All of our marathons are Boston qualifiers!

Towpath Half Marathon

Saturday, May 27, 2023 -- 9:00 AM start

Music, awards, refreshments, and light fare following the race
Charity race to benefit girls' education in rural Kenya
Mercy Project
  • Complete results are now on-line at
  • Webscorer's web site •   SHF's web page •   Awards
  • You can still donate to Mercy Project USA
  • Make a donation via our web site
  • You can still sponsor our race (PDF) | (DOC)
  • Logo

    We welcome you!
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    Thank you!
  • We are grateful for your support! All net proceeds from this charity race support girls' education in rural Kenya
  • Without all of you, we would not be able to support girls in rural Kenya!
  • Corporate Sponsors, runners, and volunteers are all welcome!
  • Thank you very much!
  • Safety And Health Foundation
  • Mission:
  • We currently educate more than 250 female students at Mercy Girls Secondary School
  • in Lare, Nakuru Province, Kenya, between Eldoret and Nairobi, in Great Rift Valley
          •• In Kenya, many girls still have no options for secondary school education. Our school fills that void.
          •• All net proceeds of this race support girls attending the school
          •• thru the scholarship program - Acacia Fund established in 2021.

  • Location:
  • Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC 20007

  • View last year's t-shirt design | Front

  • DJ music:
  • DJ music by Bach To Rock McLean

    Bach-to-Rock  

  • Please pre-register on-line as National Park Service rules does not allow on-stie sales
  • All net proceeds benefit
  • Mercy Center Foundation USA to provide quality education to girls in Kenya,
  • For many girls in Kenya, no other educational opportunities exist

    MercyLogo

  • Goodie bags:
  • Goodie bags proudly sponsored by ACE Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine Institute

    ACE

  • Sponsors:
  • Georgetown
    Georgetown Running Company

    Bricklayers
    International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers

    The Soft Edge
    The Soft Edge

    Georgetown Visitation
    Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School, 1524 35th Street NW, Washington DC 20007 (202-337-3350)
    georgetown-visitation-logo.jpg
    Saxbys Coffee
    Saxbys Coffee

    Ullico
    Ullico

    Balduccis

    Balducci's
    Sponsor Us:
  • Please support our project to build a secondary school in Lare, Kenya
  • Please sponsor our race | Read our letter to sponsors (PDF) | DOC

  • Directions to Fletcher's Cove:
  • The official course starts and finishes at Fletcher's Cove, 4940 Canal Road NW, Washington DC
  • Google map to Fletcher's Cove

  • Directions from Georgetown and points east:
        •• Take M Street westbound past Key Bridge
        •• At Foxhall Road, M Street becomes Canal Road. Continue west for 2 miles.
        •• Watch for Reservoir Road on right and entrance to Fletcher's Cove on left.
        •• CAREFULLY turn left - watch for oncoming traffic

  • Directions from Maryland and points west:
        •• Take Clara Barton Parkway eastbound to Chain Bridge where Canal Road begins
        •• Cross Arizona Avenue
        •• Watch for the entrance to Fletcher's Cove on the right
        •• Turn right VERY CAREFULLY -- the right turn there is very sharp

  • Continue down the driveway to free parking
        •• We have 85 parking spots on the left above Fletcher's Cove
        •• When those spaces are full, drive through the tunnel on the right to 200 free parking spaces below Fletcher's Cove
  • Course:
  • Out'n'back on C&O Canal Towpath
  • Completely flat, with a scenic bridge about one mile from the start / finish
  • No cross streets
  • USATF-certified half marathon course DC21001RT
  • Color Map | GMAP
  • Officially re-measured and re-certified on September 11, 2020 | Color Map
  • This race will have USATF sanction and can serve as a qualifier for marathons in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and New York -- any race that requires a half-marathon finish time

