*RECENT CHANGES ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN YELLOW

Entry Fees

Entry fees are due at the time the application is submitted.  Payment is made using PayPal services during the application process.
    Priority Runners: Junior Race $25
                                Senior Race $65
    Lottery Applicants:  The Mount Marathon Race® will no longer issue refunds to unsuccessful lottery applicants. Instead, lottery applicants will be charged a reduced rate during the application process (Juniors $15 and Seniors $35). Applicants selected in the lottery will be notified by email, and must use the link provided on the email to remit the additional $30 fee via PayPal by April 30th. Runners that fail to pay the remaining balance by the deadline will forfeit their slots.

*Entry fees are waived for past champions of the senior races.

*Entry fees are waived for past junior champions for the junior race only.

ELIGIBILITY

Junior race entrants must be at least 7 years old and under 18 on July 4th. Senior race entrants must be at least 18 on July 4th. If any entrant falsifies any information on the application form, such as age or race category (junior or senior) the entrant will be subject to disqualification. Women may not run in the men's race; men may not run in the women's race.

RUNNER SELECTION

All applicants selected for the race are responsible for reviewing and adhering to the race rules.

Racers that have registered and paid are responsible for ensuring that they have been assigned a bib number prior to bib pick-up. Racers can check their status of their application, and bib assignment on the MMR website after submitting their application. Any errors should be reported to events@seward.net immediately.

Because of the environmental impact that would result from uncontrolled use and the risk of injury from crowding on the steep and narrow trails, the number of runners is restricted to 350 men, 350 women, and 250 juniors. In 2012 the available slots for each division are first filled by priority applicants as follows:

• Previous winners of men's or women's race.  All previous winners must now register for the race between Jan 1st and Mar 31st.

• 2011 Finishers (completed race within 3 hours for senior racers, 1 1/2 hour for junior racers) who were not running under a special invitation

• Veteran racers (have finished 10 consecutive or non-consecutive senior races)

• 2011 registered runners with approved waiver status

• Junior runners who completed the race the previous year and have aged into the senior race.

• Special invitations.

• Lottery selection process.

In 2013, the priority system for race registration will change significantly. The current priority registration system is no longer sustainable; few new runners can participate in the race. The new priority system will increase the probability that new runners will be selected through the lottery process. In addition, former runners who have lost their priority status will have an increased probability of being selected through the lottery selection process.

In 2013, the available slots for each division will be filled as follows:

• Previous winners of the men’s or women’s race

• First 225 Finishers from the 2012 race in each division (men’s, women’s)

• Top ten finishers from each age group

• Veteran racers (have finished 10 consecutive or non-consecutive senior races)

• 2012 registered runners who were unable to run but received official waiver status

• Junior runners who finished the race the previous year and have aged into the senior race.

• Special invitations

• Runners selected through the lottery process

Available beginning 2013 - Opportunity to "Skip a year"
Beginning with the 2013 registration period, runners who are eligible to register as priority runners can select not to race in the current year’s race and still register as priority for the following year’s race. Runners must select the “Skip A Year” option during the current year’s registration process; the decision will be final for that year once registration closes. Runners who chose the “Skip A Year” option must register as a priority runner the following year using the normal registration process to maintain their priority status. Runners selecting the “Skip A Year” option will pay a $35 administration fee to retain their priority status.

Lottery Selection Process
First-timer (rookie) and non-priority applicants for all divisions (junior and senior) are allocated the remaining slots through a lottery process. The lottery selection process first assigns numbers consecutively to an alphabetical list of the lottery applicants in each division. Then an on-line random number generator creates a list of random numbers based on our specifications. Those whose assigned number matches the random number list are selected. The lottery will take place at the Seward Chamber of Commerce in mid-April and the results will be posted on this site. The Chamber can not predict your chances of success as the odds change each year based on the total number of applications received. If selected, a runner must pay the remaining race fee by April 30th or forfeit their race slot.

Lottery Probability

Senior Auction and Raffle

Starting in 2012, there will no longer be a drawing on July 3rd for spots in the Junior race so that young runners will have sufficient time to train and prepare for their race in advance.

For the senior races, additional race slots are offered through auction and raffle activities. The activities take place at 7 pm on July 3rd, prior to the mandatory safety meeting at Seward High School, 2001 Swetmann Ave. The auction and raffle are open to all individuals 18 and older; those applicants not selected in the lottery are eligible to participate, as well as individuals that did not previously apply. Individuals participating in the auction and raffle must be present and can not designate another individual to participate in their stead. Payment is required immediately and may be made by cash or credit card.

