Calling all runners and Coastie supporters; the inaugural in-person Coast Guard Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K is March 3-5, 2022! The 2022 road race is set to take place in the home of one of the largest USCG bases in the country, Elizabeth City, NC. The event features events for all skill levels, amazing swag bags (including our legacy-inspired medal), and a celebration party!
Now, get ready to take off in amazement as we present the 2022 Coast Guard Marathon medal featuring the amazing C-130 aircraft!
You may ask, “Why does the 2022 medal feature the C-130?” Great question! As one of the largest Air Stations in the USCG, Base Elizabeth City is home to the C-130s and all current operational aircrafts at the Air Station in Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
The multi-operational C-130s have a long history of Coast Guard service dating back to 1959. This aircraft originally was designed as a troop, medical evacuation, and cargo transport aircraft. However, the C-130 is now well-known as a main tactical airlifter for the United States. The C-130 is not your typical tiny commercial airplane designed to carry people and the occasional luggage; rather this massive aircraft can hold up to 42,000 pounds! Like our medal showcases on the wheel spin, a real C-130 holds and transports heavy cargo, personnel, boats, helicopters, and EMT vehicles for a variety of missions and operations.
Even these pictures don’t fully capture how massive or amazing the C-130 truly is; the C-130 is 97 feet 9 inches long with a wingspan of 132 feet 7 inches and a height of 38 feet 11 inches. Its maximum operational weight is 175,000 pounds with a cruise speed of 320 knots true airspeed, can range about 4,900 nautical miles and has an endurance of 20+ hours!
The most recent model of the C-130 is the Super Hercules. This C-130J is the latest model of the C-130 with advanced radar and electro-optical/infrared sensors for search and rescue, law enforcement, and intelligence gathering missions. Fun fact: the Coast Guard’s Super Hercules is the first C-130 aircraft in the world with a 360-degree, belly-mounted, multimode surface search radar!
The newest edition of the C-130J also has a more advanced engine and propellers. The latest advancements provide a 20% increase in speed and altitude and a 40% increase in range over the previous edition of the C-130.
The worldwide deployable C-130 is an increasingly significant asset to our Coast Guardsmen and continues to prove its importance throughout the years. In its infancy, the HC-130H (an extended-range, search and rescue (SAR)/combat search and rescue (CSAR) version of the C-130) took its first flight on a search and rescue mission in December of 1964. More recently, during the 2011 Hurricane Irene, our Coast Guardsmen used the C-130 to bring relief to those who suffered from the disaster by assisting state and local agencies as part of a joint response to the hurricane’s impacts.
Without a doubt, the C-130 is an impressive and versatile aircraft. From supporting counter-narcotics operations to long-range Search and Rescue, the C-130s bring tremendous support to our Coast Guardsmen and allow them to fulfill their duties defending our coasts.
We’re excited to continue to honor all specialties throughout the Coast Guard with each year’s medal and even more excited to see runners from all over the nation proudly wearing their finisher medal as a badge of honor.
Join us in celebrating our heroic guardians of the coast who inspire bravery, resourcefulness, and serve the people of the United States every day. To secure your spot for the 2022 Coast Guard Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K race weekend and snag one of these legacy finisher medals – register today!
Coast Guardsmen from Air Station Elizabeth City give us a behind-the-scenes tour of the incredible C-130J. Watch the video now!
The back of the half marathon medal.
Check out our medal’s spin dial! There are five different cargos that can be seen on this medal.
The back of the full marathon medal.
Want to make sure you earn one of these cool medals? Register today!