FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2019
Contact: Cpl. Brady McCormick
410-537-7724
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR 11th ANNUAL
FORT MCHENRY TUNNEL 5K RUN/WALK
Event Benefits Special Olympics Maryland; Register at tunnelrun.org
BALTIMORE, MD – The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) and the MDTA Police invite runners and walkers to participate in the 11th annual Fort McHenry Tunnel 5K Run/Walk, scheduled for Sunday, October 6, to benefit Special Olympics Maryland (SOMD). The race will start at 9 a.m. and take participants on an out-and-back course through the northbound right tunnel tube, directly beneath the Baltimore Harbor.
“This is one of the most exciting days of the year for the MDTA Police,” said Col. Jerry Jones, MDTA Police Chief. “We welcome everyone, from the recreational walker to the competitive runner, to help us continue our proud tradition of supporting SOMD and making a difference in our communities.”
Visit tunnelrun.org to register, form a team or support a registered runner/walker. The entry fee is $35 through October 5 and includes an event T-shirt, food and the chance to win prizes. For the first time ever, the 5K run has been certified as a qualifying race by USA Track & Field. Participants are invited to a post-race celebration sponsored by SOMD, where awards will be presented in various categories.
“I’m grateful to the MDTA and our title sponsor, GEICO, for their incredible efforts and support in hosting the event,” said SOMD President and CEO Jim Schmutz. “We’re excited to welcome the Baltimore community to the 11th year of this unique event, which features an interactive and inclusive experience running alongside our Special Olympics Maryland athletes.
On race day, northbound I-95 traffic will be directed through the tunnel’s northbound left tube beginning after midnight and continuing until the conclusion of the event, expected to be about noon.
Maryland Transportation Authority Police, a nationally accredited force, is the seventh-largest law-enforcement agency in the state with more than 600 sworn and civilian law-enforcement professionals. MDTA Police officers provide law enforcement at the MDTA’s highways, bridges and tunnels, at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, and the Port of Baltimore.
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