The Online Auction

3 men’s and 3 women’s race slots will be available in a live online auction via Zoom on April 28, 2026.
There is no auction for the juniors race.
The Online Auction gives Alaskans or out-of-staters additional planning time (compared to the July 3 auction) because they lock in a spot more than two months before race day.
In 2025, the winning online auction bids ranged from $900-$1,200 for women and $1,800-$2,000 for men. Online auction bibs have gone for as high as $3,000 in the past.
Proceeds from the auction are used to help fund the Mount Marathon Race.

2026 Details

When: Tuesday, April 28, 2026. Zoom site will open at 5 p.m. and auction will begin at 5:30 p.m.
Number of available spots: 3 men’s PRIORITY spots and 3 women’s PRIORITY spots
Minimum bid: $200 for men and $200 for women
Minimum bid increments: $100
Zoom Link: Click HERE

Auction rules and instructions:

• Each participant must be set up to join a Zoom meeting (those lacking the technology or knowledge should join a friend’s or family member’s account).
• Participants are RECOMMENDED to join on a desktop computer or laptop with an Internet plan as opposed to a mobile phone that uses a data plan. The auction is better viewed on a computer. Also, being perfectly synched with the auctioneer’s voice for bidding purposes is more likely achieved on a computer.
• The Zoom site will open at 5 p.m. on April 28, 2026 (30 minutes before the auction starts) to allow participants time for testing their technology.
• The actual auction will start at 5:30 p.m. The three women’s bibs will be auctioned first followed immediately by the three men’s bibs.
• The Seward Chamber of Commerce is NOT responsible for anyone whose bids fail to come through promptly due to connectivity issues or other technological problems.
• Gallery View will enable participants to see the auctioneer and other contestants.
• Participants will be muted by the auctioneer.
• All bidding must be done through the chat function (test the chat when you join by posting your name and location).
• If the person who intends to race is unable to attend the live auction, another person may bid for them.
• If you win an auction spot, stay on the Zoom! A Seward Chamber employee will direct message you for a phone number and then will call for payment information by credit card. 
• Auction winners will be emailed a registration link via RunSignup to get necessary information and sign the waiver. Once this is submitted, auction winners will be added to the 2026 roster.
• Auction winners will be Priority entrants in 2026, meaning they can keep priority status for the following year if they qualify through the Top 50 Percent in Age Group Rule.
• The race director will determine auction winners’ bib and wave assignments based on their credentials.
• Those who fail to win an online auction spot have a final chance for entry at the in-person auction at 6 p.m. July 3 at Seward High School. 7 men’s and 7 women’s spots will be auctioned then.

Arc’teryx Joins Mount Marathon Race as New Presenting Partner

The Mount Marathon Race is thrilled to announce a two-year Presenting Partnership with outdoor gear company Arc’teryx.

The sponsorship by the Canadian brand is among the most significant in the long history of the Mount Marathon Race and will cover the 2026 and 2027 seasons in advance of the 100th running slated for 2028.

Arc’teryx, which joined Mount Marathon as a Gold Level Sponsor in 2025, specializes in mountain-oriented outdoor gear and apparel. It is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, and has evolved from a basement operation in 1989 into a global outdoor brand.

“With their focus on supporting mountain events, Arc’teryx is a great fit for the Mount Marathon Race,” race director Matias Saari said. “They can help us modernize elements of the race while also appreciating our uniquely independent and Alaskan spirit.”

Saari said Arcteryx does not wish for the event title to become the Arc’teryx Mount Marathon Race. “We will be the Mount Marathon Race presented by Arc’teryx — and that’s an important distinction,” he said.

In its sponsorship proposal, Arc’teryx stressed this point.

“Mount Marathon represents some of the very best things in trail running: community, heritage, technical terrain, the land and the grit it takes to push beyond what’s comfortable,” Arc’teryx said. “As Presenting Partner, Arc’teryx aims to honour its legacy, amplify its community-driven energy, and support the Seward community that makes this race iconic.”

A major aspect of the new partnership is that Arc’teryx has earmarked significant funds towards a race project that will replace its outdated fencing with new barricades spanning Fourth Avenue.

In addition to multiple product giveaways, Arc’teryx will also contribute matching funds for raffle tickets sold at the July 3 raffle that will benefit a Seward nonprofit organization. Arc’teryx has also committed funds towards a trail project on Mount Marathon or elsewhere on the Kenai Peninsula in partnership with the Mount Marathon Race and the Alaska Trails nonprofit.

Among those representing Arc’teryx at the 2026 Mount Marathon Race will be Jessie McAuley, who placed 3rd at Mount Marathon in 2024; Emma Cook-Clarke, a champion Skyrunner and obstacle course racer; and mountain athlete and climber Kyle Richardson.

The 2026 Mount Marathon Race registration opens at 8 a.m. on Sunday March 1 and closes at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31!

There are two registration options: One for those who have Priority Status  and one for those who must enter the lottery.

If you are unsure of your status, scan the priority list or use the search function HERE to see if you have Priority Status.

You can also view these 2025 age group results (WOMEN & MEN) which show who placed in the Top 50 Percent of their Age Group for priority qualification (those who raced on one-year bibs are NOT eligible for priority).

