FAQs

Is there a half-marathon this year?

     Yes; and it USATF certified as is the full marathon.

Is this race USATF Certified?

     Yes;  the certification number is WV-06003MS

Can you qualify for the Boston Marathon on this course?

     Yes;  we will send the final results to Boston after the race

What are the logistics of getting to the start?  Is it easy?

     Very easy.  There is free parking at the Marshall Football stadium where the race starts and ends.  If this parking is all filled then you may use any parking available at Marshall.  The best of this parking would probably be the parking garage which is about 200 yards west of the stadium on 3rd Avenue (it’s within easy site of the starting line).

There are a few hotels that are about a mile from the start;  others however are usually within a 15 minute drive, especially on a Sunday morning.  We are trying to arrange late checkouts at this time and will update this site when that happens.

What fluid replacement will there be on the course?

    Water and gatorade approximately at mile intervals.

Are there bathroom / portajohn facilities along the route?

Yes – at the start and finish; 2 miles, 3.3 miles, 6.5 miles; 8 miles;  9 miles; 12 miles for the half-marathon and then at the same locations on the second loop.

Is there an early start for slower runners?

Sorry, but no.  Safety is the biggest reason.  There is a 6 hour time limit which should help however.

Are there any provisions for baggage at the start?

     You may bring a white plastic trash bag and mark it with your name and number and we will transport it to the finish if you desire.  The start and finish are so close however and most people will probably want to simply lock their belongings in their car for safety reasons.  We cannot take responsibility for lost items.

Why is there only on-line registration??

This is a very difficult decision on the part of the race committee, but we have been hurt in the past by having paper applications that were not filled out correctly.  Many people did not put down contact information or their gender, etc. and incorrect awards were given out.  We understand that many people don’t like to leave a credit card on-line.  Fortunately active.com has been very reliable.  If you don’t have a computer, we are sure someone will help out and allow you to use their computer, especially when you tell them what a special event you are preparing to do.

How do I become a volunteer?

     Click our contacts page.  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it  and tell us what you would like to do.  All volunteers will receive a great race t-shirt.  We like to have volunteers pair up for safety reasons as well as social reasons so sign up your friend to volunteer also.

What is the average temperature at start time?

37 degrees;  the average high for early November here is 56 degrees;  in other words perfect for fast race times.

Can I use a baby jogger, walkman, I-pod, roller blades, bike or headphones?

      No.   Insurance restrictions prohibit the use of these.  In addition this is not a closed marathon course.  While we do much to try to make the course as safe as possible there are cars that could enter the course and it is the runner’s responsibility to be aware of this.  Headphones make this more difficult.

Is the course closed to traffic?

     No.  Runner’s lanes will be separated by traffic cones – please stay inside the cones at all times.  Volunteers and police officers will monitor the course.  Remember that you still need to be prepared for the unexpected whenever you run.  Not all drivers pay attention even with these precautions.

My training is going well or not so well.  Is it possible to change races?

     Yes.  This must be done by 6pm on the Tuesday before the race.  This CANNOT be done on race morning.

I am entered in the race but because of an injury cannot compete.  Can I defer my participation to next year or get a refund?

     Sorry, but no.

I am registered in the race.  When will I receive notification of acceptance?

      If you registered on-line then this is your notification.  (It would be best to print this off to be safe in case there are any computer glitches.)  In addition, active.com has a feature whereby you can check to see if you or anyone else you know is entered in the race.  Just logon to active.com and go to the marathon sign up main page.

Is there tag timing?

     Yes.  We will be using ChronoTrack disposable tags.

Why is the registration closed so early this year and the price so high for registration the day before the race?

     We really need to make sure that we get accurate timing results ASAP after the race finishes.  In the past, the majority of problems have been related to misinformation provided to us during the registration the day before.   The rush to get results comes from needing to get results to Boston quickly.  In 2009, registration for Boston was stopped just 2 weeks after our race.  If we delayed the results much, there would have been Boston qualifiers who would have missed the cutoff.  Basically we want early registration to help everything run smoothly. We are not looking to make a profit on those deciding to run the race at the last hour.  After all, we’re a non-profit organization.

How can you offer such low prices to military personnel?

     How can they make such sacrifices for our country and earn so little doing this?