First State Half Marathon
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Event overview
The First State Half Marathon & 10K takes place on Saturday March 21, 2026 in Newark, DE, based at the Deer Park Tavern (108 West Main Street). The event offers two distances:
- Half Marathon
- 10K
Both events are USATF certified (course code DE22001JLW). Awards are given for overall male and female, overall master male and female, and the top three male and female finishers in these age groups: 19 & under, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 & over. Finisher medals are provided.
Course and logistics
The course runs through the town, neighborhoods, and paved trails around Newark. There are three water stations on course; two of those locations are encountered twice. Porta-pot locations include the Deer Park Tavern, the start/finish area, and three on-course sites near the James Hall Trail/Devon, Apple Road, and the Barksdale Road turnaround. The course has a cut-off time of 3.5 hours and a sweeper will walk the course to maintain that pace; participants passed by the sweeper will be asked to move to sidewalks.
Day-of packet pick up and the post-race celebration are located at the Deer Park Tavern. A gear check is available at the Deer Park Tavern with a requirement that items fit inside a normal sized grocery bag; the gear check operator is not responsible for left items. A charity partner is the Friends of Fusion Foundation. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.