Marathon races near Shepherdstown

Freedom's Run ties its races to places where Civil War history is part of the ground underfoot: Harpers Ferry, Antietam, and the surrounding region. The series includes a May Harpers Ferry Half & 5K and an October Freedom's Run event, with distances ranging from a full marathon and half marathon to a 10K, 5K, and Kids Fun Run. The Harpers Ferry races run inside Harpers Ferry National Park, while the longer Freedom's Run routes connect runners with historic sites in and around the area. One runner remembered entering Antietam in cold rain, with mist rising from wet earth and the field going quiet as the group ran together. The series also links to Two Rivers Treads, a local running store with a foot-first approach to shoes and gait, and it raises money for a community grant fund supporting local health and community projects.

The Buzz Sawyer Western Maryland Marathon/Half Marathon/10k begins and ends in Hancock, Maryland. All three races take place on the Western Maryland Rail Trail. This October event offers marathon, half marathon, and 10k distances. The marathon and half marathon courses are USATF certified. The marathon is also a Boston Marathon qualifier, attracting runners aiming for a qualifying time and locals seeking a trail race. The course is entirely on the WMRT, a rail trail passing through a town linked to trail travel and C&O Canal history. This is the race's 11th edition, now named for Buzz Sawyer, a Washington County distance runner, coach, race director, and founder of the JFK50 Miler. Katie and Adam Lowe of 2Lowe Run Company direct the event, having taken over from Frank and Mike of Altis Endurance, with the goal of upholding the race's local traditions.