Rules & Regulations

We hope you will want to come back to the Bellingham Bay Marathon, Half Marathon & 5K year after year. To help make your experience go as smoothly as possible, please read and become familiar with the race rules and regulations. All rules have been established is order to protect the safety of our participants and keep us in good standing with the sanctioning organization, USATF. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated in helping everyone enjoy race day.

  • Entry fees are non-refundable and non-transferable.
  • There is no race day registration.
  • No-shows will not be mailed their race shirts.
  • Marathon participants must complete the course in 6.0 hours.
  • Half Marathon participants must complete the course in 4.0 hours.
  • 5K participants must complete the course in 1.25 hours.
  • Headphones ARE now permitted on the course due to the revised legislation passed by the USATF, but strongly discouraged for safety reasons. While we discourage their use, you may use a music device with headphones if you are not in competition for any awards. We ask that you leave one ear bud out and turn down the volume so that you may hear what is happening around you.
  • No wheeled vehicles are allowed on the course at any time. Baby Joggers, strollers, roller/in-line skates, bicycles, hand cycles, skateboards, scooters, etc. are prohibited. The only exception is the 5K race. Baby joggers and strollers are allowed in the 5K but must assemble at the back of the pack at the start of the race.
  • Animals are not permitted on the courses.
  • Participants must stay on the official course at all times. It is the responsibility of each participant to know the course. Participants who leave the course will be disqualified. Please see the course maps to learn the course before race day.
  • Only participants wearing the provided timing chip/tag will be timed and included in the final race results for the scored events.
  • Only registered participants may be on the course during the event. Spectators are asked to remain on the sidewalks. Please do not cut across the course.
  • Cash awards are based on gun time not chip time. Chip time is recorded by an electronic chip that is attached to a runner's shoe. Your chip records the time at which you cross the start line, the finish line and split times in between. Chip time is often shorter than gun time because chip time begins when a runner crosses the start line while gun time starts when the gun is fired; many runners don't cross the start line until several minutes after their official gun time has begun.
  • Runners must be registered for the event that they win/place for cash. They can officially switch races but must be registered in the race in which they win or place.
  • Walker etiquette: Runners will approach walkers quickly. Please be courteous; move over to the sides of the roads when runners approach and let them have the right of way and quickest way past. There is a large field of elite runners who are competing for prize money.
  • Age requirements for the Marathon - at least 18 years old; Half Marathon - at least 16 years old (Based on regulations by IMMDA). For further information and background, see: IMMDA Advisory Statement on Children and Marathoning.
  • The decisions of the race director are final in all matters.

Course officials will monitor the start line, the course and finish line. You are subject to disqualification should you choose not to follow these rules & regulations.