WANTED: Volunteers to help with the 2014 Delaware Marathon Running Festival on Sunday, May 11th. Individuals or groups welcome. Help also needed on Saturday, May 10th. Opportunities include registration, course marshals, helping at water stops, and more. For information on how you can be part of this awesome running event, please contact Sue DeNardo at [email protected].

Welcome to the 11th Annual Delaware Marathon™ Running Festival

Thank You to Christiana Care Health System, Anesthesia Services, P.A.,Mid Atlantic Dairy Association, Discover Bank, Novo Nordisk, Highmark BCBS Delaware, ATT, Freibott Law, Dick Sporting Goods and Service Mark who have all agreed to sponsor our 2014 event.

It will be our eleventh anniversary in 2014. We have some very special things planned, so please bookmark this website as we announce new partnerships and our plans for Delaware’s largest, oldest, biggest, and best run marathon.

The Delaware Marathon™ will start at 7:00 a.m. SHARP from Tubman Garrett Riverfront Park on the historic Wilmington, Delaware Riverfront; the relay marathons and half marathon shortly thereafter. This small waterfront park is located just off Martin Luther King Boulevard in downtown Wilmington at the intersection of South Market Street (Rte 13) and Rosa Parks Drive (Water Street). The park is located between the AMTRAK Station and the Riverfront Market. There is plenty of free parking nearby and easy access to and from Interstate I-95 (Exit 6).

50 State Marathon Club / Marathon Maniacs

We believe this is your best chance to run a certified 26.2 mile road marathon in Delaware! We are a USATF certified Boston Marathon Qualifier and historically 12% of our marathon runners have qualified for Boston. 2010 Marathon Certification DE 08017LMB; 2009 Half Marathon Certification DE 08016LMB.

Race Courses

You asked for a scenic race course and you got it!! The Delaware Marathon™ course consists of two half marathon distance loops. Both loops take you from the Wilmington Riverfront on the Christina River, across town to beautiful Brandywine Park on the Brandywine River, along Kentmere and Bancroft Parkways, through the 40 Acres, Wawaset Park, and Little Italy neighborhoods of Wilmington before returning via the Wilmington park system and past Rodney Square to the Riverfront.

Runners may register for the full 26.2 mile marathon, the 13.1 mile half marathon, a four person relay marathon or an eight person relay marathon. The four person relay marathon course consists of four loops of 6.55 miles each starting and finishing on the Riverfront.  The eight person relay marathon course consists of eight loops of 3.275 miles each starting and finishing on the Riverfront.  Both relay races run on the marathon / half marathon course. The 4P Relay Marathon turns around just past Lovering Ave and Kentmere Parkway.  The 8P RRelay Marathon turns around at the intersection of North Market Street and North Park Drive (far end of N. Market Street bridge) at the entrance to Brandywine Park.

Time Limit

The race course will be open for six hours (1:00 pm) – after which our agreement with the City of Wilmington requires the roads be reopened to traffic. All back of the pack marathon runners (and walkers) will be asked to finish the race on the sidewalks and abide by the traffic signals.  There is also an early start – 45 minutes early (at 6:15 am) for the marathoners to allow them to finish the event close to 1:00 pm.  We will leave the timing systems open to all finishers to receive their official finishing time, medal, and amenities.

A Special Welcome

A special welcome to Delaware Running Company and Saucony who will provide the official race shirts in 2014 and will host our Saturday runner’s expo at Tubman Park.

Beneficiaries

As in past years, this is a non-profit event. In 2014, proceeds from the event will go to ten local charities, including The Helen F. Graham Cancer Center, Mike Clark Legacy Foundation, Team in Training Delaware, YMCA Strong Kids Campaign, JDRF, Camp Abilities, B+ Foundation, Families of Spinal Muscular Atrophy,  Alzheimers Association, and Girls on the Run Delaware. Please feel free to donate to one or all of these worthwhile charities when you send in your application form. You’ll find more information about some of these beneficiaries on our Beneficiaries and Fundraising web pages.

Please feel free to donate to one or all of these worthwhile charities when you register.  You’ll also find more information about our beneficiaries on our Beneficiaries and Fundraising web pages.

Click here for information about the Wilmington Riverfront