Frequently Asked Questions
Aid Stations
Water Aid Stations, Water Aid Stations with Gel, and Porta Potties are indicated on each course map. Please see the Course Map for details on Water and Gel Stations for each race distance.
Awards
All finishers receive a custom, race-specific medal at the finish line. See Awards for details. We do not mail medals to runners who cannot attend the race.
Ceremony times are approximate. Please be patient when waiting for awards to start, sometimes there are runners inadvertently placed in the wrong age group or category, so it can take some time after the first group of runners have finished the race for us to verify the results before presenting awards. While you wait, enjoy food at the finish line, take your selfie with our podium, and don’t forget to claim you gear at bag drop.
9:30 AM 10K Awards
11:15 AM Marathon and Relay Awards
11:45 AM Half Marathon Awards
Bag Drop
Bag drop is available near the start line at the corner of Washington and Main. Please look for the moving truck and “bag check” banner. Bag drop is available between 6:30 AM and 8:30 AM. We provide a drop bag for you.
Bag pick up is near the finish line on Howard. Look for the moving truck and “bag check” banner. Bag pick up is available at the finish line beginning at approximately 9:15 AM. Do not leave valuables in bags! The Spokane Marathon is not responsible for any lost or damaged items.
Boston Qualifier
The Spokane Marathon is a Boston Qualifier.
Course closure
Course closes at 1 PM.
Deferral
Deferrals are closed for 2023. We have a deferral deadline so that we can manage our funding each year.
Dogs
Sorry, no dogs allowed on the course.
Finish Line
All races finish near the Spokane Veterans Arena (720 W Mallon Ave, Spokane, WA 99201) at Howard and Cataldo.
Enjoy music with our DJ and terrific post-race food. Also, be sure to visit our selfie station for a great post-race selfie. Shirt exchange and bag drop claim are also at the finish line.
Host Hotel
Thank you Davenport Hotel Collection for supporting our race! Several Davenport Hotels are conveniently near our course, stay at the Davenport Grand near the start line, or the Centennial near the finish line.
Medical Support
If you have a medical emergency, please call 911 as needed, or let a volunteer or a fellow runner know. If you need to drop from the race for any reason, please let someone know and we will assist you.
Pacing
Pacing is not allowed on the course. Family and friends cannot run with you if they have not registered for the race. Bicycles are not allowed to accompany runners on the course.
Parking
City parking meters are free on Sundays. Additionally, there are several pre-pay lots in the downtown area near the start and finish lines. More information on parking in downtown Spokane.. The distance between the start line near the Davenport Grand and the finish line near the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena is about 1 mile; you can walk through Riverfront Park to get between the start and finish.
Porta Potties
Porta Potties will be located near the start line for all races. Specifically, they will be on the South Side of Main Street, across from the Davenport Grand Hotel, between Washington St. and Bernard St. Additional porta potties will be located every several miles on the Half and Full Marathon courses.
Refunds and Transfers
We do not issue refunds.
However, to transfer your entry to a different race distance, please use Race Roster to initiate your transfer until the transfer deadline.
Transfers between race distances, or person to person: runner pays the difference in registration cost plus a $10 transfer fee. No refunds for transfers to a lower cost distance, cost of the original registration is credited to the new distance; $10 transfer fee is a separate cost. No online transfers after 9/15. Last chance transfers will be processed in person at packet pick up ONLY on 10/7. No email or Facebook message transfer requests will be processed.
Runners initiate their own transfer on our registration page. Click the Register link at the top of the site page which will take you to our registration page where you’ll click on Transfer to manage your own transfer. If you need help with a transfer, please see these instructions from Race Roster.
Registration
Late registration and transfers can be done in person on Saturday, October 7 at packet pick up at Fleet Feet in Kendall Yards from 10 AM – 3 PM.
Full $130
Half $115
10K $65
Relay (per runner) $65
Shirts
Shirts will be distributed at packet pick up for participants who registered by the shirt guarantee deadline of 9/15. Registrations after 9/15 are not guaranteed a shirt. See registration page for details. If you register after 9/15, you are not guaranteed a shirt, but we order some extras so you MAY find a shirt in your size for your race distance at the finish line. If you registered after the shirt guarantee deadline, you can stop by the tent near the finish line to see if a shirt is available for you. You won’t pay extra for the shirt, but only a limited number of extra shirts and sizes will be available at the finish line on a first come, first serve basis. We may not have your size at the finish line, so consider this your incentive to register early next year!
Shirt exchanges will occur only on Sunday after the race, and are on a first come, first served, basis in the tent area near the finish line.
Shirt details: Marathon unisex hoodie, half-marathon gender-specific long sleeve tech shirt, 10K gender-specific short sleeve tech shirt, marathon relay gender-specific short sleeve tech shirt. All shirts are race-specific.
We do not mail shirts to runners who cannot attend the race.
Start Times
All courses start in downtown Spokane, near the corner of Washington and Main. See Course Maps for details. There are no early or late starts. All races are chip timed. Courses close at 1 pm.
7:00 AM Marathon and Marathon Relay
8:00 AM 10K
9:00 AM Half Marathon
Strollers
If you are running with a stroller, please place yourself at the back of the starting area for your race to allow runners to safely navigate the course.
Timing
Chip timing for all races will be provided by Negative Split Timing. Please wear your bib on your front so that it is visible. Results will be available at nsplit.com/results live and after the race.
Weather
Plan for cool, crisp temperatures at the start line, around 36 degrees F. Please check the weather forecast and dress accordingly. Bag drop is available at the start line.
Policies
Code of Conduct
Head Phones – The use of personal music devices is strongly discouraged at this race. The courses are not closed, so for the safety of all participants we encourage a headphone-free environment during the running of the events.
The Spokane marathon and half marathon travel through much of the Spokane area, quite a bit of it through neighborhoods. Please remind your friends and family who are going to travel around the course to cheer for you to be considerate of the people living in those neighborhoods and the other runners in the race.
Be considerate of all runners—don’t drive along with the runners exposing them to your exhaust. Please park well off the road and cheer from the sidelines.
When you park in a neighborhood, please park where you won’t intrude on the neighbors. For example- Don’t park in driveways, don’t park in their flower beds, and if they come out to ask you to do something, don’t swear at them and call them names (Yes! This has all happened!)
Please don’t tell the neighbors that they can’t drive on the streets during the race. The roads are open, and we must share the road with the cars. Otherwise our permits won’t be renewed.
Treat their neighborhood as you would want yours treated if this were happening in your area. Sorry, no dogs allowed.
Illegal Aid
One rule that many people aren’t aware of is the rule of illegal aid. This is true in all races where awards are given. Runners should use the aid stations only (or carry what they need with them). Also, if someone is running beside you and pacing you, or blocking the wind for you, and they aren’t in the race, that is considered illegal aid. If you are getting water, gel, or any other aid from someone other than aid station workers, you are actually getting illegal aid. You are getting help that others in the race aren’t able to get. Now, if you are just trying to finish, chances are people won’t notice that your spouse is meeting you every half mile and giving you the secret potion that you need. However, if you are vying for an age-group award, it may become an issue. Technically, according to USATF and RRCA rules (which are the rules we abide by), this is grounds for disqualification. The marathon committee’s hope is that everyone on the course will act with integrity and finish the race within these rules. We have had to deal with this issue in the past, and would rather not have to do so again.
Inclement Weather Policy
Race personnel reserve the right to delay, cancel or suspend the race due to inclement weather. Participants must abandon the race if ordered to do so. Registration fees will not be refunded if the race is cancelled due to inclement weather.
