The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is about more than running, it is about celebrating life. This is the spirit in which the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon was conceptualized by two Oklahoma businessmen who, while on a morning run, created the outline for this inspiring event. A group of volunteer chairmen …
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The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is about more than running, it is about celebrating life. This is the spirit in which the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon was conceptualized by two Oklahoma businessmen who, while on a morning run, created the outline for this inspiring event. A group of volunteer chairmen and Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum staff, lead a volunteer corps that plans and implements the weekend of events allowing the maximum amount of proceeds benefit the Memorial and Museum. From its inaugural race in 2001 with just shy of 5,000 participants, the event now hosts more than 25,000 runners and walkers from every state and several countries.
Voted one of the 12 ‘must-run’ marathons in the world by Runner’s World magazine, the Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon’s 26.2 miles are packed with cheering supporters and the most beautiful neighborhoods in Oklahoma City. Memorial Marathon participants have the unique opportunity to experience Oklahoma City’s most beautiful neighborhoods and districts. Starting at the 9:03 Gate of the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, runners will see Downtown, Bricktown, the State Capitol, Nichols Hills, the Village and beautiful city parks. Along the way, runners pass 168 banners, each bearing the name of one of those who were killed in the Oklahoma City bombing. The Marathon is a Boston qualifying USATF sanctioned event on a certified 26.2 mile single loop course.
Our mission is to celebrate life, reach for the future, honor the memories of those who were killed and unite the world in hope. This is not just another marathon. It is a Run to Remember…and a race to show that we can each make a difference and change the world.
All event proceeds benefit the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. We encourage everyone involved with the race to learn more about our story — each participant will receive one free admission to the Museum.
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A Race to Remember
This is a historic memorable race for all Americans to remember the trajedy of the Oklahoma City bombing and support the associated museum that provides an important remembrance of that … MORE
This is a historic memorable race for all Americans to remember the trajedy of the Oklahoma City bombing and support the associated museum that provides an important remembrance of that point of national history.
They’ve been putting this race on for over 25 years and it shows. Even swamped with massive amounts runners to corrals, it still goes off like clockwork. The corrals were professionally equipped with perfect race start audio to participate from all areas of the race start.
Once the race kicked up it’s a great joy to runs across the scenic areas of the city and experience the generous and innovative support of the entire community supporting the runners. The community proved they love this race with their support.
Don’t miss this race if you are available. From check-in to start to finish it”s extremely well done.
It was a nice heart felt race.
It was a really good race. I did get a little overwhelmed with all the people but the representation of what the race is about and the meaning behind the … MORE
It was a really good race. I did get a little overwhelmed with all the people but the representation of what the race is about and the meaning behind the memorial It makes up for everything that could be wrong. The entire city gets involved to cheer for all the runners. Meb Keflezighi was there cheering on and hate that I didn’t take a selfie with him.
State #14 in the books!
#runtoremember Amazing race and course support. with some hills, so well organized. Many official and unofficial aide stations, everything from powerade to pancakes to mimosas and jello shots! Run for … MORE
#runtoremember
Amazing race and course support. with some hills, so well organized. Many official and unofficial aide stations, everything from powerade to pancakes to mimosas and jello shots! Run for 168 who are no longer here
The memorial and museum are moving and beautiful!
Great crowd support, deceptively hard
Expo was among the best. I attended sessions with Joan Benoit Samuelson and Meb Keflezighi with others who were very inspiring, no matter if you are a beginner, an expert, … MORE
Expo was among the best. I attended sessions with Joan Benoit Samuelson and Meb Keflezighi with others who were very inspiring, no matter if you are a beginner, an expert, or mid pack racer. Race swag included a race shirt And A finishers shirt when you get your medal at the end. Crowd support was among the best of any half I have attended. Each neighborhood seemed to have a theme and there were a lot of treats along the way. Gorilla Hill was advertised as tough, but the long false flat after turned this into a walk/run the second half.
I should have conserved energy early on. Lovely scenic course. I would definitely recommend this to my friends!
LOVE THIS RACE!