  • Driving Instructions:
  • Canal Road NW is the street name between Foxhall Road on the east and Chain Bridge on the west. Going westbound from Fletcher's Cove, after you pass Chain Bridge, the street name becomes Clara Barton Parkway. Lock 5 is visible from the east less than one mile west of Chain Bridge, but getting there presents a problem.
  • About 50 meters EAST of Lock 5, a concrete median begins.
  • If you are VERY VERY CAREFUL, you can turn left before the concrete median begins, cross the eastbound lane, and turn left into the Lock 5 parking area. Please wait for a big break between any cars heading eastbound. Getting to Lock 5 would be so much easier if the concrete median ended west of Lock 5, but as they say. "It is where it is."
  • To help you to plot a course from your home, here is a GoogleMap of Lock 5 | No sign exists for Lock 5, sorry about that. Look for a concrete spiral ramp over Clara Barton Parkway. Lock 5 is on the right-hand side immediately after to concrete spiral ramp.
  • To help you to plot a course from your home, here are three maps:
          • Google map of Lock 10
          • Google map of Lock 7
          • Google map of Lock 5
  • Locks 10, 7, and 5 are accessible only from EASTBOUND Clara Barton Parkway, not accessible in any way from WESTBOUND Clara Barton Parkway.
  • If you're coming westbound from the EAST, e.g. from Fletcher's Cove or from Chain Bridge, you must drive west to the Glen Echo exit, turn right to go up the ramp, turn left at the top of the ramp, and turn left again onto eastbound Clara Barton Parkway. Then Lock 7 is the first stop on the right, after the sign for Lock 7.
  • If you're coming from Alexandria, take I-495 Capital Beltway to Exit 41, Clara Barton Parkway eastbound. Coming from the Beltway eastbound, you have no problem turning right at Lock 10, Lock 7, or Lock 5.

  • Webscorer instantly posts race results and awards lists -- see www.webscorer.com/shfresults and select Towpath Half Marathon
  • We published complete results at the race web page and Webscorer

  • We hope you enjoyed Jeanne Larrison singing the National Anthem before the race

  • We thank you for joining us, and we look forward to welcoming you again in October 14 for Georgetown Half Marathon
  • Registration will open soon

    -- Thank you
    -- Jay Jacob Wind, director, Safety And Health Foundation
    -- Adrianne Doherty, race director, Mercy 5K

  • To post your photographs:
  • View our event page on Facebook or to post photos or ride requests
  • Press Room:
  • Video by Davin Lindwall
  • Instant Results by:
  • Safety And Health Foundation, Inc.

    SHF

  • Limit:
  • Limited to the first 350 entrants
  • More information:
  • Questions -- Contact Jay Jacob Wind (703-927-4833) racedirector@att.net
  • Past years' results:
  • 2022 Results | Awards
  • 2019 5K Results | Awards | 2019 10K Results | Awards
  • 2018 Results | Awards
  • 2017 Results | Awards
  • 2016 Results | Awards
  • 2015 Results | Awards
  • 2014 Results | Awards

  • We much prefer on-line registration, but if you don't have a computer (how are you reading this?) you can
  • Print this form and pring this form with you to packet pick-up
  • on Friday, May 26, 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM, at Georgetown Running Company

    TOWPATH HALF MARATHON ENTRY FORM
    Make checks payable to MCF

    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 this event 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, 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, and CONTRACTION OF COVID-19, 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 Mercy Center Foundation U.S.A. Inc., Safety And Health Foundation Inc., Princeton Running Company, USATF, RRCA, Arlington County Virginia, and all sponsors, their directors, elected and appointed officials, employees, officers, 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 is non-refundable.   I agree that you may use my name and likeness for publicity purposes. 

    Signature _______________________________________________ (parent or guardian if under 18)
    Name _____________________________________________________ Age on 05/26/2023 __ __  Birthdate __ __ - __ __ - __ __ __ __ (mm-dd-yyyy) 
    
    Address __________________________________________________________________________________________
    
    City _______________________________________________________________ ST __ __   ZIP __ __ __ __ __
    
    E-mail _____________________________________________________________  T-shirt size [__] S M L XL XX
    
    Gender __ (M F)  Predicted time for half marathon (13.1 miles) __ : __ __ : __ __
    
    Day Phone __ __ __ - __ __ __ - __ __ __ __        Evening Phone __ __ __ - __ __ __ - __ __ __ __
    
    We agree to keep your personal data private.
      
    Enclosed is my entry fee
    
  • [__] $75 on or before May 23, 2023
  • [__] $100 on or after May 23, 2023

    Enclosed is an additional tax-deductible donation: [__]$25 [__]$50 [__]$100 [__] $250 [__] $500 [__] $1000 [__] Other: _________

  •