10 race slots are auctioned off for each of the senior races. Competition is fierce, yet fun, with auction bids beginning at $100 and going as high as $2,500 for a single race slot.

Prior to the auction, one additional senior race slot is drawn raffle-style to be used for the men’s or women’s race. Tickets for the raffle may be purchased for $10 each on July 3rd at the auction site between 5 and 6:45 PM. There is no limit on the number of tickets an individual may purchase. Raffle tickets are available only on July 3rd until 6:45 PM - no late raffle entries will be sold.

Special Invitations

Alaska Mountain Runners Grand Prix Series Winners:
The Mount Marathon Race® is part of the Alaska Mountain Runners Grand Prix Series. Senior winners of selected Grand Prix races are eligible to participate in the following year's Mount Marathon Race® by special invitation. The selected races are: Bird Ridge, Mat Peak Challenge, Alyeska Mountain Run (up-hill only) and Government Peak and Kal's Knoya Ridge Run (the "Full Monty" length). Winners of these races must submit a letter to events@seward.net stating their intent to apply for the Mount Marathon Race®, confirm the letter was received, and pay the application fee by the March 1st deadline.

Grand Prix winners who do not already have priority status for the Mount Marathon Race® will first be considered lottery applicants. Should a Grand Prix winner not be selected for the Mount Marathon Race® through the normal lottery process, he or she will be entered as a special invitation runner, which is valid for the current year only. Recipients may not gain priority status through a special invitation, unless they win their Mount Marathon Race® division, and must return to the lottery pool for the following year's Mount Marathon Race®.

Special Invitation Requests:
In rare instances, the Mount Marathon Race^® Committee grants one-year invitations to applicants for special circumstances, such as documented outstanding results in other mountain races or other justifying conditions.  Those requesting a special invitation slot must apply for the Mount Marathon Race^® and pay the application fee by the March 31^st deadline.  The individual must also send a request letter to events@seward.com by March 1^st to be considered.  Your letter should address the following questions in 250 words or less: [1] Why do you want to run the Mt. Marathon Race? [2] Why aren’t you trying to gain entry via the auction? [3] Have you raced or tried to enter the Mount Marathon Race previously? [4] Why do you deserve an opportunity to participate in the MMR? [5] Have you ever competed in a mountain race and what were your results? [6] What are your other running accomplishments?

The applicant will first be entered into the normal lottery process, which gives participants a chance to earn priority eligibility for the next year if they are selected. Should a special invitation requestor not be selected for the Mount Marathon Race® through the normal lottery process, the Committee will then consider their request for a one-year special invitation. Recipients may not gain priority status through a one-year special invitation, unless they win their Mount Marathon Race® division, and must return to the lottery pool for the following year’s Mount Marathon Race®.

Waivers

Registered runners that have not attained veteran status and are unable to run the Mount Marathon Race® must request a waiver. Requests must be submitted to the Seward Chamber of Commerce by September 30 of the race year. All requests must be submitted using the official form.  Requests for medical waiver will be honored, but must include a physician's statement verifying an individual's inability to run the race. Waivers for personal, but non-medical, reasons will be considered, but may not be granted.

Individuals that know they will not be able to run during the application period must still apply for the race, pay their entry fee, and be selected as a runner prior to requesting a waiver. Waivers will not be granted to individuals that failed to apply for the race by the March 31 deadline.

Download a Waiver Request Form here.

RACE DAY

Race Times
Junior Race            9:30 am
Women's Race    11:15 am (11:25 am for second wave)
Men's Race            3:00 pm (3:10 pm for second wave)

Racers generally begin to gather at the starting line (4th and Adams) about 10 minutes prior to each race start.  Seniors running in the second wave will not report to the starting area until the first wave has departed.      

Senior Wave Start
To reduce the congestion at various race points and increase runner safety, each senior division is comprised of two waves, spaced 10 minutes apart.  

• Bibs numbered 1-199 indicate the racer is in the first wave, starting at 11:15 AM for women and 3:00 PM for men

• Bibs numbered 400 and above indicate the racer is in the second wave, starting at 11:25 AM for women and 3:10 PM for men 

Individuals wishing to change waves after bib assignment must contact the Chamber in writing by May 15th of the race year. Names and bib numbers are submitted for the race program by June 1st. Wave change requests will not be considered on July 3rd.

