CAREFIRST BLUECROSS BLUESHIELD FREDERICK MARATHON WEEKEND FOUR DAYS AWAY

FREDERICK, MD ---- The CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Frederick Marathon Weekend kicks off its fifth year this weekend. All festivities take place at Harry Grove Stadium, the home of the Frederick Keys.

The event starts at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 5th with the Health and Fitness Expo featuring vendor booths and demonstrations for not only runners, but for everyone. At 7 p.m., the Twilight 5K begins as runners weave their way around Mt. Olivet Cemetery. After the race, local band Poor Mary will entertain the crowd before the fireworks light up the sky at roughly 8:45 p.m.

On Sunday, the day begins with a sunrise service at 6:30 a.m. Following the service, runners from across the U.S. and several countries take to the starting line at 7:30 a.m. for the start of the CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Marathon, the half-marathon and the four-person team relay. Fans can take part in the Celebration Village and listen to live music from bands like The Boa while waiting for the runners to finish.

Registration has already passed last year’s totals with over 3,000 runners signed up thus far. The team relay and 5K are both nearly sold out, with over 1,300 people registered for the half-marathon.

Among the highlights for this year’s event: Michael Wardian’s attempt to break the world record for “Fastest Marathon While Pushing a Stroller,” Dane Rauschenburg taking part in the Ferris Baker Watts, Inc. Charity Chaser program, where he tries to pass as many runners as possible to raise money for the United Way, and a possible surprise marriage proposal.

About CSE: Corrigan Sports Enterprises is a leader in sports promotions in the Baltimore/Washington D.C. region. Founded in 1991, CSE owns and operates the following events: Under Armour Baltimore Marathon, The Charm City Challenge, The Capital Classic All-Star Basketball Game, the Toyota Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, the Thrash & Jam Pro Skate Tour presented by Slammers Ultimate Milk, The Under Armour All-America Lacrosse Classic and the annual Baltimore BikeJam Pro Cycling event.

About CareFirst: In its 71st year of service, CareFirst, an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association, is a not-for-profit health care company which, through its affiliates and subsidiaries, offers a comprehensive portfolio of health insurance products and administrative services to nearly 3.1 million individuals and groups in Northern Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland. Through its CareFirst Commitment initiative and other public mission activities, CareFirst supports efforts to increase the accessibility, affordability, safety and quality of health care throughout its market areas.

For more information visit www.frederickmarathon.org