February 12, 2019

Welcome All Runners:

We invite you to participate in the 2019 Soldier Marathon, the Soldier Half Marathon or the Soldier 5k Race. This will be our 10th year of running the Soldier Marathon races. Our Planning Team appreciates your hard work in training and preparing for a long distance race. We are also runners and like to say the Soldier Marathon races are planned by runners for runners. We plan the Soldier Marathon races to give runners a great experience and to salute our soldiers.

This is also the 10th year of the National Infantry Museum. We invite all runners and guests while at the race to take a few minutes on the grounds of the National Infantry Museum to tour the Viet Nam Wall Memorial and the Global War on Terrorism Memorial as well as the Galleries inside the Museum. These memorials give us a deeper perspective and appreciation for our soldiers.

Columbus was very fortunate to be selected as the home of Fort Benning in 1918. Over the past 100 years every soldier in our nation has come to Fort Benning at some point in their service to receive training. We are very, very grateful for the sacrifices made by all the soldiers to preserve our precious freedoms, which we all know are not “free.” Freedom comes with a price, and too often it’s a very heavy price.

We could not plan and conduct the Soldier Marathon races without the support of our sponsors, our many volunteers, and the support of the National Infantry Museum, Fort Benning, Columbus, Phenix City, and we thank you all.

We are proud to have donated $300,000 to local military organizations since the inception of the Soldier Marathon races in 2010. Those organizations are the National Infantry Museum, Fort Benning’s MWR, Team Red White and Blue, and the House of Heroes.

We wish to thank all those who have made the Soldier Marathon races so successful.

Cecil Cheves,

Race Director

November 8, 2018

SOLDIER MARATHON, HALF MARATHON & 5K RACES

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. How do I register?

A. You may register on Active.com. We have online registration only. There is no paper mail-in registration.

Q. Where is the race held?

A. The race is held at the National Infantry Museum in Columbus, Georgia. The start line and the finish line are on Heritage Walk (often called the Avenue of Flags) on the grounds of the National Infantry Museum.

Q. What time does the race start?

A. The Marathon and Half Marathon races start at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. The 5k race starts at 8:10 a.m.

Q. How long is a Marathon race?

A. A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42.195 kilometers.

Q. How long is a Half Marathon race?

A. A half marathon is 13.1 miles or 21.0975 kilometers.

Q. How long is a 5K race?

A. A 5K race is 3.1 miles or 5.0 kilometers.

Q. Can I use this race to qualify for the Boston, London or NYC Marathon.

A. Yes. The marathon and half marathon courses have been certified and are also sanctioned by USA Track and Field.

Q. Is the marathon a wheelchair or handcrank friendly course?

A. No. The Riverwalk section of our course is too narrow for the two-way traffic of runners outbound and inbound as well as for wheelchairs or handcranks. We do allow strollers for the half-marathon and 5k races.

Q. Can I push a stroller?

A. Strollers are permitted and depending on the ability of the runner pushing the stroller may be asked to line up at the back of the pack of runners. My Team Triumph strollers are permitted at the front of the start line and allowed to start a few minutes before the official start of the race.

Q. Are hydration packs allowed?

A. No, for security reasons hydration packs and backpacks are not allowed.

Q. How will the course be marked?

A. The course will be marked at every mile.

Q. Something came up – can I switch races?

A. Participants can transfer to another Soldier Marathon race by paying a small processing fee. Please go to Active.com for instructions on how to transfer to another race.

Q. Something came up- can I defer my entry to next year?

A. No, after you register we do not allow deferral to next year’s Soldier Marathon races. The administration for requests for deferrals became more than we could keep up with.

Q. Can I get a refund?

A. No, unless you have military orders.

Q. Something came up- can I defer my entry to next year?

A. No, after you register we do not allow deferral to next year’s Soldier Marathon races. The administration for requests for deferrals became more than we could keep up with.

Q. Can I sell or transfer my race entry to another runner?

A. No, we do not permit you to sell or transfer your bib number to another runner. This is in accordance with USATF rules which sanctions our race.

Q. Can I register on race day?

A. Yes, you may register at packet pickup on race morning from 6:00a.m. – 7:45a.m.

Q. Where is packet pickup?

A. Packet pickup is at the National Infantry Museum located at 1775 Legacy Way, Columbus, Georgia 31903.

Q. How many water stations are on the course?

A. The Full Marathon course has 15 water stations and the Half Marathon course has 7 water stations. Water stations range from 1.2 miles to 2.5 miles apart.

Q. What hydration drink will be on the course and where?

A. Each water station will be stocked with Callaway Blue water and PowerAde provided by Coca-Cola.

Q. What energy gel will be available on the course?

A. Gu energy packets will be available on the course at the water stations at miles 6.6, 10, 13, 15.5, mile 18.2, 20.7, and 23.5.

Q. Where do I park on race morning?

A. The National Infantry Museum, Oxbow Meadows, S. Lumpkin Road.

Q. Can my friends and family track me while I run?

A. A link on our website, SoldierMarathon.com, will allow family members and friends to key in the bib number or last name of the runner they want to track.

Q. What is the Fallen Hero program and how do I sign up?

A. The Fallen Hero program gives participants the opportunity to run in honor of a Fallen Hero who has paid the ultimate sacrifice either while serving our country or after serving our country honorably. We will have names of Fallen Heroes you can choose at a table at packet pick up, or you can add a name of a Fallen Hero you many know.

Q. Is there a minimum age to run?

A. The minimum age for the full marathon is 16 years old and the minimum age for the half marathon is 10 years old. The minimum age for the 5k Race is 3 years old.

