History

A Tradition Since 2004

The Beginning

Annually held in the spring of each year, the Holy Half Marathon tradition began in 2004. A few students wanted to see if they could run 13.1-miles and decided to make a campus race. That year, eighty runners participated, raising $1,000 for the Louis J. Acompora Foundation. Following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina, proceeds from the consecutive Holy Half Marathons were donated to relief efforts in New Orleans. As the race garnered followers both on campus and nationwide, the number of participants and the amount of money raised for charity continued to grow.

A New Focus

In 2011, the Holy Half turned its attention to the surrounding area of South Bend. The campaign elicited an overwhelmingly positive response from locals, prompting a shift in focus to a new partnership with the adjacent community. From 2011-2014, the Holy Half Marathon raised over $140,000 for various South Bend organizations. In 2017, the race was expanded to include 1,700 runners. In that year alone, the race raised over $50,000 to support four local charities and continues to raise funds of that amount.

Looking Forward

The Holy Half has truly become one of the greatest traditions at the University of Notre Dame. Runners take pride not only in training for and completing a 13.1-mile race, but also in making a difference to South Bend on behalf of the University. As a club that is entirely student lead, the Holy Half seeks to grow as a student club, allowing more women and men from Notre Dame, Saint Mary's, and Holy Cross to be active in the planning and execution of the race. The Half Marathon ran for fifteen consecutive years before its cancellations in 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The race was back in full swing in 2022 with 1,700 runners and over $45,000 raised to support three local charities. Last year, we raised $50,000 for Education Bridge, the Youth Service Bureau of St. Joseph County, and Girls on the Run Michiana. We are excited about the 2024 race and look forward to many more years of running, community, and fun!