The Baltimore Marathon is the flagship race of several races held in Baltimore, Maryland known collectively as the Baltimore Running Festival. The 7th annual marathon took place on October 13, 2007 and drew a record 14,500 participants. Under Armour, the Baltimore-based athletic apparel company, sponsors the event.
The event continues to draw record participants every year, making it one of the fastest growing marathons in the United States. In 2007, John Itati from Kenya won the men's race with a time of 2:16:23, the third-best time in race history. Fellow Kenyan Gladys Asiba won the women's race with a time of 2:36:27. Itati's time was short of the course record of 2:14:51 he set in 2004. Asiba's finish time was just less than 45 seconds behind the women's record set by Rima Dubovik the year before.
The marathon at 42.195 kilometres (26.219 mi) begins at the Camden Yards sports complex and travels through many diverse neighborhoods of Baltimore, including the scenic Inner Harbor waterfront area, historic Federal Hill, and Fells Point. Runners also run through Fort McHenry, birthplace of the Star-Spangled Banner. The race ends at virtually the same point at which it starts.