Runners from across the country, including Georgetown University students, packed the streets of Washington, D.C. to run, walk and everything in between at the St. Jude Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon and 5K the morning of March 16. 

The annual race — headlined by its 13.1 mile half marathon — is part of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Running Series, a collection of races across the country organized by IRONMAN, a mass participation sports operator, and is famous for its live music at each stop along the running course, as well as a celebratory festival at the end of the route. Runners have been flocking to D.C. for the half marathon and 5K since it began in 2006, and the race is known to be well-timed for glimpsing the city’s newly-bloomed cherry blossoms that frame a route that weaves runners through the District’s famed monuments. 

Roughly 19,000 registered runners toed the start line at the National Mall at 8 a.m. before snaking through the Columbia Heights and Mount Pleasant neighborhoods, through Rock Creek Park and circling back through Dupont Circle, ending just a few blocks from the starting point. 

Fornia He (SON ’25), a member of Georgetown Running Club, marked her fourth consecutive year running the half marathon and said that her experience is buoyed by the supportive environment. 

“During the race, since there are so many people, you’re never really alone. There’s always someone to run with, so you make friends on the course,” He told The Hoya.

The Rock ‘n’ Roll also serves as a fundraiser, with registration fees going toward St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, a non-profit organization providing support to families of children with cancer. Runners can also waive the registration fee if they commit to fundraising upward of $250, earning the title of St. Jude Hero.

Madeleine Walker (SFS ’24), president of Georgetown Running Club, ran the Rock ‘n’ Roll for the first time this year. Walker said that she feels registration fees, although often hefty, are worthwhile for their charitable value.

“I never really feel bad paying a big registration fee, because it’s going to a good cause. And so, even if it’s a bad race or even if I get sick and can’t run it, it’s still money well spent,” Walker told The Hoya.

Walker said that the live music, which consisted of local bands at each stop, contributed to a fun running environment. 

“I think the Rock ‘n’ Roll series in general is pretty cool because, just having a lot of live music throughout the course, it’s really fun and energizing,” Walker said.

This year’s race featured bands Batala Washington, The WestMob Band, The Bad Press Band, Tyber Creek Band, DJ Dan and Michael Daughtry, with the FOOZ FIGHTERS headlining the Finish Line Festival. The course also featured an Abraham Lincoln lookalike on stilts and a drum corps to enhance the race’s energetic atmosphere. 

The Rock ‘n’ Roll series emphasizes its values of running, community and music, quoting former Rock ‘n’ Roll organizer George Wright, who coined the phrase, “It’s not about finish times, it’s about finish lines,” stressing that true achievement on the course is based on completion rather than competition. 

The race promotes this inclusive outlook by allocating 5 ½ hours for participants to complete the half marathon, giving runners plenty of time to finish the race at their individual paces without the pressure of adhering to a strict finish time. 

Jack Kessenich (MSB ’26) said that, although he was originally intimidated by the prospect of running his first half marathon, the cushion of time gave him the confidence to train for the race.

“I could walk 13 miles in four hours because, at the very worst, I could finish the race even if I’m walking all 13 miles. So that was definitely a little bit more reassuring for me to register, and after I had registered, I started training more for it,” Kessenich told The Hoya.

Similarly to Kessenich, He said that the half marathons can feel gratifying at the finish for runners of all skill levels. 

“I feel like a half marathon is a pretty approachable distance for the average recreational runner like me, as someone who is not running like 10 miles every week,” He said. “I do have to train a little bit for it, but it’s still doable, and it’s so satisfying to be like, ‘Oh, how was your St. Patty’s Day? I ran a half marathon.’” 

Walker encouraged students who are considering running a half marathon to sign up for a local race like the Rock ‘n’ Roll to experience the camaraderie of racing alongside fellow Hoyas. 

“You see a bunch of other Georgetown peers with their bibs and their running clothes on at 6:30 a.m. about to do the same thing at the startline, and so it’s just nice to have a bunch of friendly faces and know that it’s kind of a community event,” Walker said.