This race honors the victims and survivors of the 1995 OKC bombing and they do it all just right. Your race bib gives you admission to the museum which was … MORE
This race honors the victims and survivors of the 1995 OKC bombing and they do it all just right. Your race bib gives you admission to the museum which was really moving. There’s a 530a short service at the Survivor’s Tree that was very special. The spectators and support along the course were top notch. The Expo was good with my favorite part being that many Olympian runners were there to speak at many sessions. No one does it quite like OKC! I’ll repeat this one for sure! It’s a Must Do for your bucket list of races.
Moving memories
This race was fantastic. The swag was great. The expo was great. The picture opportunities was great. Running through the city was a great way to see it and all … MORE
This race was fantastic. The swag was great. The expo was great. The picture opportunities was great. Running through the city was a great way to see it and all the history about it. Loved getting free admission to the memorial museum.
A World-Class Experience!!
The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is not a World Major—but honestly, it’s hard to believe that when you experience it. From the expo to race day, it has all the … MORE
The Oklahoma City Memorial Marathon is not a World Major—but honestly, it’s hard to believe that when you experience it. From the expo to race day, it has all the energy, organization, and attention to detail of a World Marathon Major.
I can’t say enough great things about this race—where do I even start?
The communication from race organizers is incredibly personal, hands-on, and thoughtful. You truly feel like more than just a bib number. The race director, Kari Watkins, has every detail fine-tuned to a science. She’s innovative, cutting-edge, and clearly passionate about delivering an elite experience.
The expo itself was outstanding, featuring top names in the running community like Meb Keflezighi and Dick Beardsley speaking on relevant and inspiring topics. Even with heavy rain that day, the nearby host hotel stepped up in a big way—opening its doors to runners with free snacks and a warm, welcoming lobby complete with a fireplace. That level of hospitality stood out.
Volunteers are clearly valued and well taken care of, which shows in their energy and support throughout the weekend. The race also does a great job catering to runner preferences, offering both a technical shirt and a cotton shirt option.
Race day itself? Incredible. Even the infamous “Gorilla Hill” flies by thanks to nonstop crowd support from start to finish. The energy on the course is contagious.
If there’s one area for improvement, it would be the post-race logistics—specifically exiting the finish area and the bag check system. It took about 20 minutes to locate my bag, which could definitely be more organized. That said, the race director was extremely receptive to feedback, which speaks volumes.
One of the most powerful parts of this race is the finish. Your bib grants you access to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which is an absolute must-visit. Ending the race with the reading of the 168 victims’ names is deeply emotional and incredibly moving—an experience that stays with you long after you cross the finish line.
This race is special. It’s meaningful. It’s world-class.
Highly recommend.
Must do!
Great marathon!! The race weekend was a great time. The expo itself had a lot of history as it was the 25th anniversary plus many giveaways and vendors. If the … MORE
Great marathon!! The race weekend was a great time. The expo itself had a lot of history as it was the 25th anniversary plus many giveaways and vendors. If the expo is good, the race will generally follow. The community/spectators did not disappoint!! MANY sections of whole communities being out to support with food and drinks they were willing to giveaway. Lots of race support of snacks/gatorade/oranges/etc!! The rolling hills and lack of training got the best of me but really enjoyed running this race. The medal was great and you also get a shirt for completing the race as well.
Everyone should do this race @ least 1x
Unless you're doing 50 states, why should anyone care about a race in OKC? Because we Run to Remember. In 1995, 168 Oklahomans lost their lives in a horrific act … MORE
Unless you’re doing 50 states, why should anyone care about a race in OKC? Because we Run to Remember. In 1995, 168 Oklahomans lost their lives in a horrific act of terrorism, and this race pays tribute to them, the survivors, the rescuers, the investigators, the ones who showed up (and keep showing up) and the rest of us who bear witness. Your bib gets you free admission to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum, which is an amazing testimony to what happened on April 19th, 1995, and going forward. It’s an important part of our national story, and if you were too young to have lived through it, or too young to remember, this race helps keep that story alive.
I could quibble about this aspect of the race or that, but overall I felt like it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I was so grateful to be able to participate in – especially on the 30th anniversary of the bombing / 25th running.
