Mount Marathon First-time Racers (and junior parents) — please read this important information!

• CURRENT CONDITIONS – Recent rain in Seward has made the lower half of the mountain extremely slippery. Practicing the mountain in those conditions can be frustrating but is excellent training if race day is similar. Note that conditions can change daily or even hourly: it might be raining the night of July 3 and the course could still dry out by July 4, or vice-versa. The race will still be held rain or shine!
• COURSE RECON REQUIREMENT — The race is in 10 days! Just a reminder that first-timers must complete the ENTIRE course in training — and sign a statement at bib pickup that they have done so — before they can collect their bib on July 3. If the first-timer is a junior, a parent or guardian must sign the statement.
• SAFETY MEETING FOR FIRST-TIMERS — All first-timers must attend the safety meeting at 6:45 p.m. July 3 at the Seward High School gymnasium. First-time juniors must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
• COURSE KNOWLEDGE: Get prepared in person and by watching these short VIDEOS from the mountain and this excellent SAFETY VIDEO.
• NOT A ROOKIE?: If you received this message but are not a first-time racer, please email director@mountmarathon.com to be classified correctly.
• LIVESTREAM and FINISH CAM — The races will be broadcast via Livestream, and there will also be a separate Finish Cam! Links available at our YouTube Channel HERE and www.mountmarathon.com  … share with your family and friends!

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

Please read the following important announcements.

1) SAFETY TOURS are scheduled at 12 p.m. on Saturday June 17 and June 24! They are a great way to learn how to negotiate the lower half of the mountain. Details here:

2023 Safety Tours June 17 and June 24

2) VOLUNTEER RECRUITMENT is ongoing for spots in town and on the mountain! Please consider volunteering or having someone in your support crew do so. Sign up here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0c45aca62eabfbc43-mount#/

3) We will LIVESTREAM BROADCAST the women’s and men’s race on YouTube Live and Facebook Live with additional cameras and personnel this year. Plus we’ll be running a separate Finish Cam for all 3 races!
Spread the word and check out our YouTube Channel HERE (with 2022 Livestreams) and Facebook page HERE

4) The PASTA FEED is returning to bib pickup on July 3! Details to come on MMR website. Proceeds benefit the Seward High School Athletic Booster Club.

5) COURSE INFO: The mountain is constantly changing; currently be aware of snow covering the creek that will rot out sooner than later! Do your homework in person and by watching these short VIDEOS from the mountain.

6) Remember, FIRST-TIME RACERS must complete the ENTIRE course in training before bib pickup and sign a statement they have done so.

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

Mount Marathon Junior racers and parents — please read this important information!

1) CUT-OFF TIMES
Junior racers must achieve these cutoff times or be turned around by a volunteer and escorted to the finish to meet their parents:
– 8 minutes to the trailhead gate by the picnic benches on Lowell Canyon Road (this was lowered in 2023 from 10 minutes by the race committee); juniors should practice the road section to learn this pace!
– 30 minutes to Squirrels’ Inn (all juniors must take a route that passes through there)
– 90 minutes to the finish to requalify for the following year.

2) SAFETY TOURS are scheduled at 12 p.m. on Saturday June 17 and June 24! They are a great way to learn the lower third of the mountain. Details here:
https://mountmarathon.com/news/safety-tours-offered-june-17-and-june-24/

3) COURSE RECON REQUIREMENT FOR FIRST-TIMERS — Parents of Juniors must sign a statement on July 3 that they have completed the entire course in training (the safety tour is not sufficient)

4) SAFETY MEETING FOR FIRST-TIMERS — First-time juniors AND their parents must attend the safety meeting at 6:45 p.m. July 3 at the Seward High School gymnasium.

5) COURSE KNOWLEDGE: The more you know about the course, the better prepared you will be. Do your homework in person and by watching these short VIDEOS from the mountain and this excellent SAFETY VIDEO.

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

The adorable Mini Mount Marathon races are back for 2-6 year-olds!

There is NO registration fee, and race bibs are available at the First National Bank parking lot on the Northwest corner of Fourth & Adams Street ONLY on the Fourth of July beginning at 10:45 a.m.

The first kids race will be the 6-year-old girls, then the 6-year-old boys and downward. Races will start promptly at 11:08 a.m. immediately after the 3rd wave of the women’s start.

Kids will finish outside the fire hall and for security reasons only be released to a parent or family member. Parents are expected to be at the finish line to pick up their child and ensure that the next race starts promptly.

For more information, contact the Seward Chamber of Commerce at events@seward.com

The event is sponsored by Petro Marine Services in Seward.

2023 Safety Tours June 17 and June 24! 

WHAT: Safety tours led by veteran Mount Marathon runners
WHEN: Saturday June 17 and Saturday June 24 from 12-1:45 p.m.
WHERE: Meet at the picnic table near the gate on upper Lowell Canyon Road no later than 11:45 a.m. The Tour starts at 12 p.m.
WHY: The tour will focus on helping participants travel safely up and down the bottom third of Mount Marathon. The cliff and roots routes, along with the creek (also known as The Gut) and a portion of scree running will be covered. Participants will be divided into small groups. Each group will hike at the pace of the slowest participant.
NOTE: this tour does NOT fulfill the first-timer requirement of completing the entire course before race day.
WHO: Anyone is welcome, but first-timers at the 2023 race or future newcomers would benefit most.
HOW MUCH: Free! No pre-registration required. Participants must sign waiver. Junior participants must have a parent or guardian sign their waiver.
WHAT TO BRING: Suitable trail shoes, water, gloves
INFO: Contact Matias Saari at director@mountmarathon.com

NOTE: To add the Safety Tours to your Google Calendar, visit our website’s “Schedule of Events”

May 20, 2023

2023 bib numbers and waves have been assigned!

To find your bib number (listed alphabetically), simply visit the following links and scroll down.

MEN — https://mountmarathon.com/?division=mens
WOMEN — https://mountmarathon.com/?division=womens
GIRLS — https://mountmarathon.com/?division=girls
BOYS — https://mountmarathon.com/?division=boys

WAVE 1 — Bibs 1-120 for men and women
WAVE 2 — Bibs 201-320 for men and women
WAVE 3 — Bibs 401-530 for men and women

JUNIORS — Boys are 1-151 and Girls are 201-350 — but there is just one mass-start wave.

For an explanation of our bib and wave assignment process, visit:
https://mountmarathon.com/definitions/wave-change/

WAVE CHANGE REQUEST — If you believe you belong in a different wave, fill out the wave change request form. The deadline is May 31.