QUANTICO, VA (March 31, 2014) – In a celebration of fitness, running and community, Olympian Lauryn Williams will assist the U.S. Marines in launching thousands of runners at the Marine Corps Historic Half on Sunday, May 18 in Fredericksburg, VA.
Fresh off her silver medal win with Team USA in Sochi, Russia, the Olympic bobsledder and Olympic sprinter is sure to motivate Historic Half runners with her impressive accomplishments and world-record status during Historic Half Weekend.
Williams is one of just five individuals in the world and the first American woman to have won medals in both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.
Historic Half runners and the public will have an opportunity to obtain the Olympian’s autograph, pose for pictures and hear more about Williams’ experiences during the Historic Half Speaker Series on Saturday, May 17 at the Healthy Lifestyle Expo. The event is free of charge and will be held inside the Fredericksburg Expo & Conference Center at 2371 Carl D. Silver Parkway in Fredericksburg’s Central Park.
Williams achieved her Olympic victories only after years of hard work and determination. She began running at an early age and continued running track in high school and college, where she became a world-class competitor and one of the fastest sprinters in the world. A remarkable athlete, Williams earned a spot on the U.S. Track Team to Athens in 2004. While representing Team USA, she won the silver medal in the 100 meters. In 2012, she once again gained position on the U.S. Track Team, capturing Olympic gold in the 4 x 100 meter relay in London.
Last year, the Pennsylvania native made a surprising career move switching to the snow-covered track where she most recently competed as a member of the USA Bobsled Team. With teammate Elana Meyers, Williams’ bobsled debut proved to be history-making as they captured the silver medal, earning Williams the distinction of becoming the first American woman to medal in both the Summer and Winter Games.
Since the Olympics in Sochi, Williams has been travelling and making appearances throughout the country and supporting First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” campaign, the Clinton Global Initiative University and Williams announced her “Detroit 180” campaign which is a plan to help revitalize the city of Detroit. This sibling of a U.S. Sailor currently stationed in San Diego, says the Marine Corps Historic Half will serve as a great opportunity to meet and personally thank service members and their families. “I am looking forward to the Historic Half to show my appreciation for members of the military and for all that they do,” Williams says.
Registration for the Marine Corps Historic half marathon (13.1 miles) and for two additional distance events, the Historic 10K (6.2 miles) and the Semper Fred 5K (3.1 miles) is available at www.marinemarathon.com.
All three running events begin at 7 a.m. The Marine Corps Historic Half currently includes runners representing 46 states and three countries. Media interested in covering events during Marine Corps Historic Half Weekend should contact Tami Faram, Historic Half Public Relations Coordinator at tami.faram@usmc.mil or 703-432-1840.
More information about the Marine Corps Historic Half is available at www.marinemarathon.com. Marine Corps Historic Half events are organized by the Marine Corps Marathon.
The Marine Corps Historic Half, held annually in Fredericksburg, VA, hosts 10,000 runners in half marathon, 10k and 5k distance events. Considered “the greatest half marathon in history,” the event boasts a course featuring landmarks dating back to our nation’s beginnings and the early homes of Presidents George Washington and James Monroe. Organized by the Marine Corps Marathon, the Historic Half is sponsored by GEICO, Dominion Virginia Power and Marine Federal Credit Union. No federal or Marine Corps endorsement implied. #RunWithTheMarines