Eastport Bridge Run Returns This Weekend With Playful Sprint Across Spa Creek

EASTPORT, MD — The annual Eastport bridge run returns this Saturday "at the crack o' noon."

Runner's World magazine called the playful tradition "the least challenging athletic event ever conceived."

The course is just a few hundred feet across the drawbridge, but planners dress it up like a full-fledged marathon.

A cannon fires to start the race. A pacer car leads the pack, and there's a watering hole in the middle for breaks from the rigorous sprint.

The race is officially called The 0.05K Bridge Run. True runners are quick to point out that the bridge is not 0.05 km long, but the name is based on good fun and not a true distance or a real measurement.

The run is only part of a day full day of events. Live music, food and drinks will draw a large crowd. Planners hope this day-long party will promote Eastport businesses.

Maritime Republic Of Eastport

Residents of the town's Eastport neighborhood have carved out their own identity over the years. "Eastportericans" or "Eastporters," as they call themselves, often feel more attached to Eastport than the greater City of Annapolis.

A few decades ago, some Eastportericans even jokingly "seceded" from Annapolis and declared themselves an independent country. They dubbed themselves the Maritime Republic of Eastport.

The micronation, also known as the MRE, celebrated its 25th anniversary on Jan. 25. In its quarter-century, the nonprofit has grown some of the city's strongest traditions and fundraised for charity through its annual bridge run in the spring and tug-of-war in the fall.

The MRE was founded in 1998 after routine maintenance shut down the Spa Creek Bridge, which is the only crossing between downtown Annapolis and the Eastport peninsula. Visitors could still access Eastport, but they had to drive around Spa Creek.

Eastport leaders worried about the community's economy during the temporary bridge closure. They jokingly called it an "unprovoked act of aggression" and formed the MRE in response.

The group started planning events to draw visitors to Eastport. That's when the bridge run and the tug-of-war were born.

"I wish that I was here when it all started," MRE Premier Patti Slaughter told Patch in an exclusive interview earlier this year. "It was all just tongue-in-cheek, and it's just grown."

This Year's Race

Proceeds from this year's race will benefit Warfighter Advance, a Maryland veterans nonprofit based in St. Mary's County.

Early registration already closed for the bridge run, but runners can also sign up on Saturday.

In-person registration will open at 10 a.m. and run through 11:55 a.m. The registration table will be at the entrance to Long & Foster, located in Eastport at 320 Sixth St.

The race starts at 12 p.m., rain or shine, on the Annapolis side of the bridge. The party will continue afterward with awards for:

• 1st place
• 2nd place
• 3rd place
• Last place
• Matching couples
• Human/pet matching
• Best dressed pet
• Fanciest and flashiest shoes
• Best group costume

More information is posted at themre.org/bridgerun. Attendees can also follow the MRE on Facebook and Instagram for updates.

To read our full story on the MRE's 25th anniversary, click here.

Related: Maritime Republic Of Eastport Celebrates 25 Years Of Tradition