Running and Orienteering Club

The Goddard Running and Orienteering Club has continuously hosted 2-mile and 10K runs for close to 50 years, promoting friendly competition, exercise, and team-building for GSFC employees, contractors, and their families.

Get in touch

For close to 50 years, the Goddard Running and Orienteering Club (GROC) has continuously hosted 2-mile and 10K runs that draw, on average, 900 runners, walkers, and parents with baby strollers each year. Employees often use this event as a healthy team-building event for coworkers.

Many volunteers, the fitness center, GSFC management and GSFC security partner with us to make the spring and fall Fun Run at the Goddard campus safe and enjoyable. The races provide friendly competition, promote health, and serve as a social activity for coworkers to coordinate their other runs at GSFC where they discuss their training, their jobs or just about anything.

GROC is a member of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA).

Upcoming Events

No upcoming events listed.

View past events

Race Results

We did it! The 100th GSFC 2 Mile was a success, even off center!

10K (10/15/25):

Overall Results

2 Mile Fun Run (10/22/25):

View Past Race Results

Past Events and Photos

Thanks to the GSFC Photo Club for their amazing photos from past GROC events:

2 Mile Fun Run

The Goddard 2 Miler is the venerable, semi-annual race around the Goddard campus in Greenbelt, Maryland. The race is open to NASA employees and contractors and certain guests by invitation. This spring and fall event are typically attended by several hundred participants, some of whom race, some who jog, and many more who walk the moderately easy course, all on Goddard Space Flight Center roads.

The Fall 2025 race took place on Wednesday, October 22nd, 2025 - this was our 100th 2 Mile! We’ve had this twice per year since 1976!

Registration

Registration is organized through RunSignUp.com.

$8.00 for pre-registration for the Fall Race. Special 100th anniversary bibs for this run while supplies last!

Pre-registration only; there will be no race-day registration. Only those with proper security credentials and have security access to the center will be allowed to participate.

Course Map

Team Rules

There are 3 open categories and 3 special categories:
1. Open Category: Participation (most entrants + volunteers)
2. Open Category: Male Team (top 5 score based on sum of place among males)
3. Open Category: Female Team (top 3 score based on sum of place among females)
4. Division (560, 450 etc.) - open to civil servants and contractors of that division (top 5 score based upon age grading; scorers and entrants can be male or female)
5. Project - open to civil servants and contractors of that project (top 5 score based upon age grading; scorers and entrants can be male or female)
6. Contractor (top 5 score based upon age grading; scorers and entrants can be male or female)
All team participants must complete an individual entry form, either online before race day or paper form on race day just like everyone else, and put your team name on it.
All teams are automatically entered in the first 3 categories. The team may also enter only one of the next three categories if all members belong to those categories.
- For example, if all your members belong to the same contractor, then put “Contractor” at the top of your team list.
There is no limit to the number of team members on a team.
Each participant can be on only one team.
A team can only win one category/trophy.

10K Race

Registration

Coming soon.

Course Map

Goddard Track Club

Note: The track club is taking a break until a coach is found.

The Goddard Track Club is a team of competitive athletes working toward a common goal. I avoid the term “runners” because I want to be inclusive of any potential throwers and jumpers out there who might some-day join us. We have no standards for talent, only for commitment - commitment not only to the sport of running but also to each other as a tight mutually supportive community. Our focus is on competing in road, cross country, and track events around the region and in some cases around the country. We welcome anyone who is interested in experiencing the sports of cross country, road racing, and track and field in a team environment - whatever your background or ability level. You just have to be willing to commit to the team. We are built on the principle that anything worth doing is worth doing right - and that means with careful planning and in the company of your closest friends.

There is a list to coordinate group runs in and around NASA/GSFC for NASA/GSFC employees and contractors. The primary use of this list so far has been for traing and racing announcements for the track club. Below are the directions for subscribing and unsubscribing to the rungsfc list. For more information contact Jacob at jacob.a.englander@nasa.gov.

To subscribe to the rungsfc list: Send a message (the content doesn’t matter) to rungsfc-subscribe@lists.nasa.gov and reply to the confirmation message.

To unsubscribe: Send a message (the content doesn’t matter) to rungsfc-unsubscribe@lists.nasa.gov and reply to the confirmation message.

Orienteering

Orienteering is the original adventure race! The goal in orienteering is to complete a course in point-to-point order as fast as possible. Starts are staggered, and the person successfully completing the course in the fastest time is the winner. The sport is easy to learn, but always challenging.

At the start you’ll get a detailed map of the area, usually a section of woods or parkland. Streams, trails, hills, depressions, rocks, etc. are all mapped very accurately and in great detail. The points on the course are drawn on the map as a series of circles connected by lines. The checkpoints are marked in the woods by orange and white flags located at the points corresponding to the centers of the circles on the map.

You must decide what route you will take to get to each checkpoint, and then use the map and your powers of observation to navigate your chosen route. A faster runner may choose to run mostly on trails, whereas a confident navigator may take a more direct route through the woods. A compass is very useful in keeping the map oriented the right way. You can carry a GPS if you want, but you will probably find it to be of little use as a navigational aid in the woods.

At an orienteering event there are usually a number of courses of varying lengths and difficulties. The easier courses offer a low-key opportunity for individuals and families to enjoy an outing in the woods, and the advanced courses will challenge the physical and technical capabilities of even the strongest runners. On the advanced courses, you may encounter steep hills, streams, marshes, and cliffs, as well as areas of open woods that you can run through at top speed. The map will help you identify where all these features may be found - to be avoided or taken advantage of, as you see fit.

The Quantico Orienteering Club organizes orienteering events in our area. Events are held most weekends throughout the fall, winter, and spring. Check their event calendar for the latest information. Events are open to the public; no experience is necessary, and beginner instruction is always available. There is usually no fixed start time. You can arrive at the event at any time during the published start window. Orienteering USA also organizes nationally sanctioned events throughout the year. GROC members have won regional and national orienteering championships!

Center Showers

The Greenbelt Fitness Center charges $5/month for shower use (though non-fitness members can shower there for the Fun Runs)

Other shower locations at GSFC-Greenbelt:

Men

Building	Room/Location	Showers/Lockers	Notes
4	Rm 148	4 showers/lockers
5	Rm E068	2 showers/lockers
24	Rm 103	2 showers	poor shape
7	100d by big thermal chamber	2
32	N025F	2 showers	need repair?
33	H011, H013	1 each/unisex
34	1st floor	4 showers	nice!
36	shower on each floor

Women

Building	Room/Location	Showers/Lockers	Notes
5	C042	1 shower/locker	cold! dark!
32	N025G	1 shower	needs repair?
33	H011, H013	1 each/unisex
34	1st floor	4 showers	nice
36	shower on each floor

Unisex

Building	Room/Location	Showers/Lockers	Notes
5	W026	1 shower/lockable room

Building 26 may have showers but only for security.

Board Members

President: Tom Winkert

Vice President: Open (volunteer needed)

Secretary: James Leake

Volunteer Coordinator: James Leak

Race Director: Jeff Dalhoff

Treasurer: Badri Shirgur

Awards Coordinator: Badri Shirgur

Equipment Manager: Kent Mccullough

Contact Us

📞 301-286-2917

✉️ tom.winkert@nasa.gov

Dynamic Stretching Exercises:

Dynamic Stretching Exercises