Mount Marathon News

Racer Email #4 — Results Tracking, Awards, Door Prizes & More

Mount Marathon Racers, we’re 4 days out. Time to get informed!

We hope you’ve trained on the mountain recently and your final preparations are going well. Please read through the important — and scintillating — information below!

COVID-19 POLICY
We’re returning to “normal” operations in 2022 with one basic stipulation: Do not attend if you’ve recently tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of it. Those who miss the race because of a positive test may request a deferral (medical documentation required).

FIRST-TIME RACERS AT BIB PICKUP
First-time racers (there are 300!) must complete the entire race course in training. They (or their parents if a junior racer) also must sign a statement at bib pickup that they have completed the entire race course by July 3.
First-time racers must also attend the Safety Meeting July 3 (with a parent if a junior) at 6:45 p.m. at the Seward High School, 2100 Swetman Ave.

RETURNING RACERS’ BIB PICKUP TIMES AND LOCATIONS
Parents MUST be present for junior racers to pick up their bib even if the junior is a returning racer.
Returning racers may pick up their bib on July 3 from 5–8 p.m. at Seward High School OR on July 4 beginning at 8 a.m. at race headquarters at the Flamingo Lounge parking lot, 208 Fourth Ave.
Returning racer bib pickup closes 60 minutes prior to the start for men’s and women’s races and 30 minutes prior to the start for juniors.

2022 RACE START SCHEDULE
Juniors — 9 a.m. (boys and girls start together)
Men — Wave 1 at 11 a.m., Wave 2 at 11:03 a.m., Wave 3 at 11:06 a.m.
Women  — Wave 1 at 2 p.m., Wave 2 at 2:03 p.m., Wave 3 at 2:06 p.m.

ROSTERS
See our updated rosters HERE

LIVE RESULTS, SIGN-UP FOR PARTICIPANT TRACKING
Watch the results live! And anyone can sign up to receive text or email alerts as participants cross timing equipment along the course.
Participant Tracking — https://runsignup.com/Race/FindARunner/?raceId=114671
Live Results — Link will be posted here July 4: https://runsignup.com/Race/AK/Seward/MountMarathon

SHOWERS ON JULY 4
Showers are available FOR RACERS ONLY at the AVTEC Student Center, 519 4th Ave. Showers or bathrooms are not available for the general public, no exceptions.
The Men’s shower will be available from 1-3 p.m. only.
The Women’s shower will be available from 3-5 p.m. only.

AWARDS CEREMONY AT AVTEC (WITH DOOR PRIZES!)
6 p.m. AVTEC Gymnasium, 519 4th Ave, Seward AK 99664
Awards are given in the following categories:
— OVERALL: Top five men, women, junior boys and junior girls in each of their races.
— AGE GROUP: Top five places for each age group: 7-11, 12-14, 15-17 for juniors and 18-29, and ten-year increments thereafter for adults.
— LONGEVITY: individuals that have finished 20, 30, 40 or 50 races.
Also, this year we’re are spicing things up with great DOOR PRIZES from businesses like Kenai Fjord Tours, the Alaska SeaLife Center, Kayak Adventures, Alaska Mountaineering & Hiking, Skinny Raven and Ray’s Waterfront; everyone attending the ceremony, racer or not, gets a free drawing ticket! Must be present to win.

PODIUM AWARDS CEREMONIES ON GRANDSTAND
In addition to the evening awards ceremony, there will be brief podium awards ceremonies for the Top 5 men, women, junior boys and junior girls on the grandstand just north of the finish line. Juniors will be at 10 a.m., Men at 12:15 p.m. and Women at 3:15 p.m.

PARKING
Parking will be tight; arrive early and be mindful of private property when   parking. Spots will be easier to find a few blocks from the race course. Cars parked on 4th Avenue at 5 a.m. on July 4 will be towed.

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT IS ONGOING 
Please consider volunteering or having someone in your support crew do so. Spots in town and on the mountain are still available. Sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c45aca62eabfbc43-mount

JUNIOR CUTOFF TIMES!
Junior racers who do not meet the following cutoff times will be turned around by a volunteer, have their parents contacted, and escorted to the finish to meet their parents.
– 10 minutes to the trailhead gate by the picnic benches on Lowell Canyon Rd.
– 30 minutes to Squirrels’ Inn (*all juniors must take a route that goes through there)

REGISTER A team of Juniors racers!
Junior teams consist of 5-7 members of either all girls or all boys. Each team MUST have at least one member ages 7-11, at least two members ages 12-14, and at least one member ages 15-17. Register your team here: https://mountmarathon.com/for-racer/junior-teams/

GOLDEN RACER OPTION
Those 70 years or older with 10 finishes can select the Golden Racer option and get an official finish by completing the juniors course.
More info here: https://mountmarathon.com/definitions/golden-racer/

KNOW THE RACE COURSE
https://mountmarathon.com/for-racer/course/
Check out our instructive race course videos and a detailed map of the mountain and course.

CHECK OUT THE MMR GUIDE
https://issuu.com/seward.com/docs/2022_mt_marathon_race
This guide features an event schedule, Fourth of July Festival info, great photos, and rosters with bib numbers for each race.

NO DRONES ALLOWED
Please refrain from flying unpermitted drones along all race trails on the mountain and throughout downtown Seward across the entirety of the holiday weekend.

