General Questions
Registration Questions
Packet Pickup & Expo
Race Day
Volunteers
Awards & Festival
General Questions
What is the date for the 2013 Army Marathon?
April 21, 2013
Why April 21?
The first Army Marathon will take place on the Sunday following the 238th anniversary of “The Shot Heard Around The World” – the beginning of the American Revolution. April 21 also marks the anniversary of the Battle of San Jacinto, the final battle in the war for Texas’ independence.
Registration Questions
Is The Army Marathon a Boston Qualifier?
Yes! The course has been certified by the USTAF; the certification is TX12213ETM.
Is The Army Marathon open to the public?
Yes! Civilian and military participants are welcome in both The Army Marathon and 5klicks run.
When does registration open and close?
Registration is open and will remain open until capacity has been reached. We anticipate hosting a maximum of 2,500 marathoners and 750 5klicks runners.
What are the registration fees?
Registration for The Army Marathon is $75.00 through March 21, 2013. From March 22 through April 18, marathon registration will be $85.00. Onsite registration at the Expo will be $95.00. Registration for the 5klicks run is $25.00, increasing to $30.00 on March 22 through April 18. 5klicks registration at the Expo will be $35.00
May I register in person?
Not until the Expo. We suggest you register in advance through our online registration system. Register here.
Do you allow walkers in The Army Marathon?
Yes, walkers are encouraged as long as they are able to complete the course within the cutoff time. Please see the PACE CHART. Important: To ensure the safety of everyone, participants who have not passed Mile 15 by 10:40 am or Mile 20 by 12 noon will be picked up by a race vehicle and transported to the finish line area. The Army Marathon course will have staged closings for seven hours. That’s a 16 minute per mile pace.
Will there be a wheeled division in The Army Marathon?
Yes! We are excited to be able to include a wheelchair and handcycle division. Wheelchair participants must wear helmets and use racing style wheelchairs. Please review the full rules here: 2013 Army Marathon Wheelchair & Handcycle Rules.
Is there an age limit to be eligible to run the full marathon?
Yes. You must be 18 years of age prior to April 21, 2013 to be eligible to register for the full marathon. This age limit is based on advice from the International Marathon Medical Directors’ Association. For the full article, click here: http://www.aimsworldrunning.org/articles/Children&Marathoning.pdf
Is there a limit to field size?
The Army Marathon is limited to 2,500 runners and the 5klicks is limited to 750 runners. These numbers may be increased or decreased based upon resources available as race day approaches.
What are typical race day temperatures in Bell County?
Min 54.4 Mean 65.5 High 76.5
Can I switch my registration to another distance?
If you need to switch from The Army Marathon to the 5klicks run, requests will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis. Request should be emailed to info @ thearmymarathon.com. All requests are subject to availability and no refunds of original registration fees will be made.
Can I transfer my registration to another person?
We cannot transfer registration from person to person.
Can I defer my registration to another year?
We cannot defer registration to another year at this time but will in future races.
I have been issued orders to deploy, and I have already registered and paid to participate in The Army Marathon. Can I get a refund?
Refunds will be given to individuals who have deployment orders that will prevent them from participating in the marathon. Please contact us for requirements and additional details.
Requests must be received at The Army Marathon office by April 30, 2013 to receive a refund.
Military Discounts / Promo Codes
Our efforts are focused on raising money for our charities, therefore we do not offer discounts or promotional codes for The Army Marathon.
Packet Pickup & Expo
When and where are packet pick up and the Expo?
Runner packets will be available for pick up at the Expo on Friday and Saturday, April 19-20. Hours for the Expo are:
Friday, April 19 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Saturday, April 20 from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
There will be no packet pick up on race day.
The Expo will be held at the Bell County Expo Center in Belton, Texas. The Center is located at I-35 South and Loop 121, between the cities of Belton and Temple.
Do I have to pick up my packet in person?
Your Army Marathon bib and packet may be picked up by a family member or friend if you give them a copy of your driver’s license and a statement signed by you indicating your permission for them to pick up your items. The Army Marathon cannot be responsible for reissuing a bib number if your bib and packet are not provided to you.
What can I expect at the Expo?
In addition to picking up your bib number and packet, you will be able to view merchandise and services. You can meet our sponsors’ and charities’ representatives and, in general, get set for a great race day.
We are pleased to have Rogue Running on hand to offer running-related products and assistance. Please visit Rogue Running before the Expo at Rogue Running.
Race Day
What is the marathon course?
The Army Marathon will run from Killeen, just outside Fort Hood, Texas through Harker Heights, near Nolanville, through Belton and end in Temple. For safety, the course will be well marked and patrolled by local law enforcement and Army Marathon volunteers. Please see the course map and description here.
Where does The Army Marathon start and finish?
The start line for the Army Marathon is located at the Killeen Civic and Convention Center. The finish line is in Temple on Hilliard Road, just south of Airport Road.
Important: Due to safety constraints, the start line will CLOSE at 0645 hours. Please ensure your timely arrival at the start line corrals to permit your participation in The Army Marathon.
What is the 5klicks course?
The Army Marathon 5klicks course is a 5 kilometer race that will begin and end at The Army Marathon finish line on Hilliard Road, just south of Airport Road. The course is “out and back” from the finish line area to Route 2305 and just before Pea Ridge Road. The course will include one water stop.
Please see the course map and information here.
What time will the marathon race start? How about the 5klicks race?
Start time for The Army Marathon is 0630 hours on Sunday, April 21, 2013 at the Killeen Civic and Convention Center. Important: Due to safety constraints, the start line will CLOSE at 0645 hours. Please ensure your timely arrival at the start line corrals to permit your participation in The Army Marathon.
