Mississippi River Marathon

EVENT DETAILS

The Inaugural Mississippi River Marathon will be held February 9th, 2013.
Before the start of the race, runners will meet at the finish line and be bused to the start line (runners also have the option of being dropped off at the start line, but no parking will be available).
Start at scenic Lake Chicot in Arkansas (Full) or the Arkansas side of the HWY 82 Bridge (Half) and finish in historic Downtown Greenville, MS.
Aid Stations at approximately every mile.
Clock at the 13.1 mile mark.
Portalets at approximately every aid station.
Spirit stations featuring Delta music and other entertainment.

Parking

We encourage all participants and visitors to park on the boat ramp at the end of Main St. This location is approximately a five minute walk to the finish line/bus loading area (there will not be parking available at the start lines).

Weather

Average high: 58°F (record of 81° in 1996)
Average low: 34°F (record of -1° in 1951)
Mean: 46°F

Bag Check
Do you want to wear something warm before the race but not while running? Just put it in the bag you received at packet pickup and drop it off at bag check located at the starting lines. Please use the supplied bag with your bib # clearly marked on it for ease of retrieval at the finish line. Although we will make every attempt to get your personal belongings back to you safely, the Mississippi River Marathon is not responsible for lost or stolen items. Clothing dropped anywhere else will be donated to a local charity.

Restricted Items
The following items are strictly prohibited to ensure runner safety and compliance with liability insurance requirements. Refusal to comply may result in immediate disqualification:

unregistered runners
unauthorized vehicles
bicycles
roller skates and roller blades
skateboards
runners with pets
any type of support or unauthorized pacing device

Headphones are allowed but not recommended. Mississippi River Marathon recognizes the potential danger of wearing such devices during a race on city streets shared with auto traffic. Consequently, we strongly urge participants not to use headphones.

Road Runners Club of America also discourages the use of headphones: "Don't wear headsets. Use your ears to be aware of the surroundings. Using headphones, you lose the use of an important sense—your hearing. Always stay alert and aware of what's going on around you. The more aware you are, the less vulnerable you are."

Amenities

race number (bib) and timing tag
each participant will be furnished a "B-tag" timing device that is affixed to the bib. Do not remove the B-tag for any reason; without it, you will not receive an official time
goodie bag
official race T-shirt
finisher medal
post-race food and beverages
post-race bag-check area
invitation to the afternoon's post-race celebration

Official Timing
We track each participant's time in two ways:

Gun time - time it takes you to finish the race based on when the start gun is fired
Chip time - time it takes you to finish the race based on when you cross the start line

Results for the Open (Overall) Division will be based on gun time. For all other divisions, age groups and races, the results will be based on chip time. Runners will be eligible for awards only in the specific race they registered for.

Medical Support
There will be medical support on the course throughout the marathon and half marathon courses. Runners who must drop out of the race will be picked up at one of the aid stations, which will be in contact with the main medical unit.

Course Schedule
Course cut-off time: 7 hours
Traffic control, cones and aid stations will close in stages as the event progresses (some before 3PM).
To take full advantage of all race support, full marathoners should maintain a 15-minute/mile pace. Once race support closes, participants will be asked to either leave the course or proceed at their own risk
The finish line will operate until 3:00 p.m. Official times will be recorded and medals distributed to those participants who complete their race up to this time.

Certifications and Sanctioning
The marathon is a USATF certified course. This marathon is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon. For additional details and a list of qualifying times, visit the Boston Marathon website.

Elite Athletes
Elite athletes are welcome to compete. Entry fees will be waived for those runners who have met certain standards. See bottom of registration page for qualifying times. Elite athletes should email us at mississippirivermarathon@gmail.com.