We have a maximum of 1000 in the marathon, 1000 in the half marathon, and 500 each in the 5k and 10k.  Due to the attractive features of course, and the proximity to major mid-Atlantic cities, we anticipate these to fill up quickly. 

There are no Day-of-Race registration for the Marathon or event changes. You may register for other events if space available at the packet pick up on Friday, October 12 12-8:00pm.  We will have limited race day registration for the Half, 5k, 10k events or Saturday, October 13   7-8am at the 5k/10k/Half Marathon start area.  

NOTE LAST YEAR ALL EVENTS SOLD OUT ABOUT A MONTH BEFORE THE EVENT EXCEPT MARATHON

Location Shepherdstown Mens Club in Downtown Shepherdstown. Friday 4-8pm

Lasagna, Ziti, and Spaghetti with meat or vegetables marinara, garlic bread water, and tossed salad for $10.00. Buffet style dinner.  Dessert served by Shepherdstown Businesses

Location is a short walk from packet pickup.  No reservation needed.  All welcome!

Details coming soon.

1. High quality Atayne eco-friendly tech fiber  t-shirt (short sleeve) for half and full marathon. Organic cotton for 5k and 10k  2.  bike size water bottle at the finish 3. Reusable souveneer Beer Mugs for those of age to use at post race Oktoberfest  4. Reusable Swag Bag for your stuff to reduce waste. 5. a tour through your National Parks

Precision Race out of North Carolina are the East Coast's leader in innovative race technology. They are again our race timers. All events will be timed using Disposable Bib-Chip Technology with the expert and experienced team from Precision Race. Each participant is given race bib with a timing chip attached.  (The chip is the foam strip attched to the back of the bib).  DO NOT REMOVE the chip from the back of the bib.  When you cross the finish line, the timing system will record your finish time.  Results are based on Gun Time.

Yes!! See below for details on start times and how long the course is open.

Yes. Freedom’s Run is USATF sanctioned and certified. Certification # WV09005MS

The towns of Sharpsburg, Harpers Ferry, and Shepherdstown are the easiest to access for families to cheer on their runners and walkers and have restaurants and cafes for refreshments.

Yes. There is a medical tent with trained professionals thanks to our friends at Professional Sports Care and Rehab.  We will have EMS and at least 4 certified athletic trainers on site at the finish the entire day.

All courses will be open until 2pm to allow both walkers and runners to experience the rich scenery and history of the course.  So walkers in the marathon will have 7 hours to complete it.  Half Marathon participants will have 5 hours.

They will be every four miles on the C&O Canal section starting at mile 4 and approximately every 3 miles after leaving the Canal at mile 16.  We have limited access to multiple aid stations along the C&O so please hydrate and take calories at these stations. Consider small carry bottle or fanny pack, especailly for walkers. Each aid station will have both water and Gatorade, Powergels, and fruit at stations 4,5,6, 7and 8.

Half Marathon runners and walkers will share aid stations with marathoners so will have water/Powerbar Endurance Drink every 3 miles and Powergels, Powerblasts,and fruit at stations 4,5,6, 7and 8

See our "course" tab for a great detailed map.

5k/10k will have an each station with water at each turn around.

See our map for more specifics.

Marathon aid stations

1. Harpers Ferry Cavalier Heights 2 miles (water only)

2.  Harpers Ferry 4.0 miles

3. Lock 34 5.5 miles

4.  Dargen Boat Ramp  8.5 miles (C&O Canal)

5.  C and O 11.5 miles

6.  Antietam Creek  13.5 miles (C&O Canal)

6a. Millers Sawmill Rd ~ 15 miles. Water only

7.  Branch Ave 16.7 miles (within the battlefield)

8.  Bloody lane 19.5  miles (in front of the tower)

9. Dunker Church  21.5 miles

10 Sharpsburg Elementary- 23 miles

11.  Rt 34-  24.5 miles (water only)  no porta pots

12. The Finish

See Map under "course" for Porta pot locations

AVOID HYPONATREMIA...SEE HYDRATION GUIDELINES.  A MUST READ FOR MARATHONERS

 http://www.usatf.org/groups/coaches/library/2007/hydration/IMMDAAdvisoryStatement.pdf

For the Marathon- the course is a mix of road and hard pack trail. First 4 miles are net downhill, next 10 are a long stretch of flat on the crusher surface C & O Canal. Once leaving the Canal the course is very hilly and rolling through Antietam Battlefield. The last 4 miles are flat and gentle downhill.  There is a course map with an elevation chart included in the "course" section. 