The race begins at the 9:03 Gate of the Memorial, and you work your way first through downtown, then out towards the Capitol building, and many of the city’s neighborhoods before returning downtown for the finish. Mostly well-organized; LOTS of great crowd/community support, especially in the first half; MANY well-staffed aid stations and medical tents, and PLENTY of porta-potties on this somewhat (but not crazy) hilly course. Not one but TWO race shirts (one cotton and one technical) and an impressive medal.
I can’t speak to the expo or the post-race festivities, but I’m so glad I chose this for my Oklahoma race and definitely recommend it to everyone.
Do this race! You won’t regret it
I was really looking forward to this race. When the bombing happened 30 years ago, I was a young mother, and I’ll never forget that day. I was looking forward … MORE
I was really looking forward to this race. When the bombing happened 30 years ago, I was a young mother, and I’ll never forget that day. I was looking forward to honoring the victims and survivors. The actual race was so much more impactful and powerful than I even imagined. The expo was really well done. The host hotel was absolutely beautiful frankly it was my favorite hotel I’ve stayed at during my entire 50 state journey! The 168 seconds of silence before the race started wow! I even went to the prayer service before the race under the survivor tree. I’m not a very religious person, but this was a beautiful service that really sent all the runners off with a sense of purpose. I’ve never seen better community support in all of the races I’ve run. This was hands-down, my favorite race out of all 40 races I have run. Because I was running with purpose it made the time go by so quickly and easily. I will come back and do this again someday.
Not just an OK race
This year marked 30 years since the Oklahoma City Bombing and the 25th year of the marathon. To say the event is a big deal to the city is an … MORE
This year marked 30 years since the Oklahoma City Bombing and the 25th year of the marathon. To say the event is a big deal to the city is an understatement.
The expo experience was smooth and energetic. Much more focused on welcoming/supporting the runners than merchandizing. You could spend 5 minutes or a few hours at the convention center.
Morning of the race kicked off with a very solemn prayer and moment of silence, reminding runners of the significance of the event. There are more than enough bathrooms, bag drop was quick, and the corrals were well sized and very well regulated.
The first 6-7 miles are combined with half and full runners, and the crowd support was the most extensive here. After the split, there are a few quiet areas, but the neighborhoods are extremely excited to host the course and often had tailgates, bouncey castles, and runner support throughout (in addition to the official aid stations every mile). I particularly loved the pride each neighborhood took in their roadside displays – you can tell this is an important day for the city.
Nature never called, but there was adequate portajohn coverage on the course.
The finishing stretch takes you back downtown, on the same route as the half marathon but separated by cones. Running towards the finish line, you take in all the names and faces of the victims. The energy at the finish rivals NYC in Central Park.
The post-race area was really special – live music, refreshments, medals & another shirt for finishers, all taking place in a beautiful park. I felt a great sense of community and spent far more time at the post-race celebration than my previous marathons.
Overall, this is a can’t miss race – for any distance. The heat definitely had an impact on my performance, but the OKC locals kept the energy up and their adult aid stations didn’t hurt either. Beers and jell-o shots might be my new fueling strategy!
Highly recommended with undulating hills
Highly recommended!! Hilly course, great support. Race is for a good purpose. I felt good about my performance given my level of training. Pre Race ======= Pre-race communication was OK. … MORE
Highly recommended!! Hilly course, great support. Race is for a good purpose. I felt good about my performance given my level of training.
Pre Race
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Pre-race communication was OK. Didn’t receive the bib number email until the day before I left on the trip, which created some anxiety. Hotel discounts were used up by the time I registered, so I arranged my own hotel. Expo was typical. There is a generic race shirt given at the Expo, and a finisher shirt given at the end of the race. Note: At the Expo you can choose to run in remembrance and honor of a victim of the OK City bombing. There is a book of biographies from which you can select someone. I wore this person’s name on a bib on my back and meditated with them throughout the race. This was meaningful to me and appreciated by the community. This race is a way to keep their memory alive, hence #RUNtoREMEMBER.
Race
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Temps started mid 60s with 98% humidity and winds < 10 mph. (Locals informed me that was unusually warm.) The race places full and half marathoners at the same start. I started in B corral (faster than 9:30/mile), which may make my experience different from others. Within 1/4 mile I felt sufficiently spread out from other runners. Once started, for the entire race I NEVER saw a line at a porta potty (which is very rare in a race). Some neighborhoods embraced the race and celebrated the runners vigorously. Several unofficial beverage stops increased the spirit. High marks for volunteer and community support!!!
