Marine Corps Marathon 2013: Preview and Start Time for Annual Event

"The People's Marathon" is back this weekend, and it should be bigger and better than ever. 

Also known as the Marine Corps Marathon, the annual race, which takes part in America's capital, is a captivating event that not only features people from all walks of life running an exciting race, but also provides events for everyone to enjoy. 

In addition to the 26.2-mile marathon, there will be a 10K race, a kid's fun run, a smorgasbord of delicious food and an exciting Finish Festival at the end of the race, per the event's official site.

The schedule is as follows: 

Event	Date	Time (ET)
Healthy Kids Fun Run	Saturday, Oct. 26	9:30 a.m.
MCM 10K	Sunday, Oct. 27	7:45 a.m.
38th Marine Corps Marathon	Sunday, Oct. 27	7:55 a.m.
MCM Finish Festival	Sunday, Oct. 27	8 a.m. - 4 p.m.

The Course 

You can see a map of the marathon course here, courtesy of The Washington Post. 

The race starts in Arlington, Va., between Arlington National Cemetery and the Pentagon. It moves north before circling around on Lee Highway and eventually hitting Key Bridge to cross the Potomac River just after Mile 4. 

After going on the infamous M Street and and heading north before making a U-turn, runners move back south along the river down to the halfway point near Hains Point before heading back up along the Washington Channel. In that stretch, they will pass monuments such as the Lincoln Memorial, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial and the Jefferson Memorial. 

Runners then head East along the National Mall toward the majestic U.S. Capitol before giving President Obama a high five and turning around to begin the trek back toward home. 

They eventually cross the 14th Street Bridge and head down to Crystal City. After passing the Pentagon on their way back up north, runners turn onto Jefferson Davis Highway and complete the race alongside Arlington National Cemetery. 

In terms of landmarks, you aren't going to find a more historically rich race than this one. And in terms of events, you won't find one more entertaining.

If you are in the area, this is something you can't miss—even if you aren't running.