To see if you qualify for 10-year status  view your full race record HERE.

Instructions for PRIORITY REGISTRATION

• If you HAVE Priority status (even if you did not race in 2025) you will receive an email at 8 a.m. on March 1 with a link inviting you to register. The entry fee remains $100 for adults and $50 for juniors.
• SKIP-A-YEAR and Pregnancy Deferrals — If you used your one-time Skip-A-Year in 2025 or received a pregnancy deferral, you have priority in 2026 but still must register and pay the entry fee to become an entrant.

Instruction for LOTTERY REGISTRATION

• If you do NOT have Priority Status, you must enter the Lottery. On March 1 at 8 a.m., you can begin the lottery process HERE. Lottery registration remains open through March 31.
• The lottery process involves two mandatory steps.
  Step 1) Join the Lottery Group (adults $20, juniors $15).
  Step 2) (You MUST complete this step or you will not be entered in the lottery) Register for the lottery and preauthorize payment for your race entry; your credit card will only be charged IF you win the lottery.
• The cost to enter the lottery remains $20 for adults and $15 for juniors. WINNERS of the lottery — which will be conducted in early April — will then automatically be charged $80 for adults or $35 for juniors to complete their full registration fee.
• Read more about the lottery process and lottery ODDS from 2022-25 HERE

The 98th running of the Mount Marathon Race will be Saturday, July 4 in Seward.

The Mount Marathon Race Committee and race organizers have made the following changes for the 2026 season:

1) The Skip-A-Year option has been eliminated for the 2026 race.

Skip-A-Year, the no-questions-asked deferral that runners could use once in their racing lifetime, has been eliminated beginning in 2026.

Approved Skip-A-Years from 2025 will still be honored and those individuals will receive a priority invitation on March 1 for 2026 registration.

The Mount Marathon Race Committee voted to eliminate Skip-A-Year as it was deemed too great a benefit for priority racers at the expense of lottery hopefuls. Lottery odds are therefore expected to rise beginning in 2027 given that more than 50 additional lottery spots will be available compared to when Skip-A-Year was in effect.

This rule change has no impact on racer’s eligibility for 10-Year Status.

In 2026 and beyond, entrants with extenuating circumstances who are unable to race may still petition the race committee the following year and make their case for why they should be granted a bib.

2) Team Competition Added

Mount Marathon will once again have a team competition beginning in 2026.

Teams may include individuals from all race divisions: women, men, boys, girls, Golden Racer and non-binary. Each team can have as many members as they wish with the top five performances counting toward their team score. Scoring will match cross country running (1 point for first place, 2 for 2nd place, etc …) with the lowest team score winning.

Prizes will be given for the top team, the best team name, the team with the most members, and more.

Team registration will open once the 2026 roster is published in early April and additional registration details will be publicized then.

3) Race From the Base for ages 7-10 Added

A new event, Race From the Base, will debut in 2026 for 7-to-10-year-olds.

The event will start around 9:10 a.m. once all participants in the boys’ and girls’ races have cleared the Upper Lowell Canyon Road gate.

The Race From the Base will then run downhill about 2/3 of a mile from the gate to the finish line on Fourth Avenue.

Ribbons will be given to the top 6 boys and girls but times will not be recorded.

The event is designed to give 7- and 8-year-olds an opportunity to compete after the minimum age for juniors was raised to 9 in 2024. It will also provide an option for 9- and 10-year-olds who lose the junior lottery or are not yet ready for the full junior event.

Registration and bib distribution will be on race day only from 8-9 a.m. at the picnic table near the Lowell Canyon Road gate.

A pending page on the Mount Marathon website will provide additional details.

Congratulations Mount Marathoners!
We’ve compiled a bunch of media links that recognize your accomplishments at the 97^th Mount Marathon Race:

PHOTOS – all offer free digital downloads! 
– Mick Dees – Official MMR Photographer – Album HERE!
– Brikru Photography – Albums HERE!
– Anna Engel (Nordic Insights) – Album HERE
– Eric Youngblood – Scroll down HERE
* These photographers are giving you photos; please credit the photographer when using on social media or elsewhere.

VIDEOS
– Brady Rufner compilation HERE (3 min+)
– Robert Arnold Mt. Marathon Highlights HERE (23 min+)

LIVESTREAM/TV
– Our LIVESTREAM was the best yet! 30,000 views & counting! Links HERE (Watch the races or check out the separate Finish Cam anytime!)
– Alaska’s News Source KTUU Ch. 2 coverage HERE (*they will also rebroadcast our Livestream Saturday, July 12 from 8:30-10:30 a.m. – anyone can watch on regular TV without streaming!)

ARTICLES (some require subscription)
– Anchorage Daily News HERE (photos & articles)
– Alaska Sports Report HERE (scroll down for race stories)
– Peninsula Clarion HERE
– Nordic Insights HERE
– The Seward Folly HERE

SOCIAL MEDIA
– MMR Facebook HERE
– MMR Facebook Runners Group HERE (post photo album links here if we missed any!)
– MMR Instagram – @mountmarathonrace