The Half Marathon is very challenging.  The first 3 miles are flat on the C & O then the difficult Antietam Battlefield section begins as you join the marathoners.  As one 2009 participant stated aptly "Freedom isn't easy".  These words will be your mantra through the scenic Battlefield.

The 5k and 10k have a significant downhill and return uphill on leaving Rumsey Bridge to the C & O Canal.  The Canal section is completely flat.

The marathon goes through 4 National Parks, 3 Historic Civil War Towns, and the rural roads connecting them.  See our map for more detail.

See our history section of our website

Marathon- There is no parking at the start. We will have ample parking available at River Riders parking lot (approx 1/2 mile from start….could walk or shuttle from here).  See Map. Buses will start at approximately 6am from this convenient site.

We will have shuttle buses (compliments of our major sponsor River Riders) from host hotel HI Express Charles Town/Ranson and the Inn at Charles Town and the Shepherdstown Wellness Center to the marathon start at 6am.    There will be a bus from the HI Express Charles Town/Ranson at 6:30to start of Half/5k/10k.  We will update this as the race draws closer.

Half, 10k, 5k- There is limited parking in Shepherdstown. We will have shuttle buses from large parking sites approximately 1 mile from town and limited parking on the Shepherd University Campus (1/2 mile to start). We will post lot specifics in Mid September

Busses will return frequently to these lots post race and until party ends at Bavarian Inn at 3-4pm

Marathon Start 7am Harpers Ferry National Historical Park 

All other events start in Shepherdstown

Half Marathon-8:05am  

5k - 8:30am  

10k- 8:40 am

Kids Run- 11 or so

Yes. At the Marathon starting line a truck will take items back to the finish. We highly recommend you put your items in a bag with your race number on it. This will help sort your items at the finish area.

We will have a bag check tent at the start/finish area of the 5k/10k/Half Marathon at the Shepherd University Stadium.

Yes, buses will return throughout the day to parking area at River Riders (near start) and to partner hotels and parking areas in West Virginia and Maryland.

Of course....experience the West Virginia stimulant of choice from Hypnocoffee of Shepherdstown, West Virginia. Hypnocoffee is available at the Shepherdstown Sweet Shop.

Hypnocoffee....get stimulated

The top 3 men and women and Age Division Awards in 10-year age groupings will be given for the half and full marathons.  The top 3 men and women and single age group winners will be given for the 5k and 10k. local businesses will be supplying awards. Youngest Half and Full marathon category is 19 and under.  We have 13 and under for 5k and 10k.  Award winners will be posted at the Results Board near the finish.  Please come and get your award at the Bavarian Inn post race Oktoberfest at about 12:30.

WE ARE A PARTICIPATORY COMMUNITY EVENT NON PROFIT AND KEEP OUR AWARDS SIMPLE AND FUN.

No. Freedom’s Run is a family-oriented event designed to appeal to all categories of runners and walkers and, as such, does not offer monetary awards.

No. The walking events are non-competitive and have no awards. However, walkers will be timed and do receive the same finisher medal and amenities as the runners.

All awards ceremonies will be at noon at the Bavarian Inn a little after noon.

All Marathon and Half Marathoners will recieve a top quality Eco Friendly tech fiber t-shirt from Atayne.

5k/10k runners will recieve 100% organic cotton t-shirt from Atayne

Commemorative Pint glass (with free first beverage compliments of Yuengling).  Available at Bavarian Inn post race Oktoberfest.

The answer is a qualified yes . The use of headsets is allowed during the race until 2:00pm when the course re-opens to traffic. As a member of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), we follow their guidelines on headset use. RRCA does not encourage headphone use during its member races but does not disallow them as long as they are used safely. For this reason, Freedoms Run will allow headsets on the course only if it does not pose a safety risk. For safety reasons, it may be necessary for a course official to ask you to remove your headset/earphones during the race. You are required to comply or face disqualification and removal from the course.

