Marathon races near Annapolis

The Historic Drawbridge Running Festival takes runners over and alongside Talbot County’s historic drawbridges on a fast waterfront route. The event typically provides a 5K, 10K, half marathon, and Kids Dash, suitable for walkers, families, first-timers, and runners seeking a longer challenge. The organization is practical: chip timing, marked turns, staffed aid stations, posted course maps, elevation profiles, and pace limits inform participants before race day. The courses trace the county’s working waterways, featuring flat sections, coastal breezes, harbors, marsh views, historic neighborhoods, boats, and potential wildlife. Local authorities manage bridge operations and traffic control, important as the route uses active drawbridges. Many editions include finisher medals, race shirts, age-group awards, race photos, real-time results, post-race refreshments, and sometimes a shakeout run or course talk before the main events.