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MARINE CORPS AIR GROUND COMBAT CENTER, Calif. – Marine Corps Community Services hosted the inaugural Mojave Half Marathon through the Combat Center’s main side giving runners the opportunity to test their stamina, determination and grit on Saturday, March. 14, 2026.
“Events like the Mojave Half Marathon are exactly what this Combat Center is about. They build community, yes, but more importantly, they forge resilience,” said Maj. Gen. Mark H. Clingan, commanding general of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command, MCAGCC. “We are challenging our people to push their physical limits and strengthen their mental fortitude, reinforcing the very spirit that makes them effective warfighters.”
The event serves as a practical application of the base's commitment to the Warrior Athlete Readiness and Resilience program. Fittingly, The Combat Center was the first installation in the Marine Corps to open a WARR center in 2018. The program is designed to build warfighter resilience and performance through science-based training, providing Marines and their families with access to professional resources like strength coaches, dietitians and mental skills experts.
“Events like the Mojave Half Marathon don’t happen without teamwork,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Melanie Cleves,Marine Corps Community Service Operations Officer, MCAGCC. “From course marshals to hydration stations to medical support, this race represents a collective effort across the installation. Seeing 441 runners at the starting line is a testament to the energy and commitment of our entire community. The Mojave Half Marathon has grown into an event that unites our installation, from first-time runners to elite competitors, and that’s something we’re incredibly proud of.”
Beginning on the well-trodden ground of the physical fitness test starting point, the 13.1-mile course presented a formidable challenge. The initial five miles served as a demanding warm-up, forcing participants to conquer a steady 171-foot elevation gain under the desert sun. The true test, however, lay between miles five and six, where the course revealed its most punishing feature: a steep, 214-foot climb. As runners crested this peak, they were rewarded with a breathtaking panoramic view of the base and the vast, rugged expanse of the training area.
The reward for that arduous climb was not just the view, but a more forgiving path to the finish. The final seven miles offered a reprieve, presenting a rolling, net-downhill route with only about 100 feet of total elevation gain before the path descended toward the finish line at the Marine Corps Exchange parking lot.
Also competing was the All-Marine Running Team, a group of elite runners representing the U.S. Marine Corps in competitions across the globe.
“The All-Marine Running Program was thrilled to be asked to send a Men’s and Woman’s team to participate in the inaugural Mojave Half Marathon. We routinely compete around the country and in the UK, but this is a special opportunity to race on a Marine Corps base”, said LtCol. Kirby W. Mills, All Marine Running Team Captain, “As close as we can get to being the home team, with so many of of the runners being Marines and Marine families.”
For many, however, the race was a personal challenge, not a competition.
“I’ve never run this far and wanted to prove to myself that I could”, said Lance Cpl. Caiden Bradshaw, a first-time half-marathoner. "As soon as I heard about it I knew I wanted to do it and I look forward to running more events like this in the future."
Runners persevered through the Southern California sun and were awarded a medal at the finish line in recognition of their accomplishment.
Following the successful debut, the Mojave Half Marathon is set to return the following year.
| Date Taken: | 03.16.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 03.17.2026 12:13 |
| Story ID: | 560674 |
| Location: | TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 58 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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