Yes for the Kids Run ONLY.

No. Strollers and baby joggers are not allowed on the other courses.

No, our permits allow a limited number in the National Parks. We discourage non registered runners on the course.

Definitely Yes! We will have a family oriented fun, games, and food festival featuring local foods, businesses, local bands, and activities. We also welcome all runners and families to visit the wonderful shops and historic sites of Shepherdstown, Harpers Ferry, and Sharpsburg.  We will also host a beer garden festival- see next FAQ.

Our Suggested Directions To River Riders- the parking venue for the Marathon.  You must have a National Parks Pass to park at Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.  Our partners River Riders have a large lot a half mile from the start and you can either walk or take a shuttle from there.  We strongly suggest this option.

From the DC Area:

I-270 north to Frederick, MD. Merge with I-70 West at Frederick for about 1/2 a mile, Take Exit 52 - 340 West to Charles Town. Follow US 340 for 16 miles and cross the Potomac River Bridge. Continue 2 miles and cross the Shenandoah River Bridge. Follow 340 to the top of the hill and see Cliffside Quality Inn on the left. Get in the left lane and proceed downhill. (Look to your left and you will see our building - it is a large blue building with a red roof and "River Riders" in black letters on the front.) At the bottom of the hill, turn left onto Millville Road (you will see a large flea market open on the weekends). Once on Millville Road, go three-tenths of one mile and make a sharp left turn onto Alstadts Hill Road. There is also a small blue "River Riders" sign. Follow this road to the last building on the right.

From Baltimore:

Take I-70 west to Frederick. Take exit 52 onto US 340 West to Charles Town and follow the DC directions from that point.

From Northern VA:

Take Rt. 7 (Leesburg Pike) west past Leesburg. Exit onto Rt. 9 West to Charles Town. Follow all the way to Charles Town. (Do not take Harpers Ferry Road - Rt. 671 to 340.) From Rt. 9 West exit onto 340 North towards Harpers Ferry. Go several miles and exit to stay on 340 North. Go 3 7/10 miles on US 340 north. Turn right onto Millville Road. Once on Millville Road, go three-tenths of one mile and make a sharp left turn onto Alstadts Hill Road. There is also a small blue "River Riders" sign. Follow this road to the last building on the right.

If you took Harpers Ferry Rd - Rt 671, at the end, turn left onto 340 and follow for about 2 miles. Turn left onto Millville Rd and follow the above directions.

From Hagerstown and points west:

Take 70 East to the Boonsboro Rt 66 exit. Head south to Boonsboro. Turn left on Alt 40 and follow through town. Turn right on Rt 67 and continue to Rt 340 towards Harpers Ferry. Follow US 340 for 1 mile and cross the Potomac River Bridge. Continue 2 miles and cross the Shenandoah River Bridge. Follow 340 to the top of the hill and see Cliffside Quality Inn on the left. Get in the left lane and proceed downhill. (Look to your left and you will see our building - it is a large blue building with a red roof and "River Riders" in black letters on the front.) At the bottom of the hill, turn left onto Millville Road (you will see a large flea market open on the weekends). Once on Millville Road, go three-tenths of one mile and make a sharp left turn onto Alstadts Hill Road. There is also a small blue "River Riders" sign. Follow this road to the last building on the right.

From Winchester and points south::

Take Rt. 7 E to Berryville. Exit onto 340 north to Charles Town. Once in Charles Town, exit to stay on 340 North. Follow for 3 7/10 more miles. Turn right onto Millville Road. Once on Millville Road, go three-tenths of one mile and make a sharp left turn onto Alstadts Hill Road. There is also a small blue "River Riders" sign. Follow this road to the last building on the right.

Directions to Shepherdstown- Please note we will have parking in close proximity to downtown and Shepherd University with efficient shuttle service to avoid congestion in our small town. 

From Antietam (Sharpsburg, MD):
Make a left turn out of the visitor's center onto MD-65 south towards Sharpsburg.
After about 1 mile turn right at a stop sign onto MD-34 west (Main St. in Sharpsburg). There will be a sign for Shepherdstown.
After about 3.5 miles you will cross the bridge over the Potomac river and the road becomes WV-480 south (Duke St. in Shepherdstown).
The trip is about 5 miles and should take about 10 minutes.

