Rules and Policies

Athens Ohio Marathon: Official Race Rules

To ensure a safe and fair experience for everyone, please adhere to the following rules for the Athens Ohio Marathon and Half Marathon:

Bib Requirement: Your race bib must be worn on the front of your outermost layer and remain visible at all times (this also ensures you are tagged in our photos!).
Timed Event: Official timing is conducted via electronic chips. You must cross the start and finish line timing mats for your time to be recorded.
No Course Cutting: Participants must stay on the marked course at all times. Leaving the trail or “short-cutting” is grounds for immediate disqualification.
Course Limits: The course is open for 6 hours. Participants must maintain a pace that allows them to finish within this window to receive official support and a finish time.
Safety & Traffic: While the course is monitored, it is not entirely closed to local traffic. Please remain alert and follow all instructions from course marshals and local law enforcement. The majority of the race is on the Hockhocking Adena Bikeway where there is no traffic, but the first mile is on city streets, and there will be several road crossings on the bike path.
Yielding on Trails: Since portions of the course utilize multi-use paths, runners must stay to the right except when passing. When passing, please give an audible warning when necessary (e.g., “On your left!”). Since this is an out and back course, please look ahead and watch for runners coming the opposite direction.
Earphones: Use of headphones is permitted, but we strongly encourage keeping the volume at a level where you can hear ambient noise, such as instructions from officials or approaching vehicles.
Prohibited Items: For the safety of all runners, bicycles, scooters, and pets are not permitted on the course.
Pacing and Bandit: Non-registered pacers (runners not entered in the race) are strictly prohibited. Runners without a bib are considered bandits and it is strictly prohibited.
Littering: Please respect our local environment and bike paths. Dispose of all trash and gel packets at designated aid station bins.
Good Sportsmanship: Unsportsmanlike conduct toward volunteers, staff, or fellow participants is grounds for immediate disqualification.

Registration Policies

1. Refund Policy

The Athens Ohio Marathon has a strict no-refund policy. Like most marathons, the Athens Ohio Marathon commits to non-refundable expenses (permits, police details, insurance, medals, and shirts) months before the starting gun fires. Once you register, your entry fee is immediately put to work to make the race possible.

2. Deferment Policy

If you are unable to run due to injury or unexpected life events, we offer a one-year deferral to the following year’s event.

Deadline: Deferral requests must be made in the RunSignup Registration Website at least 14 days before the race.

Fee: we currently have a $0.00 deferral fee.

Deferrals are valid for one year only and cannot be “rolled over” a second time.

You can process a deferral to next year’s race yourself by logging in to your RunSignup account, and following these steps:

Click on your “Profile”
Find “Manage Registration” next to the Athens Ohio Marathon event.
Find the option to “Defer Registration” in the top menu (see image below).
Click “Confirm Deferral” at the bottom.

——–

Your registration credit is now “parked” in our system. Your original payment has been converted into a credit equal to the amount you paid for your entry this year, which you can apply toward our next event.

How to Claim Your Entry Next Year
You do not need a coupon code or a special link. When registration for next year’s race officially opens, please follow these steps to use your credit:

Log In: Go to RunSignup.com and log into the profile you used to register.
Access Deferrals: Click on the Profile (silhouette icon) in the top right, then scroll down to the “Deferrals” tab.
Complete Deferral: Find our race in your list and click the “Complete Deferral” link.
Register: Follow the prompts to enter next year’s event. On the final checkout page, your credit from this year will be automatically applied.

Note: If our race prices have increased or if there are new processing fees, you will only be responsible for the difference at checkout.

Important: You must go through the “Deferrals” tab to see your credit. If you go directly to the main race website and sign up as a new participant, the system will not know to apply your credit, and you will be charged full price.

3. Distance Switches (Upsizing/Downsizing)

We want you to have the best race day possible. You may switch between the Full Marathon and Half Marathon distances, provided the event is not sold out. You may also switch into the “Virtual” version of the Athens Ohio Marathon.

Deadline: Online distance switches must be completed 5 days prior to the race. Limited switches may be available at packet pickup (please ask) if capacity allows.

You can process a Distance Switch yourself online by logging in to your RunSignup account, and following the below steps:

Click on your “Profile”
Find “Manage Registration” next to the Athens Marathon event.
Find the option to “Transfer Event” (see image below).
You’ll be prompted to start the transfer.
Select the distance you want to transfer to.

After you select the distance you want to transfer to you’ll be prompted to complete the full registration process again. The cost of the distance switch will depend on the following catefories:

Downsizing (Full to Half): You may switch to the shorter distance at no extra cost, but no partial refunds will be issued for the difference in registration price.
Upsizing (Half to Full): You may switch to the longer distance by paying the current price difference between the two events.
Full/Half to Virtual: One option for runners that aren’t able to make the race due to life circumstances is to switch to the “virtual” edition of the race, which means you can complete the race anywhere you wish in a certain time period. Virtual runners receive a race shirt, bib, and medal in the mail.

4. Transfer Policy (Bib Exchanges)

We allow participants to transfer their registration to another person as a gift.

Deadline: one week prior to the race.

You can process a Participant Transfer yourself by logging in to your RunSignup account, and following these steps:

Click on your “Profile”
Find “Manage Registration” next to the Athens Ohio Marathon event.
Find the option to “Transfer to Someone Else” in the top menu (see image below).
You’ll be prompted to type in information of the person you want to transfer your entry to..
Click “Transfer As Gift” at the bottom.
After this transfer is initiated the new participant will receive an email and must complete the registration process.

*At this time there is no transfer fee for the Athens Ohio Marathon, and the new participant will pay $0.00 to the race, as it’s considered a “gift” from the original entrant. The two runners part of the transfer can exchange payment if desired.

Inclement Weather & Emergency Policy

Rain or Shine: The event will be held regardless of rain or cold temperatures. Please dress appropriately for the conditions.
Safety Delays & Cancellations: The Race Director, in coordination with local emergency services, reserves the right to delay the start, shorten the course, or cancel the event entirely in the case of “extreme” weather. This includes, but is not limited to:
- Lightning strikes within a 10-mile radius.
- Sustained high winds or dangerous gusts.
- Flash flooding or unsafe trail conditions.
- Extreme heat/humidity levels.
Communication: In the event of a change to the race schedule, updates will be communicated via the official Facebook page, email, and on-site public address systems.
No Refunds: Like most outdoor endurance events, we cannot offer refunds, transfers, or deferrals if the race is altered or cancelled due to weather or other “Acts of God.” All proceeds are already committed to race costs (permits, police, shirts, medals, and rentals) prior to race day.