The course was mostly asphalt, though the start had some brick/concrete and I think the finish had a little too. This is a hilly course, though none are steep. Miles 21-24 are a long, slow incline: one foot in front of the other and you’ll get it. Tuck in behind someone if the winds are bad (which they weren’t on this day). Every mile except the first had a water stop.
Post Race
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Abundant snacks/beverages at the finish line!!! Received a finisher shirt after getting the medal. Race ends in a large park, so there is ample room to decompress. I did use a drop bag – anecdotally very few did – and recovering it was fairly easy. Great band playing at the after party. Digital swag bag was worthwhile. Note: Your bib offers free entrance to the Oklahoma City National Memorial Museum, a must see!
Really liked OKC
Ended up being my favaorite marathon weekend experience, probably because it was the first time I could bring the whole fam. There was a spacious finish line festival at a … MORE
Ended up being my favaorite marathon weekend experience, probably because it was the first time I could bring the whole fam. There was a spacious finish line festival at a massive park which was fun. Hardware was awesome. The swag was alright. They ran out of large shirts which was a bummer but the medium ended up fitting alright. Crowds were great. Super supportive and high energy. Only a few quiet sections. Ran through a variety of scenery from different neighborhoods to city scape down on of the main thoroughfares. Great places to eat around town too.
Spectacular Race!
Even though this is my slowest marathon, I don't have complaints about the race. It's my slowest marathon since it was hot, humid, and hilly! Plus, I ran St. Louis … MORE
Even though this is my slowest marathon, I don’t have complaints about the race. It’s my slowest marathon since it was hot, humid, and hilly! Plus, I ran St. Louis Marathon the day before, so my feet were very sore.
The expo had a lot to offer! There were a ton of booths, speakers, and swag! Since it was the 25th anniversary, there was a section of previous shirts. The only bad part of the expo was the parking (ugh).
Before the race, the church nearby had free breakfast, like sausage, pancakes, coffee, and juice. There was a memorial session for the Oklahoma City Bombings that happened in 1995, which was nice. The course is hilly, so it was a major struggle for me to do!
The spectators were amazing since it felt like there were no dead spots! I had a ton of alcohol, and I was legitimately drunk by mile 5 since I stopped at each alcohol stop! I stopped many times along the way since I wanted to party! The finish line had tons of food, like Poptart’s, pringles, ice cream, chips, and beer! There was live music, and I was able to dance, despite my extremely sore feet!
I would definitely run this again!
Mild humidity, great course support
So, running through the 4 underpasses in a row the humidity hit you hard under them, but for the most part it was manageable on the course. The people who … MORE
So, running through the 4 underpasses in a row the humidity hit you hard under them, but for the most part it was manageable on the course. The people who signed up for the challenge got hosed when they decided to make the 5k at the same time as the half due “to weather.” I put that in quotes because the weather was a non-issue for someone who’s run races in the Midwest.
Starting with the SWAG, because I have a lot to say about the course, the medals were very well designed, front and back, and gold for the 25th anniversary. We got two tshirts at the expo (same thing), another tshirt for the challenge, and a half marathon finisher’s tech shirt when we entered the finisher corals.
The race.
The DJ at the start had the energy pumped after a great speech from the Mayor. We were all chomping at the bit for our coral to get up to the line, and we all took off to some really inspiring music. Hit my fastest first mile in a half marathon and thought I was going to regret coming out hard, but the energy was too big with the crowds on both sides of the road and in the median to not bring it. Hit fastest 5k, 4M and 10k in a half marathon as well because everybody was out there cheering and playing music for us. Still wasn’t the best part of the course though, it may have been the fact that I really didn’t need to carry any support items on me, because there was such an abundance on the course. Gatorade and water and oranges of course, but I saw and passed up on doughnuts, doughnut holes, possibly bagel bites.
