Aid Stations

Q. What is available at the aid stations? Answer A. Each aid station will have water, Ultima Replenisher, oranges, and pretzels. Some aid stations will have additional food and drinks. It varies according to the volunteers manning the station.

Q. What if I am injured in between the aid stations? Answer A. The race provides mobile medics for runners who are injured and cannot make it to the next aid station. Medics will patrol sections of the trail to look for runners who need assistance. Mobile medics will patrol the course in six wheel ATV's from mile 7 to mile 15 and on bicycles from mile 15 to the finish line. If you find yourself injured and unable to make it to the next aid station, have another runner report your location and the nature of your injury at the next aid station. The nearest mobile medic will be dispatched by radio to your location and arrange transportation for you.

Q. What type of food will be available at the finish line? Answer A. We will be providing watermelon, bananas, oranges, and bagels to all runners at the finish. Spectators are welcome to share with the runners, but please let the runners have first chance on the refreshments.

	Bib Pickup

Q. When and where can I pickup my bib and race-packet? Answer A. Bib pick up will be held on Thursday, June 21st from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Friday, June 22nd from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the race host hotel, the Sheraton Anchorage Hotel located in downtown at 401 East 6th Avenue.

Q. Can I pick up my bib on race day? Answer A. No. There will be no bib pickup, chip pickup, or event changes on race day. If you can not personally attend bib pickup, you will need to send someone else to pick it up for you (see below).

Q. Can I pickup a bib for someone else? Answer A. Yes, but you will be required to show a photo ID and accept financial responsibility for each timing chip that you pick up.

Q. Is a shirt included with registration? Answer A. Yes...and No... A finshers race shirt will be given to each registered finisher at the finish. Be sure to pick up your finshers shirt as race organizers are unable to mail shirts to registrants before or after the event.

	Future Races

Q. What is the date of next year's race? Answer A. The Mayor's Marathon and Half Marathon is held each year on the Saturday closest to the summer solstice. Here are the dates of the next several races: June 23, 2012 June 22, 2013 June 21, 2014

	Headphones

Q. Are MP3/IPOD style players Allowed? Answer A. They are, but we strongly encourage everyone to be aware of their surroundings. Safety always comes first and race officials reserve the right to rescind this allowance.

	Lodging

Q. Where can I find out hotel info? Answer A. The Sheraton Anchorage Hotel is the host hotel for the event. The bib pick up and expo will be held at the Sheraton. The Anchorage Convention and Visitors Bureau provides information on a wide variety of lodging opportunities in the Anchorage area. The ACVB website provides information on individual hotels and allows you to contact multiple hotels with one email. Reservations should be made as early as possible since most hotel rooms and rental cars are booked for the week of the event.

	Marathon Walkers

Q. Are there any time limitations? Answer A. All participants must finish by 4:30 p.m. in order to be considered an official finisher. Marathon walkers that can maintain a sub 20 minute mile pace for the entire event will finish before the 8.5 hour time limit.

Q. Is there a sag wagon? Answer A. Yes. A sag wagon will be available for all registered marathon participants who cannot complete the race beginning at mile 15. Participants can be picked up at any aid station after mile 15 by notifying the medical personnel at that station.

	Photos

Q. Is there an official race photographer? Answer A. Our official race photographer will be taking photos near mile 16 and at the finish line. Make sure your bib number is visible or they won't know who you are. You will recieve an email no later than 10 days after the event with information on how to view your photo proof online.

	Race Course

	Race Start

Q. When do the races start? Answer A. The Marathon and Marathon Relay start at 8:00 a.m. on June 18th, 2011 at Bartlett High School. The Half Marathon, Five Miler, and Youth Cup start at 9:00 a.m. at West High School.

Q. How do I get to the Marathon start? Answer A. The Marathon and Relay events start at Bartlett High School, 25500 North Muldoon Road. Take any east/west thoroughfare all the way east to Muldoon. Turn North on Muldoon and go past the Glenn Hwy. Bartlett is the 2nd driveway on the right. Look for parking attendants. Start lining up for the start at 7:30 a.m.

