Air Force Marathon
The Lowdown
The Air Force Marathon is an annual USATF-certified, Boston-qualifying marathon held at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio, organized by the U.S. Air Force since 1997 to commemorate the Air Force's founding; 2026 marks the 30th running. The flat, fast course starts and finishes at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, climbing one of the route's only two hills right from the start before flattening out for 17 miles along the historic flight line, passing through downtown Fairborn and historic base quarters before finishing under the wingtips of vintage aircraft in the museum's Air Park. Race weekend also includes a Half Marathon, 10K, 5K, and the Tailwind Trot 1K Kids' Run, drawing roughly 8,500 total athletes from all 50 states and 18 countries, supported by about 1,500 volunteers. Top finishers are recognized in Overall, Active Duty Military, and Wheeled Division categories, plus 14 age-group brackets; 2026 introduces a new Ruck category for the 10K and Half Marathon. A health and fitness expo and pasta dinner precede Saturday's race morning, and the museum's finish line festival is free and open to the public.
Race Day
Weather Forecast
Elevation
Terrain Profile
Relatively flat course
Participants
Field Size
Large field
Crowd Rating
Spectator Support
Good crowd energy
Boston Qualifier
This race is a certified Boston Marathon qualifying event. Achieve your qualifying standard here on a verified course.
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force (start/finish)
Wright-Patterson Air Force Base historic quarters
Historic Huffman Flying Field
Downtown Fairborn
Other distances available during the event weekend:
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base
US
Average rate for 3-star accommodations near the start line
Eligibility
- Marathon minimum age is 16 on race day
- Half Marathon minimum age is 12 on race day
- Strollers and baby joggers are prohibited on the Half Marathon course
Required Documents
- Photo ID for packet pickup
Entry Methods
- Online registration via Race Roster
Cancellation & Refund Policy
As is typical for large military-organized road races, entry fees are generally non-refundable (not independently confirmed on an official refund-policy page; treat as an estimate).
First run in 1997 to commemorate the U.S. Air Force's founding; 2026 is the 30th running.
USATF-certified course with a FindMyMarathon Course Score of 98.92 (8th fastest course in Ohio) and about 144 ft of total elevation gain.
New for 2026: a Ruck division added to the 10K and Half Marathon.
The AIM HIGH Challenge bundles the 5K with another distance (Marathon, Half Marathon, or 10K) at a combined price.
Military discount: $10 off Marathon/Half Marathon, $5 off 10K/5K for veterans, retired military, active duty, reservists, National Guard, and ROTC of all branches.
Shuttles run from the Wright State University Nutter Center to the start on race morning; free parking is available near the museum and at the Nutter Center.
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Community
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