YM Cho is the 2020 Mount Marathon Race logo contest winner.
Cho’s unique design of a mountain emerging from a running shoe was the winner among about 25 entries as chosen by the Mount Marathon Race Committee.
Cho is a graphic designer, illustrator and artist who divides her time between Chicago and Tucson, Ariz. She learned about the MMR logo contest four years ago.
“It’s truly an honor to win it,” Cho said.
“I actually learned about this contest by searching through Google because I’ve always been interested in participating in art/design contests,” she added.
NOTE: The rules below were approved by the Mount Marathon Race Committee in early 2020.
Due to the 2020 cancellation, Rules 1-3 were implemented in 2021 while Rules 4-5 were implemented in 2022.
1) TOP 50 PERCENT AGE GROUP RULE —
Beginning in 2021, racers need to finish in the Top 50 Percent of their age group of Official Finishers to earn priority registration. (Also see FAQ below)
To earn Priority Registration in 2022, adult racers will need to finish the 2021 race among top 50 percent of Official Finishers in their age group. This replaces the First 225 Finishers Rule for ensuring Priority Registration.
To ensure that inspirational older participants are not displaced, the existing Top 10 Age Group Finishers Rule for Priority Registration will remain.
2) 10-YEAR NEW RACER REPEAL RULE —
New racers in 2021 are not eligible to earn Priority 10-Year Status (Also see FAQ below)
Beginning with the 2021 results, new racers will NOT be eligible to earn Priority 10-Year Status. Previously called Veteran Status, this rule grants Priority Registration to those who have completed 10 or more races.
Those who have previously completed an adult race within the cutoff time or submitted a deferral in 2019 remain eligible for Priority 10-Year Status.
Those who have already earned Priority 10-Year Status will keep their Priority Registration.
This change will begin increasing the lottery selection odds in 2030.
The number of entrants in the men’s and women’s races will increase from 350 to 375.
This rule will add racers to each event and improve lottery selection odds.
Due to no-shows and deferrals, the number of actual racers will be considerably fewer than 375.
4) 3rd Wave Added
The men’s and women’s races will increase from 2 to 3 waves of equal size starting three minutes apart.
This rule is designed to reduce course congestion and improve safety.
5) New July 3 Event Times (implemented in 2022)
The July 3 raffle and auction will start at 6:00 p.m. and the safety meeting will start at 6:45 p.m. The safety meeting is mandatory for all first-time racers. Junior racers must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Bib pickup will end at 8 p.m.
Frequently asked questions about the Top 50 Percent Age Group Rule
There are 73 people in my age group in 2021. If I finish 37th, am I eligible for Priority Registration in 2022?
– No. 37th out of 73 equals 50.7%. This finish is not in the top 50 percent. You would have needed to finished 36th or higher for Priority Registration.
My final junior race is in 2021. If I do not finish in the top 50 percent of my age group, do I have Priority Registration when I apply for the men’s race next year?
– Yes. Junior racers aging into the adult race at age 18 will continue to have Priority Registration regardless of placing.
If I place 10th of 16 in the men’s 60-69 age group in 2021, do I have Priority Registration in 2022?
– Yes. Although you did not place in the top 50 percent of your age group, you earn Priority Registration because you satisfy the Top 10 Age Group Finishers Rule.
If I do not finish in the top 50 percent of my age group or finish in the top 10 of my age group, but finish before the 2:30 time limit in 2021, will this count towards my Priority 10-Year Status?
– If you have an official finish before 2021, then you are on the path to earning Priority 10-Year status and your 2021 result will count. However, it will not earn you priority registration in 2022.
If I place 140th of 300 overall among male finishers in 2021, do I have Priority Registration for 2022?
-In 2022, Priority Registration is based on your age-group finish, not your overall finish. You’ll need to check your age-group finish to see if you’re in the Top 50 percent.
There are 40 people registered in my age group in 2021. Where will I need to finish to earn Priority Registration in 2022?