Junior Racer Bib Assignments
The Junior race is comprised of 125 boys and 125 girls. Girls will receive bibs number 1-199 with the first 50 bibs assigned in order of finish place the prior year. Boys will receive bibs number 201-399 with the first 50 bibs assigned in order of finish place the prior year, starting with the first boy getting 201.

Senior Racer Bib Assignments

Bib Pick-up & Placement
Bib pick-up begins on July 3rd from 5 - 8 pm at Seward High School in the vestibule outside the mandatory safety meeting.  All first time entrants (rookies) must attend the safety meeting in person before they will be allowed to pick up their bib. Alternatives to the safety meeting are not available and those rookies who fail to attend are disqualified from that year's race.

Bibs can also be picked up on July 4th beginning at 8 am at race headquarters, located at the corner of Washington St. and 5th Ave.

Each entrant is required to pick up their bib in person before reporting to the starting line.  Photo identification is required.  Junior racers must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  Bibs must be placed on the entrant's left side and visible to officials on the grandstand and in the timing tent.  Individually-programmed electronic timing chips will be provided with the bibs and must be secured to the runner's shoe prior to race start.  Any individual providing their bib and/or timing chip to another runner will result in the disqualification of both individuals.  Runners must have the correct bib and corresponding timing chip when crossing the finish line.  Failure to display the bib appropriately and cross the finish line with the timing chip will disqualify the entrant.

Chip Timing
Mount Marathon Race^® results are obtained through electronic chip timing.  Runners are responsible for ensuring their assigned timing chip is attached securely to their shoe and that they cross over all start, top of mountain, and finish mats during the race to receive a valid race time.

Finish order is determined by chip time. In the instance of a lost chip, finish line officials record finish time and place by hand using the runner's bib number. The Race Official can also make the call and override the chip in a torso/foot debate if warranted.  

Women racers who finish during the parade will be manually timed at the finish line.

All runners who do not complete the race or finish after electronic chip timing has concluded for their division are asked to notify a volunteer at Race Headquarters that they are safely off the mountain.

Racers will turn in their chip in exchange for their finisher shirt. Any runner who does not return their timing chip will be charged a $25 "lost chip" fee. Failure to pay the fee by July 20th will result in the LOSS OF YOUR PRIORITY RACE SPOT for the following year's race.

Race Course
The starting line is at 4^th and Adams in downtown Seward.  Runners will leave the starting line and follow the road to the base of the mountain.  Runners will run to the top of the course, stepping on the timing mat while passing around the summit rock, and descend down the mountain to the finish line.  The finish line is one block south of the starting line.  Approximate race distance is 3.1 miles, with an elevation gain of 3,022 feet.

The junior race is for racers under 18. This race follows the same trail to the finish as the senior race, but only goes half-way up the mountain. Junior runners round the marker at the halfway point and return down the mountain to the finish line. Juniors may race as individuals as well as on teams.

View a map of the race course here.

Junior Team Participants
Teams allow junior racers to support one another to a common goal. Teams consist of 5-7 runners of either all girls or all boys. Each team MUST have one runner aged 7-11 and at least two runners ages 12 to 14, and at least one member age 15-17. Scores are tabulated by adding together the overall finish places of five team members as follows: after adding the overall finish place from the highest finishing 7-11 year old and the 2 highest overall finish places for the 12-14 year olds, the next 2 highest placing team member's overall finish places will be added to the score. The team with the lowest score finishes highest. Please note that the team members whose scores were not used in the tabulation will share equally in the award for the team, even if their overall finish places was not used in the scoring.

Being on a team does not guarantee entry into the race. Juniors must apply for the race first and if selected, may then join a team. You can download a copy of the junior race application here.

There must be at least three teams of girls and three teams of boys for awards to be presented. The top three teams of girls and the top three teams of boys will receive awards.

Provisions
Water and medical services will be provided at the finish line. Water may not be available on the mountain. Each runner is expected to carry his or her own water during the race.

Showers are available after the races at AVTEC's 4th Avenue gymnasium (access restricted to senior runners with bibs), the Harbormaster's office (public access), and at the Seward Waterfront Park (public access).

General Tips
The race course includes areas of extreme difficulty, with steep inclines and slippery loose rock and shale. Runners may limit their risk of bodily injury to some degree by observing safety precautions.

• Assistance is not guaranteed once you leave the race start. Be prepared to get yourself down the mountain, even if injured.

• Protective gear such as helmets, gloves, goggles, knee and elbow pads is recommended.

• We strongly recommend that participants run the mountain several times before race day.

