qualifying time.
  • We send marathon results to B.A.A. immediately after the race

  • Complete 2025 results

  • Complete 2024 results

  • Invitation:
    • Perfect for experienced runners, charity trainees, and first-timers
    • Open to anyone who can finish within 6 hours
    • Limited to the first 350 entrants

    • Enter on-line •

    medal
  • Our finisher's medal features Abebe Bikila breaking the Olympic marathon finish line tape
    on September 10, 1980

  • Newsroom:

  • Start and finish:
    • The whole race is on the 100% flat but gravelly C&O Canal Towpath starting and finishing at Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC
    • Two miles west of Key Bridge and Georgetown
    • One mile east of Chain Bridge
    • About 325 on-site parking spaces
    • Indoor toilets and two portable toilets at the west end of upper parking area
    • 8:00 AM Marathon with cash prizes for top 3 M/F overall ($250 for 1st, $150 for 2nd, $100 for 3rd) and other awards for top 3 M/F in 10-year age groups
    • 9:00 AM Half Marathon (with awards but no cash prizes for top 3 M/F overall and for top 3 M/F in 10-year age groups)

  • Awards
    • Awards presentation for half marathon at about 10:30 AM and then rolling as age-group winners arrive
    • Awards presentation for full marathon at about 11:30 AM and then rolling as age-group winners arrive
    • In full marathon, $250 for 1st M/F, $150 for 2nd M/F, $100 for 3rd M/F
    • Awards (besides the cash awards for the top three M/F in the marathon are really nice SHF warm woolly hats, SHF pocket knifes, and shiny black SHF insulated tote bags
  • See OUR 2025 T-SHIRT BY KARLA McDUFFIE!

    2025 FRONT

    Click for full size
    2025 BACK

    Click for full size
    Watch a video of our shirts being printed at LynnPro

    • Our volunteers are delighted to serve at the aid stations:
      • At the start / finish line for timing at Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC
      • At Lock 6 for bottled water and Gatorade
      • At Lock 7 for bottled water and Gatorade
      • Special stuff at Lock 7 courtesy of DC Capital Striders:
      • At Lock 10 for bottled water and Gatorade

      • We have a turnaround cone and volunteers at the quarter-marathon mark near Billy Goat Trail outside I-495 Capital Beltway accessible via the Towpath from Lock 10 on the east and Carderock on the west, but we can't place an aid stations there as it is not accessible except by foot or bicycle

    • Q&A about the aid stations:
      • Q. Can spectators hand personal water bottles and fuel to runners?
      • A. Yes, no problem. My wife once rode her bicycle alongside me when I won Delaware Minuteman Marathon in 1980, handing me bottled coffee every two miles. Big races ban that practice, but we're small.

      • Q. Can runners leave their own personal water bottles and fuel at specific aid stations?
      • A. Yes, if you or a friend can get your bottle to the aid station before you get there. All three aid stations have parking areas
      • -- Note that the aid stations are accessible by car only on the eastbound (south) side of GW Parkway
      • or
      • You or a friend can put the personal water bottles and fuel in your backpack and ride the course by bicycle before the race starts to deliver personal water bottles and fuel at specific aid stations
      • Our volunteers set up the aid stations around 8:00 AM

    • Spectator access:
      • Chain Bridge
      • Lock 5 (parking under construction - limited access)
      • Lock 6
      • Lock 7
      • Canal Center
      • Lock 8
      • Lock 9
      • Lock 10

      • To get to the locks where the aid stations are located, drop off your runner at the stoplight
      • at the top of the ramp next to the big white Abner Cloud House
      • Abner Cloud was the last living lock-keeper when the canal stopped running cargo barges
      • The 19th century engineering of the locks is still a marvel.

      • From there, drive 6 miles west to a gravel turnaround across the median strip about 100 meters east of the I-495 Capital Beltway overpass
      • From there, drive east for about 200 meters for the turn-off to Lock 10
      • From there, drive another 2 miles east to Lock 7
      • From there, drive another 1.7 miles east to Lock 6
      • From there, drive another 0.3 miles east to Lock 5. You don't see a sign for Lock 5, but you see construction there and an outhouse.
      • From there, drive 1 mile east to Fletcher's Cove. So you are driving in the direction opposite from runners.
      • You can't legally turn from the westbound lane of Clara Barton Parkway and cross the eastbound lane to get to Lock 5, but I've done it ... very carefully.