From Frederick, MD:
Take US-340 west towards Harpers Ferry.
After about 22 miles, turn right onto WV-230 north towards Shepherdstown.
Stay on 230 for about 10 miles until it ends in Shepherdstown. The trip is a little over 30 miles and should take about 45 minutes.

From Hagerstown, MD:
Take MD-65 south towards Sharpsburg. After about 13 miles turn right at a stop sign onto MD-34 west (Main St. in Sharpsburg).
After about 3.5 miles you will cross the bridge over the Potomac river and the road becomes WV-480 south (Duke St. in Shepherdstown).
The trip is about 17 miles and should take about 30 minutes.

From Harpers Ferry, WV:
From the visitor's center take US-340 south toward Charles Town.
After about 1 mile, turn right onto WV-230 north towards Shepherdstown.
Stay on 230 for about 10 miles until it ends in Shepherdstown. The trip is a little over 10 miles and should take about 25 minutes.

From Interstate 81:
From I-81 in West Virginia take exit #16 onto WV-9 east.
After about 2 miles, make a left turn onto WV-45 east towards Shepherdstown.
After about 8.5 miles WV-45 ends in Shepherdstown.

From the Baltimore Area:
From the I-695 beltway, take the I-70 west exit (exit # 16) towards Frederick.
After about 40 miles, take the US-340 west exit (exit # 52) towards Harpers Ferry.
After about 21 miles, turn right onto WV-230 north.
Stay on 230 for about 10 miles until it ends in Shepherdstown. From the I-695 beltway the trip is a little over 70 miles and should take about 1.5 hours.

From BWI Airport:
From the airport take I-195 west.
After less than 2 miles, take the MD-295 south exit (exit #2B) towards Washington.
After less than 3 miles, take the MD-100 west exit.
After about 8 miles, take the US-29 north exit towards I-70.
After about 3 miles, take the I-70 west exit towards Frederick.
After about 35 miles, take the US-340 west exit (exit # 52) towards Harper?s Ferry.
After about 21 miles, turn right onto WV-230 north.
Stay on 230 for about 10 miles until it ends in Shepherdstown. The trip is a little over 80 miles and should take less than 2 hours.

From Dulles Airport:
From the Dulles Airport access road take the VA-267 toll west towards Leesburg.
After about 12 miles, take the VA-7 west exit (# 1A) towards Leesburg.
After about 25 miles, take the US-340 north exit towards Charles Town.
After about 15 miles, turn left onto WV-230 north.
Stay on 230 for about 10 miles until it ends in Shepherdstown. The trip is a little over 60 miles and should take between 1.5 hours.

From the Washington, DC area:
From the I-495 beltway take I-270 north towards Frederick.
After about 32 miles, I-270 intersects I-70 and becomes US-40 west (do not take I-70).
After about 1 mile, take the US-340 west exit towards Harper?s Ferry.
After about 22 miles, turn right onto WV-230 north towards Shepherdstown.
Stay on 230 for about 10 miles until it ends in Shepherdstown. The trip is a little under 80 miles and should take about 1.5 hours.

From Points Northwest of WV:
Get onto I-70 east. I-70 intersects the PA turnpike and also I-68.
At the intersection I-70 and I-81 in Maryland, take I-81 south.
From I-81 take exit # 12 in West Virginia onto WV-9 east.
After about 2 miles, make a right turn onto WV-45 east towards Shepherdstown.
After about 8.5 miles WV-45 ends in Shepherdstown .

West of WV:
Take I-64 east to its intersection with I-81 in Virginia.
Take I-81 north into West Virginia.
From I-81 take exit #16 onto WV-9 east.
After about 2 miles, make a right turn onto WV-45 east towards Shepherdstown.
After about 8.5 miles WV-45 ends in Shepherdstown.

BWI and Dulles Airports are ONLY 60 miles from Harpers Ferry and 70 miles for Hagerstown or Shepherdstown. Estimated time without traffic, 70 minutes.

Yes.  See our hotels section

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