• Previous mountain running experience and demonstrated strength and endurance are highly recommended prerequisites to this race.

• Attend the safety meeting.

Finishers
Official time will be kept for 1.5 hours for juniors and a maximum of 2.5 hours for each senior race. Seniors that do not complete the race within 2.5 hours will not receive an official time. For safety reasons, the timing crew will continue to track the bib numbers of those runners who complete the course after the timing window has closed. Finish order is determined by chip time. In the instance of a lost chip, finish line officials record finish time and place by hand using the runner's bib number. The Race Official can also make the call and override the chip in a torso/foot debate if warranted.

Each entrant that finishes the race will receive an official race t-shirt and patch. The shirt and patch can be picked up at race headquarters by the runner following the respective race. Individuals who competed under a special invitation must reapply through the lottery process for future entry.

Award Ceremony
The award ceremony begins at 6 pm at the AVTEC gymnasium (519 4th Ave). Runners are awarded in the following categories:

• Top five men, women, boys, and girls in each of their respective races.

• Top five places for each age group: 7-11, 12-14, 15-17, 18-29, and ten-year increments thereafter.

• Top three boy teams (provided a minimum of three boy teams).

• Top three girl teams (provided a minimum of three girl teams).

• Top finishers from Seward.

• Longevity: individuals that have finished 20 races and 10-year increments thereafter.

RULES

Rules of Conduct

• No climbing aids.

• No shoes with metal cleats.

• No identifying markers on the trail to guide runners.

• No assistance on the trail except for first aid and dispensing of water.

• No unfair or unsafe acts.

• No headphones or listening devices.

• Every runner must give way to a runner shouting "trail" in the act of passing. 

• Any runner still on the trail from an earlier race shall give way to runners in the current race.

• Applicants may not falsify any information on the application form.

• Participants in the senior races must show a valid photo I.D. when picking up their bib or face disqualification.

• Participants may not trade bibs or provide their bibs and race identification to other individuals.

• Runners must have their race bib and timing chip when crossing the finish line.

Safety Meeting
The safety meeting will be held on July 3rd at 7:45 pm at Seward High School, 2001 Swetmann Rd.  Attendance is mandatory for ALL first time race entrants, even if they have run the course prior.  Juniors must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the entire event, including the video and bib pick-up.  Any first timers who fail to attend this meeting will be disqualified and will need to re-apply through the lottery process to participate in a future race.  Bibs and timing chips will be provided to all first timers following this meeting.

Because the Mount Marathon Race^® is a challenging mountain run and terrain changes could occur from year to year, all participants are encouraged to attend the safety meeting.

Bandits
Bandits are individuals who join the field of Mount Marathon Race® competitors under fraudulent circumstances - obtaining a legal bib using false identification, using another runner's bib, or breaking into the field of runners at any point without a bib or using a falsified bib.

A bandit creates safety and liability issues for both other participants and race officials. Bandits also create errors in race timing if they cross the finish line. Bandits steal resources meant for registered runners who pay for them such as emergency personnel, permit fees, insurance costs, etc. If a bandit sustains an injury or other medical emergency, the race officials may not know who that person is or may think it's someone else. This could result in serious consequences.

Bandits violate the spirit of sportsmanship endorsed by the Mount Marathon Race® and more importantly, impair the safety of all participants. As a result, identified bandits may face a lifetime ban from participating in the Mount Marathon Race®, ban from other Alaska running events, and possible legal action.

Rules Violation
Violation of any rule or blatant disregard for the safety of others may subject a participant to disqualification from the current year's race and possible disqualification from future races.

Waiver of Liability
Each participant must sign a waiver of liability absolving the City of Seward, the Seward Chamber of Commerce, and any or all individuals connected with the race of any responsibility for injuries incurred while training for the race or during the race. A parent or legal guardian must sign the waiver on behalf of any participants in the Junior race.

VOLUNTEERS

There are over 300 volunteer positions available on July 3^rd and 4^th.  Please contact the Chamber at 224-8051 or events@seward.com for more information or to volunteer.

Volunteer Check-In
Volunteer Check in starts July 3rd from 4:45 p.m. - 8 pm at Seward High School, collocated with the bib pick-up. Volunteers can also check in on July 4th beginning at 8 am at race headquarters, located at the corner of Washington St. and 5th Ave. 

When you check-in you will be presented with your volunteer t-shirt and reminded of your volunteer assignment. 

FAQs/TIPS

Check here if you still have questions.

See also, General Race Info

RESULTS ARCHIVES

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