Q. How do I get to the Half Marathon, Five Miler, and Youth Cup start? Answer A. The Half Marathon, 5-Miler and Youth Cup start at the north side of West High School, 1700 Hillcrest Dr. Plan to be at the start by 8:30 a.m. From downtown, head west to L Street (which becomes Minnesota Dr.) Turn south, and get in the right hand lane. Go down the hill and around the lagoon, and take the exit ramp for Hillcrest Dr. Turn right and then left into the first parking lot. Access to this parking lot is limited once the race begins.

Q. How can I get my personal items from the start line to the finish line? Answer A. Runners faced with the dilemma of how to get equipment, sweats, and warm-ups from the start to the finish can rest at ease. An equipment shuttle truck will be at the Bartlett start area. To utilize this service: 1. Write your name and bib # on the bags provided. 2. Place the equipment that you wish to transport, in the bag. 3. Tie a good knot. Your equipment bag will be transported to the West finish area and can be claimed with your bib. Race Officials and sponsors are not responsible for lost or damaged belongings. If you use this service, it is by your decision and knowledge of risk.

	Registration Changes

Q. Can I change events? Answer A. We allow event changes as long as they are completed before June 8th (in 2011). No event changes will be allowed on race day. If you are changing to a longer event (e.g. from half marathon to the marathon) then you must pay the difference in the entry fees. We are not able to give refunds if you change to a shorter event or cancel your registration. Prior to June 8th please notify by email (track@uaa.alaska.edu) the race director if you want to change events.

Q. Can you fix a typo in my registration? Answer A. If your name, age on race day or sex is incorrect please notify the race director as early as possible via e-mail. In your correspondence please list your full name as it is currently listed and what corrections need to be made.

Q. Can I get a refund if I cancel my registration? Answer A. Unfortunately we are not able to give refunds for any entry fees.

	Shuttle Buses

Q. Can my family ride on the shuttle? Answer A. Runners are given priority on all shuttles. Spectators can use the shuttles as long as there is space available. The shuttle buses that head to the start before the event are often too full to take spectators. Click here for more information on Shuttle Buses.

Q. What transportation is available? Answer A. Free shuttle buses are available to take runners to the marathon start from the downtown parking garages, downtown hotels and People Mover bus station before the start. Shuttles will also be available from the finish line back to the downtown parking garages, downtown hotels, the People Mover bus station and the marathon start. A shuttle bus schedule can be found by using the link below. Click here for more information on Shuttle Buses.

	Timing

Q. What type of timing system is used? Answer A. Since 1998, the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon has utilized the ChampionChip Timing System. Runners will be issued a timing chip with their bib. This chip must be tied to your shoe before the beginning of the race. An antenna at the finish line will sense your chip as you cross and assign you a finish time. Runners need to make sure that they are wearing the correct chip. Any runner who forgets to wear their chip or loses their chip will not receive a finish time. Please follow the instructions included with the chip.

Q. How will I find out my official time? Answer A. Unofficial results will be updated on this website throughout the day beginning at approximately 11:30 a.m. Alaska Standard Time on race day. We will also submit unofficial results to the Anchorage Daily News but have no control over how many finishers they print in the paper. We will be sending all runners a copy of the Official Race Results by e-mail in approximately 4-6 weeks.

Q. Can I follow a runner's progress during the race? Answer A. While we will update results throughout the day on race day, we do not have the capability of providing any splits for any of the events.

Q. What is Net Time? Answer A. Gun time is the time between when the gun went off and when you crossed the finish line. All of the Mayor's Midnight Sun Marathon events are scored using gun time. Net time is the time between when you crossed the start line to when you crossed the finish line. We only have the capability to provide net time for the marathon and do so only as a courtesy. Those who were standing at the front of the pack when the gun went off will have the same time for both gun and net time. USA Track and Field, the governing body for road races, only recognizes gun time as official times. This is why we use gun time as the official time for scoring the event. As far as qualifying times are concerned, it depends on the event you are trying to qualify for. The Boston marathon accepts net times for qualification, but other events do not. It is best to check with the event. As far as bragging rights are concerned, net time is the way to go!

	Walkers

Q. Are Walkers welcome? Answer A. Yes. Many participants walk. Walkers must line up behind all runners at the start area. There is not a separate start time for walkers.