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ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
26-100
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
October 7, 2025
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Marine Corps Marathon, “The People’s Marathon,” and
the 40,000 active-duty service members, veterans, and civilians participating in the race.
WHEREAS, the Marine Corps Marathon was established in 1975 by Colonel James L.
Fowler in a memo to his supervisor, Major General Michael P. Ryan, outlining his idea of
creating a Marine Corps Reserve Marathon to promote goodwill between the military and the
post-Vietnam community;
WHEREAS, the inaugural running of the Marine Corps Marathon saw 1,175 participants
race a course through northern Virginia and finish at the Marine Corps War Memorial, becoming
the first of thousands of runners over a span of 50 years to take the final hill and finish at the Iwo
Jima memorial;
WHEREAS, the Marine Corps Marathon is one of the largest marathons in the U.S. and
the world and stands as the largest marathon in the world that doesn’t offer prize money, earning
its nickname, “The People’s Marathon”;
WHEREAS, the 50th anniversary race is an event of unprecedented size and scale with
over 40,000 participants registered to run the race, surpassing the size of the Boston marathon
and becoming the third largest marathon in North America this year;
WHEREAS, marathons are a test of character and determination and a journey of self-
discovery that is made all the more special through sharing the experience and struggle alongside
other participants;
WHEREAS, marathon running symbolizes the animating principals of what it means to
be a Marine, with no qualifying standards, celebrating the commitment, community, and the
perseverance of the human spirit; and
ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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WHEREAS, the People's Marathon honors the U.S. Marine Corps’ values of honor,
courage, and commitment, bringing together active-duty service members, veterans, and civilians
in a shared pursuit of physical and mental endurance, while witnessing the beauty of the National
Mall and the Marine Corps War Memorial.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the "Marine Corps Marathon 50th Anniversary Recognition
Resolution of 2025".
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia recognizes and celebrates the Marine
Corps Marathon event organizers, active-duty service members, veterans, and civilians that are
participating in the 50th anniversary race.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately.