2012 Race Information

Best in Show

FIRST OF ALL, this first-class destination half marathon is produced by people who know running – experienced runners, experienced race managers, experienced journalists, experienced event managers and experienced logistics experts.

They come from diverse backgrounds but they all believe strongly in one universal belief – SAFETY IS JOB NUMBER ONE. When you run at the WWBH, you will not run on narrow courses packed like sardines. You will not have to run over park benches or on open major highways with cars and trucks. Instead, we offer you four lanes across the scenic George Washington Memorial Parkway for more than half the race. We offer you safe passage across the famous Woodrow Wilson Bridge, sans crowds.

Safety in Numbers

SECOND, we have capped our field at 5,000 starters. This ensures that you will not be trading sweat with strangers along the course, unless that is your intention. As well, this also ensures you plenty of room to lift that cold beer or other refreshment in our Finish Festival as you hang out listening to stellar live music. And plenty of free parking without huge tie-ups in and around National Harbor.

Change is Good

THIRD, we have listened to you - the running community. After two years of extensive planning and execution of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon and careful observation of other races in National Harbor, we continue to strive to provide a most enjoyable, safe, hassle-free race weekend experience for all of our runners.

To that end, we have made some major upgrades for this year’s event. These include:

• Staging the Runners’ EXPO/Packet Pickup at the Holiday Inn Eisenhower Avenue
• Expanding the space in the EXPO by 1.5 times, with more than a  dozen vendors at the EXPO with cool products and services specifically for runners, so you can pick up that last-minute pair of running socks, shoes, sunglasses, head band, gel, etc.
• Expanding the EXPO to two days from one day, with Friday hours of 4:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• Locating our EXPO just steps from the Eisenhower Avenue Metro stop for the convenience and accessibility of our non-driving entrants
• Locating our EXPO in a venue with FREE and abundant parking
• Offering to FedEx our entrants’ race packets to them prior to race weekend

And that’s not all. For two years, we have observed the challenge of parking all of our competitors at National Harbor in a short period of time on race-day Sunday morning. We tried a couple of different traffic patterns, both aimed at facilitating your trip into and out of National Harbor.

To reduce traffic congestion on the Bridge and in and around National Harbor, we are offering a limited second parking option on race morning at the Hoffman Town Center on Eisenhower Avenue in Alexandria.

The first 1,500 entrants who opt to park at Eisenhower Avenue will be issued guaranteed bus passes. You will be asked during the registration process to choose your parking – Hoffman Town Center or National Harbor. FREE parking will be available both at Hoffman Town Center and National Harbor, but if you want to park at Eisenhower Avenue, you will have to enter early to guarantee one of the 1,500 bus passes. Those runners parking at Hoffman Town Center will be bused to the start at Mount Vernon and then back to Hoffman Town Center after the race. Those who park at National Harbor will be bused to the start and will run back to your vehicle at National Harbor.

Take a Holiday Weekend

FOURTH, we have offered to enhance your race experience with the generous support of the Holiday Inn Hotel Alexandria SW – Eisenhower Avenue. The Holiday Inn Eisenhower Avenue welcomes each guest to its convenient location right off the Capital Beltway / I-95. This charming newly-renovated full-service hotel is just across from the Metro for fast and easy travel to Old Town Alexandria, Reagan International Airport (DCA) and the Washington, DC area.

Come to the EXPO, stay overnight and roll out of bed and onto the bus. We’ll bring you back to the Holiday Inn after you are done partying in the Finish Festival at National Harbor. Moreover, we have integrated the Holiday Inn reservation block with our own registration process for one-stop registration. For just $99 + tax a night all weekend, you can make the WWBH weekend your own private Holiday get-away for you and your closest family and friends.

All Aboard Our Training Programs

FIFTH, some of you might need some extra assistance preparing for race day. Don’t worry, we have you covered here as well. We have developed and branded our own Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon training programs – a beginners training group and an advanced group. See more information below

Breakfast of Champions

SIXTH, we have championships galore at this year’s WWBH:

• Our first Road Runners Club of America Virginia State Half Marathon Championship
• Our third Potomac Valley Association (USATF) Half Marathon Championship
• Our third National Industries for the Blind Visually Impaired National Half Marathon Championship.

For RRCA, this is the first year that this prestigious organization representing grassroots running clubs has honored WWBH with its state half marathon championship.

 



For PVA, this local association of USATF has been a wonderful partner from our inaugural race, bestowing upon our PVA members cash prizes for open and masters. PVA/USATF Half Marathon Championship is for all card-carrying PVA/USATF members. You are competing for prize money and prestige: prize purse for open athletes - male/female - first place $300, second place $200, third place $100. Prize purse for Master athletes - male/female - first place $250, second place $150, third place $100. Double dipping is allowed.

For National Industries for the Blind, this national non-profit located right here in Alexandria stepped in last year and propelled the Visually Impaired race to 11 participants last year from just three in 2010. We are expecting more than two dozen visually impaired competitors this year. All B1 runners must use our advance start. B2 and B3 athletes have the option to use the advance start or line up with the open field. Due to a generous grant from National Industries for the Blind, we are able to provide travel reimbursement for interested visually-impaired athletes on a first-come first-served basis and we will provide you a guide if you need and desire one.

Run with our Sport's Superstars

SEVENTH, we have continued our commitment to attracting elite men and women by enhancing our prize money structure and continuing to support U.S. emerging elite athletes. In fact, last year the WWBH qualified four men for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Marathon in January in Houston by offering significant time bonuses. One of them was Ricky Flynn, who finished 12th in the Trials in a debut 2:13 marathon. Another one was Bobby Mack, who won his first career USA Cross Country titles in February in St. Louis. We also made a $3,668 contribution, a dollar for each registrant, to Team USA Arizona, a training camp for emerging elite athletes including Team USA Arizona members Jordan Horn and Danny Mercado who were amongst the top Americans here last year.

Total prize money in 2012 will be more than $15,000, with American incentives post-Olympics.

Charity Begins with WWBHM and You

EIGHTH, your race management team is committed to giving back. We have returning charity partners Autism Speaks, Back on My Feet, Child & Family Network Centers, Washington Area Women’s Foundation, and RunningBrooke Fund. New for 2012 – Rebuilding Together Alexandria, the Veterans division which helps needy Veterans with costly repairs to their homes.

We have created a RUN WITH A PURPOSE component to our website to help promote the selfless work of our charity partners and to help drive more dollars and awareness to their causes. Please think generously about those less fortunate than we are.

No Refunds but Other Ways Out

NINTH, we will continue with our liberal exchange/deferral policy. However, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon has a no-refund policy. Nonetheless, we are committed to fairness to our runners.

If you register and cannot run on October 7, 2012, we will allow you to exchange your entry with another runner or defer your entry to 2013. The deadline for deferrals is midnight September 7, 2012, and the deadline for exchanges is midnight, September 23, 2012.

No exceptions so please do not ask for these accommodations after their respective deadlines.

Also, do not give your entry to another person without notifying us. If that person has a medical emergency during the race, we will have your emergency medical information instead of theirs, and that could delay treatment. For the safety of everyone, please follow the approved procedure for exchange or transfer of your entry. Also, unauthorized exchanges of bib numbers can lead to incorrect results and could rob an age-group winner of an award and recognition.

WWBHM University Unveiled

TENTH, in keeping with our tradition, all finishers will receive our unique WWBH finishers medal. In addition, all entrants who have completed both of our previous half marathons – 2010 and 2011 – will receive our collector’s item three-year pin as a token of our appreciation for your loyalty. Collect the three-year pin today and the five- and 10-year pins in the future.

You're Not Dune Until You Finish

ELEVENTH, we know how to throw a party. Did you say beer garden? Live rockin tunes? After-race food and drinks? All that and more at the WWBH Finish Line Festival. Food and beverages will be provided at the finish area for runners. Entertainment and an awards ceremony will be held at the Finish Line Festival after the race featuring a beer garden and vendors throughout the finish line village.

Timing is Everything

TWELFTH and finally, this year we will utilize the disposable D-tag/B-tag timing technology from Chronotrack Race System. With a good Internet connection, we will be streaming results live at the event. We will not only issue you your final finishing time but also your 5-mile and 10-mile splits along with visible clocks at all three locations.

We will post results and awards online within hours of event completion. Last year, we posted our results in an extremely timely manner, most likely before you even got home from the race. Typically with a good connection, results are posted onsite and you can check via your iPhone or whatever it is you use to keep you distracted all day.

Of course, timing and scoring of the WWBH will be conducted in a manner conducive to the rules of USATF.

Remember: No chip = no time.

WWBHM University Unveiled

Let’s face it, we all would love to master road racing. And the best way to master a topic is to study it, immerse yourself in it and nail the final exam.  

Introducing Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon University. WWBH is excited to announce the creation of our own two 14-week structured training programs geared specifically for race registrants. Both novice and advanced runners who register for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon will now have the opportunity to train together under an organized structure with an experienced, certified running coach and personalized attention.

Program participants are able to choose from either a novice or advanced running group. Runners enrolling in “WWBH 101: Introduction to Half Marathon Distance” should be new to racing and may have never completed a half marathon but would love to successfully complete the 13.1-mile distance. “WWBH 201: Half Marathoning, Full Speed” targets intermediate runners who have raced at least a 10-miler to half marathon within the past two years and are looking to improve their race time and enhance their racing satisfaction.

The two training programs will start the weekend of June 30 - July 1, 2012 and will run for 14 weeks. WWBH 101 will first meet on Saturday, June 30 at 8:00 a.m. and WWBH 201 will meet on Sunday, July 1 at  8:00 a.m. Both training groups will start their training runs at scenic Theodore Roosevelt Island, off the northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which is also Metro-accessible from the Rosslyn Metro Station. Long runs and weekly track sessions will be integrated into both courses.

