Marathon 3-Person Relay Details
Saturday, September 18th, 2021 at 7:30 a.m.
National Museum of the U.S. Air Force
Registration Opens January 1st, 2021.
Course Map & Description
PDF Download of 2021 Relay Map [COMING SOON]
The Air Force Marathon relay takes place on the marathon course, with two relay exchanges at miles 8 and 17.
Leg 1 relay participants start at the same time as the other marathoners – 7:30 a.m. There is not a separate start time for relay teams.
Leg 2 and 3 relay participants will be bused to their respective exchange zone. They should report to the Relay Loading Zone near the start line on Springfield Drive.
| Leg | Location | Leg Distance | Total Distance |
| 1 | Starting Line to Mile 8 Aid Station | ~8 miles | ~8 miles |
| 2 | Mile 8 Aid Station to Mile 17 Aid Station | ~9 miles | ~17 miles |
| 3 | Mile 17 Aid Station to Finish Line | ~9 miles | 26.2 miles |
Participant Amenities
All registered relay participants will receive a race shirt, virtual goodie bag, and an optional complimentary commemorative patch. Participants who are 21 years old or older will also receive a voucher for a complimentary beer at the finish line.
All relay finishers will receive a medal, special gift, and finish line refreshments. Finisher certificates will be available to download after the race.
Rules & Regulations
Age Restrictions
Participants must be 12 years old or older on race day in order to register for the relay.
Safety on the Course
No animals, no strollers, no baby joggers, no bicycles, no scooters, no inline skates, no roller skates, and no wheeled vehicles (other than registered wheelchair and official Bike EMS and Patrol Teams) will be allowed on the course.
Bib Pick-Up
Bib pick-up will be held at the Health & Fitness Expo located at the Wright State University Nutter Center on September 16th and 17th. There will be no bib pick-up on Saturday, September 18th.
What You Need:
You must present a photo ID and know your bib number or team name in order to pick up your bib. Bib numbers will be issued in late August, and you may either look them up ahead of time, or look them up at the designated Bib Number Look-Up station at the Expo.
Relay packets will be distributed at the Relay Pickup Counter at the Expo and will contain all materials and supplies for each of the runners on the team. Only one member of the team may pick up the packets for the team, but all team members are advised to come for the pick up and distribution of team packets. Packets will be organized by team name.
If you are unable to attend the Expo yourself, you must make arrangements for a representative to pick up your bib for you. You must fill out and sign the Bib Pick-Up Authorization Form, and your representative must present the completed form, a copy of your photo ID, and their own photo ID. Representatives who do not have these three things will not be able to pick up your bib, no exceptions.
Parking & Directions
We offer free runner shuttles from the Nutter Center to the start line, as well as free onsite parking located approximately one mile from the start line. See the Directions, Parking, & Shuttles page for details.
Awards
Awards will be presented to the top three male, female and mixed team finishers in the following categories:
See the Awards page for more details.
Divisions
Men’s Team
Women’s Team
Mixed Male/Female (2:1 gender ration; one must be a female)
Military Male
Military Female
Military Male/Female (2:1 gender ration; one must be a female)
ROTC (2:1 gender ration; one must be a female)
Marathon 3-Person Relay FAQs
Yes! We will close the relay at 250 teams, so make sure to register your team early so it doesn't sell out!
Go to our home page and click the "Register" link. This will take you to Race Roster, our registration website. Only one person, the team captain, will create and pay for the team and create a team password. Once done, the other two team members will register under a separate sub event for free and use the team password to do so.
The team captain does not need to have teammates selected at the time of registration.
Please note that there will be no relay registration at the expo or on race day.
New Year's Resolution (Jan 1-3): $160
Early Bird (Jan 4-Mar 7): $180
Registration 1 (Mar 8-May 2): $200
Registration 2 (May 3-July 4): $215
Registration 3 (July 5-Sept 15): $230
Expo (Sept 16-17): There will be no relay registration at the expo.