Over the course of the race I had three high-proof jello shots, two champagne shooters, once a lady just poured champagne into my mouth as I knelt before her, we had whisky shots and fireball shots, there was more been on the course than I could count, but I don’t drink it myself so I can’t say how much. Lots of mimosas. I had 5 or 6 on the course. Cup of pickle juice towards the end, and I may have missed one or two in the middle. Missed my official PR time by 2 minutes but considering the number of stops I made, my actual race time was much faster. So…PR with asterisk I suppose.
Between the great music, great food (try the pancakes), super hyped crowd and aid station volunteers, it was more a block party than a great many races out there, but with a fast and flat (by KC standards at least) course it will burn off a lot of those calories. We were both really sore the next day but I’m sure the 6 hour drive had a lot to do with it. The afterparty was great and people all across the city seemed to be enjoying themselves afterwards.
Despite the lackluster communication on the prior day’s 5k and the subsequent overlap of the 5k and half, this race was one to do again. Check out the Memorial and Museum while you’re there.
Very nice surprise!
Crowd support was amazing! I’ve never saw so much snacks (bananas, oranges, bacon, donuts), drinks (beers, mimosas, pickle juice) on a course before! MORE
Crowd support was amazing! I’ve never saw so much snacks (bananas, oranges, bacon, donuts), drinks (beers, mimosas, pickle juice) on a course before!
Amazing Crowd Support
This race was very well organized. They crowd support was absolutely amazing. I used to think the Flying Pig in Ohio had the best crowd support but this race had … MORE
This race was very well organized. They crowd support was absolutely amazing. I used to think the Flying Pig in Ohio had the best crowd support but this race had an unbelievable amount of crowd support. It was sobering to start at the Memorial with the moments of silence. It was very moving to run past the banners of each person who passed away. The logistics for this race was easy to manage.
Great Event, Great Cause!
The race weekend was very well organized with a lot going on. The Expo had a ton of vendors, drink samples, and free mini pancakes. With your race entry, you … MORE
The race weekend was very well organized with a lot going on. The Expo had a ton of vendors, drink samples, and free mini pancakes. With your race entry, you get free entry to the Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum. Get to the museum by 3pm because there is a line to get in and you’ll want at least 90 minutes to experience this emotional memorial. Supporters are out in force throughout the course, some offering jello shots, beers, etc The post-race festival was one of my favorites with a free beer, food trucks, and a great band! Nearby Bricktown is a fun place for the night before.
Bad commo, bad decisions, great course.
So around 12 hours or so before the race they postponed the race from 7am to 1pm because of weather that was coming in. That was a little premature, as … MORE
So around 12 hours or so before the race they postponed the race from 7am to 1pm because of weather that was coming in. That was a little premature, as 7am was the trailing edge of a storm that meant the last lightning strike a few miles away was the last we’d see. At around noon, leaving the exceptional Memorial Museum, the lady checking us out said if we were doing the 5k was postponed til the next day. We had no email, we had no text messages, at that point the main race webpages weren’t even updated. This is the only race I’ve had delays on that didn’t mass text everybody, and if I’m just going to depend on random word of mouth from random people, would be nice to be able to confirm it on the web page. The 1pm race was cancelled due to “flash flooding” and it was real clear that it wasn’t likely to happen anywhere on this course, so since the roads were already blocked off and the rain had nearly stopped, my buddy and I ran the race route anyway. It was downhill through the downtown to a bridge, crossing that to a park which we circled on the main streets, then down into the neighborhood and on to the final stage set up in the park for the finish line.
I set a number of different PRs on this course, despite having to stop for traffic at the three intersections they opened back up and know that race day it would be even faster.
This was the 25th anniversary so the medals were all golden, with a nice design on both sides. The bibs were oversized, colorful and had our names on them. Very much a great experience that I’ll go back for. Unfortunately, for those who opted to do the 5k instead of the half marathon, they had a modified course which didn’t look as interesting at all.
Great Race for a Great Cause
Course support is great, race production is great, and it's for a great cause. The start line at the national memorial and the 168 faces/names displayed while running down finish … MORE
Course support is great, race production is great, and it’s for a great cause. The start line at the national memorial and the 168 faces/names displayed while running down finish line alley makes the entire race worth it. I would highly recommend this race if you’re looking for “more than just a race.” Oklahoma City comes alive during marathon weekend.