General Rules & Procedures

This page does not include every rule. The following rules are explained below:

General Rules & Procedures

Violation of any rule or blatant disregard for the safety of others may subject a participant to disqualification from the current year’s race and possibly from future races.
Racers are required to start in the wave they are assigned to ensure accurate race timing, safety, and balanced wave sizes. A racer can fill out a Wave Change Request Form but there is no guarantee it will be granted. Any blatant disregard of this rule may subject the participant to disqualification from the current year’s race and possibly from future races.
All first-time racers must complete the entire course prior to race day AND sign a statement that they have done so before they can pick up their bib. Also, attendance at the July 3 safety meeting is mandatory for ALL first-time racers. Junior racers must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the entire event, including the video and bib pickup.
Routes on the course can be closed by emergency responders and by race officials. Racers who continue along a closed section of the course after being informed of the closure may be disqualified from the current race and banned from future races. The most commonly closed section of trail is the waterfall or cliff due to an injured runner and presence of emergency personnel. Officials will be stationed at intersections to inform racers of closures.
Racers who picked up a bib but either do not start or do not finish must notify a race official at the finish line as soon as possible so they are accounted for. A racer who fails to complete the entire course but crosses the finish line and claims a result WILL BE DISQUALIFIED from that race and possibly banned from future races.
  • No climbing aids including hiking poles.
  • No shoes with metal cleats or Microspikes.
  • No identifying markers on the trail to guide runners.
  • No assistance on the trail except for first aid and dispensing of water.
  • No unsafe acts or poor sportsmanship.
  • No headphones or listening devices.
  • A racer who is passing another on the downhill should alert them to their presence with adequate warning and only pass when there is enough room to safely do so.
  • A racer remaining on trail from an earlier race shall give way to the current race.
  • A racer who fails to complete the entire course but crosses the finish line and claims a result will be disqualified from that race and possibly banned from future races.
  • Applicants may not falsify information on the application form.
  • Participants in the adult races must show a valid photo identification when picking up their bib.
  • Participants may not trade bibs or provide their bibs and race identification to other individuals.
  • Runners must have their race bib with timing chip when finishing.
Adults that finish within the cutoff times will receive an official race finish. If they completed an adult race prior to 2020 or submitted a deferral in 2019, each finish will be counted towards Priority 10-year Status.
Bandits are individuals who join the field under fraudulent circumstances — obtaining a bib using false identification, using another runner’s bib, breaking into the field of runners without a bib, or using a falsified bib. A bandit creates safety and liability issues for participants and race officials. Bandits also cause errors in race timing if they cross the finish line. Bandits use resources meant for registered runners. If a bandit sustains an injury, race officials may not be able to identify them. Bandits violate the spirit of sportsmanship and jeopardize the safety of all participants. As a result, bandits may face a lifetime ban from the Mount Marathon Race and possible legal action.
Each participant must sign a Waiver of Liability absolving the City of Seward, the Seward Chamber of Commerce, and any or all individuals connected with the race of any responsibility for injuries incurred while training for the race or during the race. A parent or legal guardian must sign the waiver on behalf of any junior race participants. Acknowledgement of this Waiver of Liability during online registration constitutes your signature of the waiver.