NO DOGS ON THE RACE COURSE, PLEASE!
Your pets are allowed in Seward; just keep them off the race course or crowded downtown area.

I’M INJURED OR HAVE COVID AND CAN’T RACE. WHAT DO I DO?
Registered racers that have not attained Priority 10-Year Status and are unable to run the Mount Marathon Race — due to medical reasons include a positive COVID test, military service, or other unique circumstances — may request a race deferral in order to potentially retain their Priority Registration status for the next year. More info here: https://mountmarathon.com/definitions/deferral-request/

WE HAVE INSTAGRAM AND FACEBOOK!
View our Instagram HERE and our Facebook HERE

Thanks for reading. See almost all of you on July 3-4!

The Mount Marathon Race Committee

2022 Racer Email #3 — Reminders for Mount Marathon Race

After three long years, we’re thankful to again hold the race and the festival on the Fourth of July. We’re returning to “normal” operations in 2022 with one basic stipulation: Please don’t attend if you’ve recently tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms of it.

First-time racers bib pick-up:

Complete entire race course. First-time racers (or their parents if a junior racer) must sign a statement that they have completed the entire race course prior to picking up their bib. 

Attend the Safety Meeting July 3 (with their parent if a junior) July 3 at 6:45 pm at the Seward High School, 2100 Swetmann Ave. 

Register a team of Juniors racers!

Teams allow junior racers to support one another to a common goal. The junior Mount Marathon Race is comprised of boys’ and girls’ races. Junior teams consist of 5-7 members of either all girls or all boys. Each team MUST have at least one member ages 7-11, at least two members ages 12-14, and at least one member ages 15-17. Register your team here: https://mountmarathon.com/for-racer/junior-teams/ 

Parents of junior racers

Parents or a guardian MUST be present for junior racers to pick up their bib. 

Get to know the race course

https://mountmarathon.com/for-racer/course/

Check out our instructive race course videos featuring Clint McCool and a detailed map of the mountain.

VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT is ongoing! 

Please consider volunteering or having someone in your support crew do so. Sign up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c45aca62eabfbc43-mount 

Check out the Mount Marathon Race guide!

This guide features an event schedule, Fourth of July Festival info, great photos, and rosters with bib numbers for each race — not to mention articles about Corbin Stirling, a remarkable comeback story about Kneeland Taylor, and how Seward’s Olive Jordan made the podium last year at age 11.

No dogs on the race course, please!

No dogs, leashed or unleashed, are allowed on 4th Avenue between Railway and Jefferson or along the race course, including all race trails on the mountain. This will increase safety for runners and spectators, and reduce problems with sanitation and clean-up. 

 Your pets are allowed in Seward; please just keep them off the race course or crowded downtown area.

More informational emails will be forthcoming as we build toward race day.

All emails can also be viewed on the website’s “News” section.

Best wishes for your final preparations,
The Mount Marathon Race Committee

 

2022 Racer Email #2 — First-time Racers/ Safety Tours

Hello, first-time racers! (or parents of rookies)

This year Mount Marathon has a record number of about 250 first-time racers. We welcome you and wish you a fun and safe event! Mount Marathon can be a dangerous race so we have implemented several measures to help prepare first-time racers.

First-time racers:

  • must complete the FULL race course in training — no exceptions.
  • must sign a statement (or their parent if a junior racer) on July 3 that they have completed the entire course in training (the safety tour is not sufficient)
  • must attend the Safety Meeting (with their parent if a junior racer) at 6:45 p.m. July 3 in the Seward High School auditorium. Preview the excellent 2022 Safety video by Max Romey Productions HERE: https://vimeo.com/716522212/43c729d8a6 . The safety meeting also includes a presentation.
  • may pick up their bib at the conclusion of the safety meeting as long as they have met these requirements.

The more you know about the course, the better prepared you will be on race day. Check out our detailed map and short videos about various sections of the course here: https://mountmarathon.com/for-racer/course/

Our SAFETY TOURS at 12 p.m. Saturday, June 18 and June 25, 2022 are led by experienced Mount Marathon racers and cover the lower third of the mountain. This does not meet the requirement of completing the full race course.

2022 Racer Email #1 — Bib & Wave Assignments/Online Auction/Volunteer Link/Safety Tours

Dear 2022 Mount Marathon entrants,
Race day is just 5 weeks away! Please read the following important announcements:

1) BIB AND WAVE ASSIGNMENTS have been published! Click your division link on the website Homepage:
https://mountmarathon.com/

2) Our ONLINE LIVE AUCTION will be at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, May 31! Share this link with anyone who may be interested in one of 3 men’s or 3 women’s spots:
https://mountmarathon.com/news/online-live-auction-may-31-details-announced/

3) VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT is ongoing! Please consider volunteering or having someone in your support crew do so. Sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c45aca62eabfbc43-mount

4) SAFETY TOURS are scheduled for Saturday June 18 and June 25! They are a great way to learn how to negotiate the lower half of the mountain. Tour leaders are also needed. Details here:
https://mountmarathon.com/news/safety-tours-offered-june-18-and-25/

Stay tuned for more upcoming messages and best wishes for your training!
The Mount Marathon Race Committee &
Matias Saari, Race Director