An “Early Bird” registration fee of $80 for both WWBH training courses begins today and runs until April 16, 2012. Starting on April 17th, registration will increase to $95. For more information about the program and the individual training groups, contact RRCA Certified Running Coach Lindsay Albert, NSCA-CPT at 571-217-9427 or via email.

or your convenience, you will be able to sign up for either of the two training programs during your registration for the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon.

WWBH 101 Introduction to the Half Marathon Distance Begins:

• Saturday, June 30, 2012, at 8:00 a.m. sharp
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Accessible via the Northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway
• Registration:
• February 2012 – April 16, 2012 $80
• April 17th – June 18th $95
• After June 19, 2012 $105

 

WWBH 101 Course Curriculum:

Comprehensive 14-week program with detailed written schedule, personal guidance and small group coaching from an experienced certified trainer, weekly Saturday morning long runs, Tuesday night track workouts starting Week 8 at Washington-Lee High in Arlington, Official Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon training program shirt, weekly email training tips, information on nutrition, proper running form, race strategy and other related topics, potential for several social events and gatherings. See wilsonbridgehalf.com for more details. Final EXAM – October 7, 2012.

Course Professor: Lindsay Albert, NSCA-CPT
Trainer/RRCA Certified Running Coach:
lindsay.albert13@gmail.com
571-217-9427

WWBH 201 Half Marathoning, Full Speed Course Begins:

• Sunday, July 1, 2012 at 8:00am sharp
• Theodore Roosevelt Island
• Accessible via the Northbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway
• Registration:
• February 2012 – April 16, 2012 $80
• April 17th – June 18th $95
• After June 19, 2012 $105

WWBH 201 Course Curriculum:

Comprehensive 14-week program with detailed written schedule, personal guidance and small group coaching from an experienced certified trainer, weekly Sunday morning long runs, Wednesday night track workouts starting Week 8 at Washington-Lee High in Arlington, Official Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon training program shirt, weekly email training tips, information on nutrition, proper running form, race strategy and other related topics, potential for several social events and gatherings. Begins July 1, 2012. See wilsonbridgehalf.com for more details. Final EXAM: October 7, 2012.

Course Professor: Lindsay Albert, NSCA-CPT
Trainer/RRCA Certified Running Coach:
lindsay.albert13@gmail.com
571-217-9427

Holiday Inn SW at Hoffman Town Center - Official Host Hotel of the 2012 Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon

In an effort to help you focus on race day Sunday, we have requested and received a very attractive nightly room rate from the Holiday Inn SW at Hoffman Town Center, right off the Beltway and Telegraph Road. For $99 plus tax per night, you will be resting comfortably in a beautifully-renovated hotel room. This rate is good for Friday, Saturday AND Sunday nights around race weekend. While others are awaking at 4 a.m. in the pitch black to drive to the race, you can be horizontal, dreaming for another couple of hours, then roll out of bed and onto a warm bus just waiting to pick you up in front of the hotel entrance to take you to Mount Vernon Estate & Gardens and the starting area.

Part of prudent pre-race planning after months and months of hard training is to pamper yourself, which means a visit to the newly-renovated Holiday Inn pool and the 24-hour fitness center which features state-of-the-art equipment in a quiet atmosphere! Then recline in your room before a 32" HDTV, and enjoy other amenities like a microwave and fridge for your convenience as well as high speed internet, FREE parking, airport shuttles and nearby Metro train access for a side-trip to nearby Washington, DC or other metropolitan Washington destinations.

We make all of this simple by integrating your Holiday Inn SW at Hoffman Town Center reservation directly into the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Half Marathon registration site, for a one-stop checkout.

Run to Eat, Eat to Run

Of course, race weekend would be a total bust without great food and entertainment. You need not even leave the hotel to find The Dukes Restaurant, which features sizzling breakfast skillet sensations and an unlimited buffet at breakfast and lunch. For dinner, you can settle at a table to enjoy regional specialties and upscale-casual cuisine in an inviting atmosphere. Or grab a cocktail at the new refurbished, full service bar, which offers bar snacks and happy hour specials.

Hoffman Town Center also is home to several fine restaurants, a coffee shop and an ice cream store. And home to the massive AMC Hoffman Center 22, a delightful movie theatre with nearly two dozen film options every day and that movie-quality popcorn which we crave from time to time.

Plus you are just minutes to quaint historic Old Town and its overwhelming number of stellar choices of dining and shopping. Feel like Indian, Greek, Italian, Cajun, Thai, Irish, Southwestern, or just a burger and chili. It’s just one stop on the Metro (King Street) or maybe the Holiday Inn shuttle can take you there.

VIP Awakening Pass

Run the WWBH like a Rock Star! We will take you by comfortable heated passenger van to the start area, where you can discard your runner’s bag near the start line right up to the moment the starting gun goes off. Then we will take your belongings to our VIP Awakening Tent at the Finish Festival in National Harbor, where you will be reunited with your runner’s bag while enjoying fresh VIP food from McLoone’s Restaurant in National Harbor. Includes a special WWBH gift. $75 per runner in addition to registration fee. Very limited number of passes available. *We reserve the right to refund your money for the VIP Awakening Pass if we do not have sufficient interest.