Frederick Women's Distance Festival

Join us for the 37th annual Frederick Women's Distance Festival!

The Frederick Steeplechasers are bringing this exciting event back to Frederick Community College in 2026!

Registration Information

• Processing Fee: As with all Steeplechaser races, we will pay your processing fee.
• Exact Fee: The registration fee you see is exactly what you'll pay! No sneaky add-on fees.
• Net Proceeds: Net proceeds will again be donated to The Women's Giving Circle of Frederick County.

More Information

For more information, see our website at https://frederickwdf.com

History

In 1979, the RRCA started the Women’s Distance Festival in response to the lack of distance running events in the Olympic Games for women. The first Women’s Distance Festival events were held on July 13, 1980, the date of the men’s marathon at the Moscow Olympics. Today, the Women’s Distance Festival celebrates the history of women’s right to participate in running events at any distance and at any age. While women’s participation in distance running nearly matches that of men, the Women’s Distance Festival continues to serve as a celebration of the determination and dedication of women runners across the country.

Teams

Participants of the 5k Run/Walk may optionally register as part of a team. In-person runners who are competing on a team are also eligible for individual awards.

• Family: Any combination of mother, daughter, sister, grandmother, granddaughter, wife, partner, etc (you know who your family is!) - Minimum Team Size: 2
• Friends: Any company, civic organization, club, friends - Minimum Team Size: 4

Registrants who wish to participate in the team competition must provide the team name and team category during registration.

If you are registering a large team and would like to pay in a single payment, contact the race director at info@frederickwdf.com.

Sponsors

Please consider supporting the event through one of our sponsorship opportunities. See www.frederickwdf.com/sponsors.

Training

The Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club offers a nine-week summer training program for women in preparation for the Frederick Women's Distance Festival 5k. The coaches are excited to be able to bring our beloved women's 5k training program back this year for in-person training runs.

Registration for the training program is separate from registration for the race. Signup at: https://runsignup.com/fsrcwdf5ktraining. The training program is free for members of the Frederick Steeplechasers Running Club. If you're not already a member, you will need to signup before registering for the training program.

For more information about our training program see: https://steeplechasers.org/training/training-programs/wdf-5k-training-program/

Race Details

Date: August 1, 2026

Location: Frederick Community College Student Center, Frederick, MD

For more details, visit: Frederick Women's Distance Festival.