The 5klicks race will start at 0730 hours in Temple at The Army Marathon finish line.
Where can I park?
Parking for The Army Marathon is available at the Killeen Civic and Convention Center. . To get to the Convention Center, please exit HWY 190 (from either direction) and travel south on WS Young to approach the parking lots on the right. Buses will be provided from the finish line back to Killeen(See below.)
Parking for the 5klicks run and spectator parking at the finish line and festival area is available at the Pepper Creek Trail, located on the Scott & White campus on Kegley Road, just south of Airport Road.
VERY IMPORTANT: The Killeen Police Department will be completely shutting down WS Young at 0600 hours. If you are not parked by 0600, you will be diverted to another street and possibly delayed. Although inconvenient, this is to ensure your safety, as well as that of other participants.
Will there be pace groups?
We will not have pace groups this year. However if you want to run and carry a placard with your anticipated time, please do.
Where are the aid stations? What can I expect there?
There are 19 aid stations located along the course, approximately every 1 to 1.5 miles. Each water stop will feature water and CeraSport EX1, an electrolyte replacement drink. Each station will be staffed by Scott & White medical personnel. Portable restrooms will be available at each stop.
Runners are advised to bring their own energy gels, bars and food. At this time we cannot guarantee such items will be available on the course.
How long will the course remain open?
Short answer: 7 hours.
Longer answer: The Army Marathon will have staged closings as runners move from Killeen through Bell County to Temple. Staged or “rolling” closings are unique to point-to-point marathons and allow road re-openings in areas where runners have cleared. The course will officially close at 1330 hours – seven hours after the start.
The seven hour window represents a 16 minute per mile pace.
How long will the 5klicks course remain open?
The 5klicks course will remain open for one hour. Since the 5klicks participants and marathoners will use the same finish line, we need to have all 5klicks participants cleared and in the festival area prior to the arrival of the first marathoner.
The 5klicks one-hour course represents a 19 minute per mile pace.
How early should I arrive at the race venue?
The earlier the better! We suggest that marathoners arrive in Killeen at the start line at least one and one-half hour ahead of the scheduled 0630 start. For 5klicks participants, please plan to arrive one hour prior to the 0730 start.
Will there be transportation from the finish line back to the starting line since this is a point-to-point marathon?
Yes, we will be providing shuttle buses on a continuous basis starting about 1030 hours (four hours after the beginning of the race.)
Are headphones allowed on the course?
While we cannot completely ban headphones, please be aware that the course runs on some active roads. We ask that all runners be very aware of traffic conditions at all times.
Will there be photography along the route?
Photography for The Army Marathon will be provided by Kreutz Photography. Following the marathon, participants may view and purchase photographs at Kreutz Photography online.
What about race timing?
The Army Marathon and 5klicks races will be timed by RunFar Racing. Results of the races will be posted in the finish area and online.
Gun or chip timing?
Chip timing will be used for official results.
Will there be a clothing/gear drop at the race?
Yes. At the Expo, you will receive your runner’s bag that will be used as your gear/clothing drop bag. You will be responsible for writing your race bib number on the bag; please do not bring bags other than the one given to you to the gear drop. Bag pick up at the finish line will close at 2pm.
For The Army Marathon, the gear drop will be near the start line at the Killeen Civic and Convention Center. Your bag will be transported to the finish line in Temple where you may reclaim your bag with your bib number.
For the 5Klicks run, there will be a gear/clothing drop near the start/finish line.
Please do not put cell phones, keys, money and other valuables in the gear bags. The Army Marathon cannot be responsible for lost items.
Gear check will close at 0615 hours.
Can I push a baby stroller, use a walking stick, roller blade, or take my dog on the course?
No, they are not permitted on the course.
Are there locations along the course where my group can support our runners?
We love that you want to support the runners! Because the marathon course will be run along state roads traffic may be a bit congested in some areas. When choosing a location to cheer on the runners, please consider both your safety and theirs.
With that in mind, we suggest the following as great locations:
- Anywhere prior to mile 8.
- Safe areas along FM 439 and 2305 (West Adams Avenue)
- FM 2271 (some areas will be closed to traffic, so plan to park nearby and walk to the course.)
- The finish line, of course!
Please – for your safety – always be aware of the runners. Please be careful not block other runners while cheering for, and inspiring yours!
Volunteers
The Army Marathon would not be possible without the assistance of dedicated volunteers. To become a part of this inspiring group, please let us know by registering on our Volunteer page.
Awards & Festival
What will we find at the finish line?
A great celebration for our runners, their friends and families and most of all the veterans and service members to whom we dedicate this great event. We will be announcing details soon!
What time are the awards?
The awards presentations will begin at 1030 hours. (For civilians, that’s 10:30 am, of course!)
Will there be age-group awards for The Army Marathon?
Yes! Marathon awards will be presented as follows:
- Overall – Men’s and Women’s – first, second and third places.
- Masters (ages 40-59) – Men’s and Women’s – first, second and third places.
- Grand Masters (ages 60+) – Men’s and Women’s – first, second and third places.
- Age Group Awards – Men’s and Women’s in each group – first, second and third places.
18-19
20-24
25-29
30-34
35-39
40-44
45-49
50-54
55-59
60-64
65-69
70+
For the 5Klicks, awards will be given in the Overall Male and Female categories, first, second through third.
I have to leave right after I finish. How may I collect my award if I place?
We will mail it to you at the address on your registration form.
Will there be “Unit Awards”?
The military unit with the fastest combined five finishers will receive a Unit Trophy that will be delivered to their unit. The unit winner will be announced on our website and social media channels following the marathon. We expect the process of determining the winner to take some additional time because of the complexity of the unit group dynamics.