45th Annual Gary Brown Memorial C&O Canal Five Mile Run

*NEW DATE in 2026! Run with us on JUNE 6th!

The 45th Annual Gary Brown Memorial C&O Canal Five Mile Run event will be held on the C&O Canal Towpath in Williamsport, MD. This event is geared towards all levels from beginners to advanced runners.

The Legacy of Gary Brown

In the 1960's, Gary Brown was a star distance runner for Martinsburg High School, Shepherd College and the Cumberland Valley Athletic Club. 

Gary went into high school teaching and coaching after graduating from Shepherd College. He developed one of the nation’s top distance programs. In the mid-1970's his Handley High School Boys Cross Country Team was the number one ranked High School Cross Country Team in the United States.  

Sadly, Gary passed way from cancer in the winter of 1981-82, prior to his 35th birthday.

The C&O Canal Five Mile Run —which dates back to 1970– was re-named in Gary’s honor in 1982. Gary’s high school runners would use the late-August-held C&O Canal Five Mile Run as an “End-of-Summer-Training Fitness Test.” His teenage boys would routinely take six-to-eight of the top-ten places —running against collegiate and post-collegiate standouts. 

Mike Spinnler GBM 5-Mile Director 1996-2023 
GBM 5-Mile Winner 1985

Included with the price of your 5 miler registration:
• Well Organized and Professional Event
• Race Technical T-Shirt (Must register by July 11th to guarantee shirt and/or size)
• Custom Awards for Podium Winners
• Music

• Bib Chip-Timed with Instant Results provided by Racine Timing
• Satisfaction of Finishing a Race!

Parking for race participants:
All participants will be required to park either in the Cushwa Basin parking lot, the lock house 44 parking lot, legal street parking on N Commerce St or W Salisbury St. We ask that, unless you arrive before 7:00 am, you not drive across the wooden bridge looking for a place to park on race morning. 

Top-five High School Boy’s & Girl’s
 
18-29 Top-Three
30-39 Top-Three
40-49 Top-Three
50-59 Top-Three
60-69 Top-Three
70-and-over Top-Three
 
Top Three Overall Male and Female
 
Top Two Masters (40-and-over) Male and Female

Top-Three Overall & Top-Two Masters are “kicked-out” off age-group award consideration.

Description: This is a flat, fast “out and back” on the C&O Canal Towpath in Williamsport, MD. Most of the course is shaded.  

Timing:  This event will be professionally chip timed by Racine Timing!

Friday June 5th:

4:00pm - 7:00pm Packet Pickup and Registration @ ELM Active, GreenCastle, PA) Come pick up your bib, t-shirt, and other SWAG, shop at your local running store (10% off during packet pickup) and refreshments provided by Hidden Key Brewery. 

Saturday June 6th:

7:00am-7:45am Packet Pick-Up and Race Day Registration (at Riverbottom Park, Williamsport, MD)

8:00am Race Start

9:15-9:20 Awards

New for the 2026 running season! Runners who participate in 5 out of the 7 2Lowe Run Co events will earn Distinguished Participant status and earn a special award! Participants may take on at least ONE race from each of the events

Tiki Trot events (5k, beer mile or Tiki-tizer mile)
The More Miles Last One Standing Challenge (either 1 mile or 4.167 mile backyard)
44th Annual Gary Brown Memorial 5 mile
Lock 2 Lock (Choose between 26.2, 13.1, 6.2)
The Final Countdown - Tribute

Buzz Sawyer (Choose between 26.2, 13.1, 6.2) 
Fire on the Mountain (25K or 50K)

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.5995984,-77.8255609,275m/data=!3m1!1e3?entry=ttu

Saturday morning Packet Pickup, Race start line and Finish line are all located at Wiliamsport Park 

From US Interstate 81, take exit 2 (Williamsport, Rt. 11). Proceed south on Rt. 11 for about 1.2 miles until you get to the Cushwa Basin parking lot.