Semper Fi 5k

About the Event

A History of the MCL/TEL Semper Fi 5K Charity Run for Children

The origin of the run was as a fundraiser for the children and families of the Marines and Sailors who had perished in the Marine Barracks Beirut, Lebanon terrorist bombing attack on October 23, 1983. Marine 1stLt Chris Holzworth, having recently reported to the Marine Air Training and Support Group-21 (MATSG-21), Naval Air Station Pensacola, for flight training, presented the idea for the charity run to the Commanding
Officer, Colonel Robert “Bull” Bland, USMC. MATSG-21 adopted the idea and became the first sponsor of the event, initially named The Beirut Relief 10K Run. Colonel Bland assigned 1st Lt Chris Holzworth, who had initiated the idea, as the first Race Director.

NAS Pensacola hosted the first run on Armed Forces Day in May 1984 with Brigadier General Joseph Hoar, USMC representing Headquarters Marine Corps and receiving the proceeds of the race. Over 500 military and civilian runners participated in that first event which contributed over $4,000 for a Marine Corps Scholarship Fund established for the children of the families who had lost loved ones in the Beirut attack. The race continued for several years to be sponsored and executed by MATSG-21 with all proceeds going to the scholarship fund. Eventually, the command shifted the race proceeds to Non-Profit Children’s Organizations of the Greater Pensacola area in keeping with “the tradition of giving to the children.” Each year Semper Fi 5K runners are joined by local active-duty military units, such as MATSG-21/23, several Naval Aviation training squadrons, and local high school JROTC units who run the event in formation.

In 2014, because the military was heavily engaged in the Global War on Terror (GWOT), leadership for the race changed to the Marine Corps League (MCL), Cpl J. R. Spears Detachment 066. At the same time.

The race starts and finishes at Seville Quarter in Downtown Pensacola.

Packet Pickup/Late Registration

Friday November 6th | 3pm-6pm

Running Wild

3012 E Cervantes St
Pensacola, FL 32503

Saturday November 7th Race Day 6:30 am-7:30 am

Seville Quarter

Races Offered

5k Run

Nov 07, 2026

straighten

Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:00

sell

$30.00

5k Walk

Nov 07, 2026

straighten

Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:00

sell

$30.00

Active Duty Military - 5K Run - ID Required

Nov 07, 2026

straighten

Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:00

sell

$25.00

Active Duty Military - 5K Walk - ID Required

Nov 07, 2026

straighten

Distance — 5K

terrain

Type — Running

timer

08:00

sell

$25.00

Weather Overview

These values represent the 3-year monthly averages for November in Pensacola.

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

thermostat 14.5° / 22.0°

wb_sunny 12.5° / 21.4°

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

air 13.8 /

water_drop 74.3%

Temp (°C)

Feels Like (°C)

Wind (km/h)

Humidity (%)

thermostat 14.5° / 22.0°

wb_sunny 12.5° / 21.4°

air 13.8 km/h

water_drop 74.3%

About Pensacola

Learn more about the host city, Pensacola.

Pensacola is a historic beach city in northwest Florida, in the United States of America. It is in Escambia County, Florida's westernmost county, at the tip of the "panhandle". The city is home to the Pensacola Naval Air Station, the National Museum of Naval Aviation and many historic districts that skirt the downtown area. Surrounded on three sides by water, the Pensacola area is full of history, shipwrecks, beaches and spectacular vistas.