Men's Team, Women's Team, Mixed Male/Female (2:1 gender ration; one must be a female), Military Male, Military Female, Military Male/Female (2:1 gender ration; one must be a female), ROTC (2:1 gender ration; one must be a female)
Each team will consist of three runners. The relay is held on the same course as the individual marathon and run at the same time. Each Relay team is assigned a single timing chip that is attached to a timing belt that will be passed from each runner. The belt must be passed off to the next runner of the relay after crossing over the timing pad at the relay exchange. The distances for each leg are approximate, not exact.
Please check back for details as we are currently designing the 2021 course.
Go to our website at usafmarathon.com or our registration website at raceroster.com and click on Confirm Your Registration.
Yes, you will receive a confirmation email from Race Roster after you register. If you don't see it in your inbox, please check your spam folder or email us at usaf.marathon@us.af.mil to confirm your registration.
The Marathon Relay Team packets will be distributed at The Air Force Marathon Health & Fitness Expo at the Relay Pickup Counter and will contain all materials and supplies for each of the runners on the team. Only one member of the team may pick up the packets for the team, but all team members are encouraged to come for the pickup and distribution of team packets. Packets will be organized by team name. There is no race day packet pick up.
Again, only one team member picks up all three packets. All three packets are packed together. But, we encourage you to bring your entire team and have fun checking out the race expo. It adds to the weekend experience.
No, there will be no race day packet pick up. Please make sure you pick up your team's packet at the Expo on Thursday or Friday. There is also no expo or race day registration for relay teams.
Yes, but make sure all team members know who is picking it up so there's no confusion.
Your team members race bibs, team timing device along with other goodies from vendors and businesses will be in your race bag. You MUST have your race bibs and timing device in order to run the race.
All relay teams will be issued one timing device per team that will be distributed during packet pickup. Each team member will exchange the timing device at each relay stop. You will need to contact the timer and give them your approximate finishing time and they will be able to cross reference their manual timing. They'll be located in their timing tent near the finish.
No, there is no race day registration.
An individual team member may drop off your team and switch, but they will need to pay the marathon or half marathon race registration fee.
The marathon relay starts at 7:30am on Saturday, September 18th – the same time the marathon and half marathon starts.
Please check back for details as we are currently designing the 2021 course.
Each relay leg runner will be wearing a colored bib (with no timing chips), which must be attached and visible on their front. Then each team will receive ONE timing belt with one chip. This will be buckled around the active runner and will be passed among the team. Each leg will be timed individually, in addition to the total team time. Belts will be returned at the end of the race in the finisher chute.
Relay runners will need to be alert for their upcoming exchange zone. This area will be designated by signs and will be to the side of the marathon course after crossing over the timing mat allowing for room to pass off the belt. Please be considerate of other runners during the transition.
No, there will be no relay run-in at the finish for runner safety and security. Failure to comply will result in team disqualification. You will not be awarded the Relay Challenge finisher’s medal in the finish area. Relay teams will be able to meet near the Relay Challenge Tent for their reunion, finisher medals, and team photos.
Transportation will be provided to and from the start and finish of each leg of the relay. There will be no private vehicles due to the race being held on the Air Force base.
No animals, no strollers, no baby joggers, no bicycles, no scooters, no inline skates, no roller skates, and no wheeled vehicles (other than registered wheelchair and official Bike EMS and Patrol Teams) will be allowed on the course.
Participants registered for the Relay may defer their registrations to 2022 by completing the deferral process online by September 1st. When you defer you ARE NOT automatically be registered for the 2022 event. Registrations may only be deferred for one year.
Please note that if you choose to defer your relay entry, you will be deferring your entire team to the next year.
You may substitute members of your relay team through Race Roster. Any substitutions must follow the process online and sign a waiver. September 1st will be the last day to substitute.
Yes, please see the Full Marathon Course Map for details on the location of the hydration stations, water, electrolytes, fruits, and gels.
If you are part of leg #2 or leg #3, you may want to pack additional food and drinks for while you're waiting on course.
Yes, if issues arise on race morning such as a lost bib, missed bus, team no show, sickness or injury, two team members may run.
One member can run two legs, and the other runner will run their normal one leg. If two legs are being completed by the same person, they must be legs #1 and #2.