2026 bib and wave assignments were posted on Monday, May 11.
In 2022, organizers implemented a three-wave system for men and women. Each wave starts three minutes apart. Each wave includes about 125 entrants (but fewer actual racers due to attrition). The race director determines all bib and wave assignments.
The primary seeding mechanism for adult racers is the prior year’s Mount Marathon results (in this case the 2025 results). If a Mount Marathon veteran did not race in 2025, their result in 2024 is used for wave placement. If they did not race in 2024, their result in 2023 is used.
Race veterans who did not participate the previous 3 years but finished Mount Marathon before then will have those results considered.
First-time racers are seeded in Wave 3 unless they have credentials that warrant being placed in Wave 1 or Wave 2; credentials with specific details must be listed on the registration form.
In 2026, Wave 1 for the men and women includes the following:
- The top 124 men and top 107 women finishers from 2025 (this number changes every year; only the Top 100 each year are guaranteed first-wave placement).
- Those who used Skip-A-Year in 2025 but placed among the top 100 in 2024.
- Top junior racers aging in to the senior race.
- AMR Grand Prix winners with Earned Race Spots.
- Mount Marathon veterans with strong credentials who did not race in 2025.
- First-time lottery winners with very strong credentials.
- Those gaining entry via petition, auction, raffle, sponsors, or Committee’s Choice with very strong credentials.
- All Top 100 finishers from 2025 were assigned the bib number corresponding to their place (i.e. 93rd place in 2025 equals Bib 93 in 2026).
- Wave 1 in 2026 was assigned bibs 1-129 for men and 1-129 for women.
In 2026, Wave 2 for the men and women includes the following:
- In 2025, those who placed between 125th-249th for men and 109th to 222nd for women.
- MMR racers from 2024 and 2023 who placed around the middle third.
- First-time racers with previous results indicating a finish in the middle of the pack.
- Wave 2 in 2026 was assigned bibs 201-321 for men and 201-327 for women.
In 2026, Wave 3 for the men and women includes the following:
- In 2025, those who placed between 252nd to 350th for men and 227th to 328th for women.
- Other finishers of Mount Marathon who placed in the bottom third of their race.
- first-time racers whose previous results indicate a finish in the back third.
- first-time racers who listed no credentials
- Golden Men and Golden Women entrants
- Wave 3 in 2026 was assigned bibs 401-533 for men and 401-532 for women.
Juniors — A combined mass start for all boys and girls, and self-seeding in the start corral, means bib assignments carry less weight. In 2026, top juniors from previous years and first-timers expected to rank high generally received bibs 1-50 (girls) or 201-250 (boys).
Girls — Bibs 1-150
Boys — Bibs 201-349
Non-binary division participants are placed in the race of the gender they selected on their registration form and in a wave that corresponds to their credentials.
Online auction winners bibs are based on their Mount Marathon results and other experience.
Live auction winners and the raffle winner bibs are based on their Mount Marathon results and other experience.
WAVE CHANGE REQUESTS FOR 2026 — The deadline for wave change requests will be Sunday, May 24, 2026.
No junior wave requests will be considered because there is only one combined wave.
The race director and 1 Mount Marathon Race Committee member will consider each adult wave change request and decide whether an adjustment is warranted.
Generally first-timers who failed to list credentials at registration have the best chance obtaining a wave change. Because there is established seeding criteria, those who raced Mount Marathon between 2023-2025 and dispute their wave placing based on that result are less likely to successfully challenge their placement.
To limit future change requests, first-time racers should list their credentials when they register for the lottery.