The year 2016 marks the debut of the Eastern Illinois Half Marathon | 5k Classic. The event is expected to be the City's largest inaugural endurance running event. The event will bring back alumni from all around the U.S. to Charleston. To run 4th street, around the square and an impressive tour of the EIU campus.

Join First to the Finish our Title Sponsor, along with other event sponsors, at this year's event.

Friday
September 9, 2016

• 10:30 AM: Packet Pick-up Begins[*]2:00 PM: Volunteer Meeting[*]3:00 PM: Packet Pick-up ends

[*]6:57 AM: National Anthem[*]7:00 AM: Half Marathon Race Start[*]7:10 AM: 5K Run/Walk Start

Proceeds to EIU Cross Country | Track and Field

Thursday, September 8th (11:00 AM - 2:00 PM)(4:00 PM - 6:00 PM)
**First to the Finish in Charleston

Friday, September 9th (11:30 AM - 3:00 PM)
**McAfee Gym (Race Expo)

Saturday, September 10th (5:30 AM - 6:40 AM)
**Lantz Arena (Race Site)

Top Finishers - Prizes to Top 3 Male and Female finishers

Age Group - Top 3 Male and Female age group finishers for the following age groups:
19 and under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65 and over.

Fastest 40 Yard Dash

Finish Time: Half Marathon participants should enter only if they are confident that they can finish the course in Three and a half hours or less (an approximately 16:00 per mile pace). Traffic control and health and safety volunteers, and race officials, will vacate the course 3.5 hours after the start. Anyone who continues to run on the course 3.5 hours (Appx. 11 AM) after the start will be doing so at his/her own risk and must use sidewalks.

Vehicles: Unofficial wheeled vehicles (strollers, bikes, baby joggers, skates, skate boards, roller blades, etc...) are not permitted on the course. Pets are also banned from the course.

Pacers: Outside of the Official Pace Team, pacers are not allowed on the course! Any runner who receives assistance from a pacer (either on foot or on bicycle) risks being disqualified by the Race Director.

Age Requirements: Only validly entered runners may participate. No one under the age of 12 on race day will be allowed to compete in the half marathon.

Course Marshals: The race will be staffed and videotaped at several checkpoints to ensure competitors who cross the finish line have done so after completing the entire course.

Race Number: Your timing device for the event is the single-use MyLaps BIB-Tag. Your individual timing device is affixed to your bib-One tag on the back of the bib-and must not be removed. Your race time starts when you cross the start line and stops when you cross the finish line. When you pick up your Bib-Tag race bib at the expo on Friday or Saturday, scan it on our Bib-Tag scanner to make sure that all your pertinent information is correct. On race day, inorder to receive an accurate time, please make sure your race bib is clearly visible on the front of your torso, unaltered and unmodified (do not fold or wrinkle your number), pinned in all four corners, and not covered (by jackets, runner belts, water bottles, etc.).

Sag Wagons: Sag wagons will patrol the course and offer rides to competitors who choose not to continue. Your race bib number will be recorded upon boarding. Any competitor who boards a sag wagon will not be allowed to rejoin the race.

Headphones: Headphones, earbuds, and so on are discouraged. Runners should be alert to their surroundings and able to hear course volunteers and other runners.

Cancellations / Postponements: The Race Director reserves the right to cancel or modify races in consideration of extremely adverse weather conditions, or other health or safety factors, that pose an imminent threat to competitors or volunteers. In the unlikely event of cancellation, entrants who have picked up their race number will receive partial credit towards next year's entry fee.

The Race Director reserves the right to disqualify any individual who does not comply with these rules