– The Top 50 Percent Age Group Rule is based on the number of Official Finishers in an age group, not the number registered. So you will not know if you made the cutoff until after the race results have been published.
I have completed Mount Marathon 13 times. If I place 45th of 55 finishers in my age group in 2021, do I have Priority Registration in 2022?
– Yes. Although you did not place in the top 50 percent of your age group, you earn Priority Registration because you have Priority 10-Year Status.
What happens to my registration if I don’t finish in the top 50 percent of my age group in 2021?
– If you do not meet another of the clauses for priority registration (for more information, see https://mountmarathon.com/definitions/priority/) then you will need to enter the lottery in an attempt to gain entry in 2022.
I have finished Mount Marathon 8 times. What happens to my registration if I don’t finish in the top 50 percent of my age group in 2021?
– If you finish under 2 hours, 30 minutes, you will gain a 9th official finish. However, you are still one short of Priority 10-Year Status. If you do not meet another of the clauses for priority registration, then you will need to enter the lottery in an attempt to gain entry and earn your 10th finish in 2022.
I have finished Mount Marathon 9 times. What happens to my registration if I don’t finish in the top 50 percent of my age group in 2021?
– If you finish under 2 hours, 30 minutes, you will gain a 10th official finish. Therefore, in 2022 you can register under Priority Registration because you have gained 10-Year Status. What place and time did I need to make the Top 50 Percent Age Group Rule cutoff in 2021?
– The following chart details what place and time was needed to make the top 50 percent of each age group in 2021.
Men
Number of finishers
Top 50 Percent
The time to beat:
M18-29
72
1st through 36th
1:05:16
M30-39
64
1st through 32nd
1:04:23
M40-49
52
1st through 26th
1:09:26
M50-59
40
1st through 20th
1:14:56
M60-69
17
1st through 10th
1:22:36
M70-79
7
1st through 7th
2:03:29
M80-89
2
1st through 2nd
2:30:00
Women
F18-29
87
1st through 43rd
1:13:52
F30-39
69
1st through 34th
1:17:06
F40-49
38
1st through 19th
1:19:17
F50-59
29
1st through 14th
1:23:47
F60-69
8
1st through 8th
1:53:50
F70-71
1
1st through 1st
2:30:00
Frequently asked questions about the 10-Year New Racer Repeal rule
I finished the junior race prior to 2021. Am I eligible?
– No. Participation in junior races does not count towards Priority 10-Year Status.
My only finish in the women’s race was back in 1995. Am I eligible?
– Yes. Those who completed at least one race prior to 2021 (or who submitted a deferral in 2019) are eligible to earn Priority 10-Year Status.
I have six finishes but they are not consecutive. Am I eligible?
– Yes. Your races do not need to be consecutive for Priority 10-Year Status.
My first men’s finish was in 2021. Am I eligible?
– No. You must have a finish prior to 2021 to be eligible for Priority 10-Year Status.
I finished the race as a petitioner in 2018. Does that count towards my Priority 10-Year Status?
– Yes. Although petitioners cannot earn Priority Registration for the following year (unless they win), the finish counts towards their Priority 10-Year Status.
Seward’s famous Mount Marathon Race has hired Matias Saari to be its race director. Saari, an Anchorage runner and race organizer, is the first individual race director of the renowned event since 2004.
Your emergency contact name and number is very important information for the Mount Marathon Race Committee.
In recent years we have found it necessary to contact an emergency contact person for racers, not only in the event of injury or distress, but for confirmation when a runner does not appear at the starting line, finish line or other checkpoints in the race.
Every Fourth of July in Seward, as we host many thousands of visitors, we find that our cell phone towers are overwhelmed and cannot handle the volume. It is difficult to place calls to or from cells phones during that day, and we find that sending a text (which is a much smaller piece of electronic information) is more likely to be received in a timely manner, while at the same time providing a record of the contact.
Therefore, emergency contact names and numbers listed on your Mount Marathon Race Application, should ideally be for people with cell phones that can receive text messages during races times!