Q. Will Porta-Potties be on the race course?

A. Porta-Potties will be located at each water station on the course.

Q. What food and drink will be available after the race?

A. Thanks to McDonalds, Coke, Michelob and Callaway we offer our runners hamburger, burritos, soft drinks, water and beer. Also we offer fruit and bagels.

Q. Will a massage be available after the race?

A. Yes, a massage tent with masseuses is available at the finish line after the race at no charge to our runners.

Q. Will medical services be available if I need them?

A. Yes, medical personnel are available at the medical tent at the finish line and also on the course at the medical tent near the Trade Center at mile 15 and 18. Also ambulance services are on standby. Volunteers are also stationed along the course with access to golf carts to assist runners.

Q. Is there security on the course?

A. Yes, there is military, police and museum security on the course and at the National Infantry Museum Start and Finish line. Military police provide security on the Fort Benning section of the course. Columbus police provide security on the Columbus section of the course. Phenix City police provide security on the Phenix City section of the course.

Q. Who do the race proceeds benefit?

A. The net profits from the race are paid to local military organizations. In the past these military beneficiaries have been the National Infantry Museum, House of Heroes – Chattahoochee Valley Chapter, Team Red White & Blue, and Ft. Benning MWR.

Q. What will the weather be like?

A. The weather is usually clear and in the 40’s at the start rising to the 60’s during the day.

Q. Is there a time limit for the Marathon?

A. There is a time limit of 7 hours to finish the Soldier Marathon and Half Marathon. This is about a 16 minute mile pace. You should plan to reach mile 18 by 12:45 p.m. to reach the finish line at the National Infantry Museum by 3:00 p.m. and finish within the 7 hour time limit. We will be as flexible as we can to accommodate all finishers.

Q. What is the course Certification Code?

A. Marathon: USATF GA17063WC and Half Marathon: USATF GA17064WC.

Q. What hotels are available near the Race Course and the National Infantry Museum?

A. There are several hotels listed on our website that are nearby for you to make reservations to stay.

Q. What happens if it rains?

A. The race will go on regardless of rain. We track the weather forecast prior to race day and make plans for any anticipated bad weather.

Q. What happens if there is lightning?

A. We do not start our race while lightning has been sighted. We will delay the race for 30 minutes after the lightning has been sighted. Should lightning be sighted during the race, we will communicate this information to our volunteers on the course to alert runners so they may take shelter. There are several shelters for runners to enter on the course during a delay due to lightning. We may decide to cancel the race if lightning has been sighted.

Q. Will there be a place for me to check my personal items before the race?

A. Yes, you may check your personal items at the gear check area close to the start line before the race. Items must be stored in a clear plastic back that we will give you at registration. Backpacks are not be permitted. The Soldier Marathon is not responsible for lost or stolen property that is checked at the gear check.

Q. Is gun or chip time used to determine winners?

A. Gun time is used to determine the overall winners. Chip time is used to determine age group winners. This is per USAT rules.

Q. Is Soldier Marathon on social media?

A. Yes! Follow us and be sure to hashtag #soldiermarathon or #soldiermarathon2017.

Twitter: @soldiermarath0n

Facebook: @soldiermarathon

Instagram: @soldiermarathon

Q. When is packet pick up?

A. Packet pickup will be available Friday, the day before the race, from 11:00 am -7:30 pm or Saturday, the race day, from 6:00 am – 7:45 am.

Q. Will you mail me my race packet?

A. No, we will not mail you your race packet.

Q. Can my friend pick up my race packet?

A. Yes, with a copy of your ID and your signed waiver. A waiver can be found here.

Q. Will my award be mailed to me if I don’t stay for the awards ceremony?

A. Yes. Awards will be mailed to participants who do not live in Columbus. Awards may be picked up by you at Big Dog Running Company for participants who live locally.

Q. Can my friend pace me using a bike, roller blades, scooter, etc?

A. No. Due to the narrowness of the RiverWalk portion of our course, we do not allow anyone on wheels to pace you.

Q. What does my registration fee go towards?

A. Registration fees cover the cost of the event expenses. This includes race shirts, finisher’s medals, signs, security, permits, food, medical, masseuses, etc. Net proceeds benefit local military organizations. The race director and all volunteers are not paid.

Q. Am I allowed to run with my pet?

A. No, animals are not allowed on the course or at the National Infantry Museum, except for service animals. Please leave your pets at home.

Q. Can I wear headphones or listen to my Ipod during my event?

A. Yes, however, for safety reasons we recommend you do not wear them during the race or you keep the volume low enough to hear instructions from volunteers. Runners’ ability to hear and react to situations and directions given by race officials is very important.

Q. How early should I arrive on race day?

A. Earlier is always better! We recommend arriving at least one hour before the race starts. The parking lot at the National Infantry Museum will fill up early. Parking is also allowed along South Lumpkin Road and Oxbow Meadows.

Q. How can I volunteer?

A. To volunteer click here or go to soldiermarathon.com and click on the drop down menu for volunteers which is under “Get Involved”. Please complete the form and submit.

Q. Is there a Pasta Dinner?

A. The Pasta Dinner will be held Friday night, November 17, 2017, at 6:00 pm at the National Infantry Museum. You can add the pasta dinner by logging on to you Active.com account. Prices for the dinner are: $15 for an adult, $25 for 2 adults,$10 for kids.

Q. I have questions.

A. If you have questions, please send an email to info@soldiermarathon.com.