    • Deferrals and transfers

      • If you choose to defer to a future race, your next race is just $10.00
      • Please use THIS FORM to defer your registration to a future race

      • If you registered, but you can't run, you may transfer to another person.
      • Please use the same form to mark your registration as transferred.
      • Then your transferee can register for $10
    • Enjoy an Ethio-American lunch on us:
      • $1,000 in cash awards -- $250 for first overall M/F, $150 for 2nd M/F, $100 for 3rd M/F in the 9:00 AM full marathon
      • SHF warm wooly hats, baseball caps in blue, red, and pink, pen knives, and insulated lunch bags
              for 1st, 2nd, 3rd M/F overall and in 10-year age groups 19 & under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 & over
    • An SHF 2025 Grand Prix race:
      • If you complete this event (half or full marathon), you are entered in SHF's 2025 Grand Prix Series.
      • $100 cash award to everyone who completes all three SHF half or full marathons in 2025 - May 3, September 6, and October 18

    • We are proud to support:

    • Letters:

        Read this inspiring message from Rosemary Spraker:

        Dear Jay,
      • Would it be possible for me to be assigned bib number 261?
      • #261 was Kathrine Switzer's original Boston Marathon race number in 1967 and her 50th anniversary run in 2017.
      • The BAA has now retired bib number 261. It has been my dream to be assigned #261 in a marathon!!!
      • I was honored to run with Kathrine as her protector and sidekick during the 2017 Boston Marathon (see the pictures).
      • I took the Facebook Live video of her in the middle of the marathon as well. See https://www.facebook.com/KathrineSwitzer/videos/1349804755087804
      • I am a 261 Fearless Ambassador and fundraiser for her non-profit organization to empower women through the joy of running.
      • I will share my marathon pictures and your marathon with Kathrine and the rest of the 261 Fearless worldwide network on www.261fearless.org and on social media.
      • I appreciate your consideration. : )
      • -- Rosemary Spraker

        Dear Rosemary:

      • I have #261 waiting for you! I was the guy you and Kathrine passed going up Heartbreak Hill wearing a "WIND ROMA TOTTI 10" t-shirt. I'll never forget you!
      • -- Jay Jacob Wind

      • Headphones and water belts
        • Re personal listening devices, we follow USATF rule 144.3.b (Assistance to Athletes): "The visible possession or use by athletes of video, audio, or communications devices in the competition area. The Games Committee for an LDR event may allow the use of portable listening devices not capable of receiving communication; however, those competing in championships for awards, medals, or prize money may not use such devices.
        • Because we must be able to communicate instructions to you at certain points in our races, we specifically allow wearing headphones during the race, but we specifically prohibit wearing headphones at these points:
            • Start line
            • Aid stations
            • Turnaround 1
            • Midpoint
            • Turnaround 2
            • Finish line
        • Since we offer prize money ($250, $150, $100 for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd M/F), we ask you to follow this rule: if you expect to finish in the money, please don't wear headphones. Because of the specificity of Rule 144.3.b, we must disqualify potential money-winners whom we see wearing headphones or other two-way devices such as cell phones and the new talking wristbands. Sorry about that.
        • You may carry water or wear a hydration vest, but won't it slow you down? We have aid stations with water and Gatorade roughly every two miles.

        ABEBE BIKILA DAY INTERNATIONAL PEACE MARATHON & HALF MAIL-IN ENTRY FORM
        Make checks payable to SHF   611 South Ivy Street, Arlington VA 22204-2429

        By entering this event, I agree, warrant and covenant as follows: I know that running is a potentially hazardous activity. I should not enter or run in competitive runs unless I am medically able and properly trained. I agree to abide by any decision of a race official relative to my ability to safely complete the run. I assume all risks associated with running in this race including, but not limited to, CONTRACTION OF ILLNESS INCLUDING COVID-19, falls, contact with other participants, the effects of weather, including high heat and/or humidity, the conditions of the road and traffic on the course, all such risks being known and appreciated by me.    Having read this waiver and knowing these facts, and in consideration of your acceptance of my application, I, for myself and anyone entitled to act on my behalf, waive and release National Park Service, RRCA, USATF, Buy A Brick Foundation, DC Capital Striders, Safety And Health Foundation, and all sponsors, their directors, officers, employees, agents; representatives and successors from all claims or liabilities of any kind arising out of my participation in this event even though that liability may arise out of negligence or carelessness on the part of the persons named in this waiver.    I acknowledge that the application fee shall be non-refundable.    I agree that you may use my name and likeness for publicity purposes.

          

        Signature ______________________________________ (parent or guardian if under 18)

          

        Name ___________________________________________       Gender [__] (M|F)     Age as of 9/6/2025 [__ __]

        Address _________________________________________       Birthdate ____ ____-____ ____-____ ____ ____ ____ (mm-dd-yy)

        City ST ZIP _______________________________________       Phone ____ ____ ____-____ ____ ____-____ ____ ____ ____

        e-mail ___________________________________________         T-shirt _____ (XS   S   M   L   XL   XXL)         

        Best 13.1/26.2 mi ____:__ __ Where? ________________________               Date _____________________

        Enclosed is my entry fee, payable to SHF:

        Fees: Non-Members
        [__] On or before August 31, 2025 - $100.00
        [__] On or after September 1, 2025 - $250.00
        [__] $10 discount for members of supporting clubs and active-duty military
        No race-day registration, please         		Event:
        [__] 8:00 AM Full Marathon
        [__] 8:00 AM Half Marathon
        [__] 9:00 AM Half Marathon

        Enclosed is an additional tax-deductible donation of $____________ to BuyABrick Foundation

        [_] $5 Local     [_] $10 County     [_] $25 State     [_] $50 Nation     [_] $100 Continent     [_] $250 World     [_] $500 Galaxy     [_] $1000 Universe