One of the largest marathons in the nation takes place right here in Northern Virginia. What started in the 1970s as an idea by Col. Jim Fowler, USMC Ret., as a way to showcase the Marine Corps and serve as a recruiting tool, the Marine Corps Marathon, now in its 42nd year, has had many famous runners pound the pavement from Arlington National Cemetery through Rosslyn and D.C., ending at the Marine Corps War Memorial. They include Oprah Winfrey, Jill Biden, Drew Carey and Al Gore to name just a few.
