FAQs...

  1. What races are eligible for qualifying purposes?
  2. Do you have official designated qualifying races?
  3. I haven't qualified yet, but I know I can meet the standard. Can I sign up now and qualify later?
  4. How long the course is open for the marathon and the half marathon?
  5. Is the National Marathon a Boston qualifier?
  6. If I enter the half marathon can I continue on and finish the marathon? Or vice-versa?
  7. Is the SunTrust National Marathon & Half Marathon affiliated with the old DC Marathon?
  8. Is there a minimum age requirement?
  9. Can I receive a refund, transfer my number, or get a deferment to next year?
  10. When does registration begin and when does it end?
  11. Can I register at the Expo?
  12. Where is packet pick up?
  13. Can someone else pick up our number?
  14. Can I receive my packet by mail? Or, can I pick my packet up on the day of the race?
  15. Can I switch between the half marathon and the full?
  16. Are there starting corrals? How do they work?
  17. Will there be a finisher medal for the marathon and half marathon?
  18. Is there a wheelchair division?
  19. May entrants wear headphones during the race?
  20. Do you have an official pace team?
  21. Where is the Runner's Village?
  22. I will not be able to run the event, but I am interested in volunteering. How do I sign up to volunteer for the 2009 SunTrust National Marathon?

If you do not see the FAQ you are looking for, please contact Marathon Information
 
1)  Any race that records and publishes your time will serve as a SunTrust National Marathon & Half Marathon qualifier - as long as that race distance meets our qualifying parameters.
 
 
2) Any race that publishes results either via internet or officially printed results can be used as a qualifier for the 2009 SunTrust National Marathon and Half Marathon.

Please visit www.runwashington.com for the Greater Washington region's list of races. If you live outside the area: http://www.runningnetwork.com/eventcalendar.html.
   
 
3)  No. Your entry will be denied if date of the qualifying race has not occurred in the qualifying window which is January 1st, 2003 to the present day
   
 
4)  Our course is open 6 hours (7:00am - 1:00pm) for the marathon, and 3 hours (7:00am - 10:00am) for the half marathon.
   
 
5)  Yes. The 2009 SunTrust National Marathon will be a USATF certified course and serves as both a 2009 and 2010 Boston qualifier.
   
 
6)  No. Each race has its own bib color and spotters will be set up just past the break point to ensure the half marathoners are heading the right direction. Half marathoners that try to continue the marathon or marathoners that attempt to finish the half marathon will not be included in the official results and will be disqualified from our competition.
   
 
7)  No. The Greater Washington Sports Alliance is a separate management group. As the region's sports commission, the Greater Washington Sports Alliance mission is to increase the visibility of the region's assets, attract and promote local events, provide funding for youth sports initiatives, and build hometown passion, pride and loyalty.
   
 
8) Yes, you must be 18 years of age on race day in order to run the marathon or the half marathon.
   
 
9) There is absolutely a "No Refund/Transfer/Deferment" Policy for this event. However upon notification of the participant’s race cancellation, your entry fee will be donated to the Greater Washington Sports Alliance League of Charities as part of our Cancel For Charity program. For more information on our charitable foundation please CLICK HERE.

WARNING!!! Do not attempt to sell or give away your bib number/registration. The SunTrust National Marathon maintains a very strict NO TRANSFER policy. Particular participant information is attached to each bib number, and marathon staff cannot be held responsible for medical liability or other errors should a runner participate under another individual's predetermined bib number.

Our staff monitors web sites that are used to attempt to sell race bib numbers, and your registration will be cancelled and your registration funds revoked if you are discovered to be attempting to sell your bib number in any way.

   
 
10) Registration for the 2009 SunTrust National Marathon on July 4th, 2008. Registration for the 2009 event will end 9:00pm EST on March 20th, 2009, at our Health & Fitness Expo in the DC Armory.

Online Registration ends March 18th, 2009
Offline Registration ends March 16th, 2009
   
 
11) Registration for the both the full marathon and half marathon will be available during the Health & Fitness Expo on March 20th, 2009.

There is NO race day registration! No exceptions.
   
 
12) Packet Pick-Up is at the Health & Fitness Expo at the DC Armory. The DC Armory is conveniently located at the Metro Stadium/Armory Stop off of the Orange/Blue Line. Visit WMATA for more information.

Driving Directions to Armory, please visit: http://mappoint.msn.com/ and enter the Armory address for the best directions from your starting point.

 

 
13) Yes. For security reasons, the proxy must bring a photo copy of the registrant's driver license or other valid photo identification to the packet pick up location. The proxy will also be asked to sign the photo copy.
   
 
14) No on both accounts. All packets MUST be picked up at the Health and Fitness Expo scheduled to be held from 11am to 9pm at the DC Armory on Friday, March 20th. There is no Race Day packet pick-up.
   
 
15) You have until midnight on March 6th, 2009 to make ANY changes to your registration. The only charge is the difference in entry fee if you move up from the half marathon up to the full marathon ($15.00). There is no difference of fee or refund for switching from the marathon down to the half marathon. Contact MarathonInfo is you wish to make a switch.
   
 
16) Yes. You will be assigned the corral that corresponds to the estimated pace per mile that you indicated on your registration form. Marathoners and half marathoners will be corralled together, since both the full and half marathon start at 7:00am.
   
 
17) Yes. There will be a finisher medal for both the marathon and the half marathons.
   
 
18) Yes. There is a wheelchair division in the marathon event only. All wheelchair athletes must be entered by March 6th, 2009. Handcrank wheelchair athletes are not permitted this year.
   
 
19) For your safety, we do not allow headphones out on the course during the marathon or the half marathon. An urban environment like D.C., with multiple intersections, does not make for a headphone friendly course.
   
 
20) Yes, we are very fortunate to once again welcome back the Navy Marathon Pace Team as our official pacers. They will be covering the marathon at paces from 3:00:00 to 4:00:00.

For more information on the Navy Marathon Pace Team, see United States Naval Academy Marathon Club
   
 
21) The Village is scheduled to be located at the DC Armory Mall just west of RFK Stadium. This is the Start and Finish area for the Marathon and Half Marathon. The address for RFK Stadium is 2400 East Capitol Street, S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003.
 
 
22) Please see our VOLUNTEER page for more information, or contact our volunteer director at volunteer@nationalmarathon.com