Schedule: The marathon on Saturday is part of a three-day series of events related to the Air Force Marathon. It started Thursday with a Health and Fitness Expo at the Nutter Center.
There are shorter races Friday: the Tailwind Trot 1-kilometer Kids Run at 6 p.m.; and a 5K at 6:30 p.m. with an awards presentation to follow at 7:15 p.m.
On Saturday, there will be an opening ceremony at 6:15 a.m before the 10K, which starts at 6:30 a.m. Awards for that race will be handed out at 8 a.m.
There will be another opening ceremony for the half and full marathon at 7:10 a.m., followed by the Wings of Blue parachute drop at 7:15 a.m.
The wheeled race begins at 7:25 a.m. At 7:29 a.m., there will be a fly-over by an F-35 Lightning II, which is the featured aircraft of the marathon this year.
Participants in the half and full marathon will start at 7:30 a.m. Half marathon awards will be presented at 9:30 a.m., and the marathon awards ceremony takes place at 11 a.m.
Weather forecast: When the marathon begins Saturday, the temperature will be in the upper 60s, and it will be in the upper 70s by late morning as the last racers finish. There is no rain in the forecast.
Looking back: Jason Salyer, of Tipp City, won the men’s marathon in 2023 for the second straight year. He finished in 2 hours, 26 minutes, 47.9 seconds. His pace was 5:36 over the 26.2-mile course.
Katie Ruhlman, of Centerville, won the women’s race in 2:47:56.6, a pace of 6:25.
Records: Josh Cox, of Mammoth Lakes, Calif., set the Air Force Marathon men’s record in 2007 with a time of 2:20:57.
Ann Alyanak, of Bellbrook, set the women’s record in 2019 with a time of 2:52:15.
Josh Ordway, of Bellbrook, set the half marathon men’s record in 2014 with a time of 1:07:17.
Kara Storage, of Beavercreek, set the half marathon women’s record in 2011 with a time of 1:15:56.
History lesson: The first Air Force Marathon took place in 1997. It has been held every year since, though it was a virtual race in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.
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