Entry fees are non-refundable, even in the case of a race postponement, format changes, cancellation and/or if you are unable to participate; race numbers and entries cannot be transferred to person. No exceptions. This means once we have received your entry, you will not receive a refund if you cannot participate, and you may not give or sell your number or timing chip to anyone else. Anyone found participating with another person’s number will be disqualified and both people will be barred from future Sports Backers events, including the Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k and VCU Health Richmond Marathon.

You may switch between the virtual and in-person event of the same distance (ie. virtual 8k for in-person 8k) for no fee. If you are already signed up for one race and want to switch to the alternate format, you may do so by emailing [email protected].

There will be no refunds and no transfer of entries from person-to-person. If you are already signed up for one race and want to switch to the other (i.e., the marathon to the half marathon), you may do so online through October 31, or in person at the Race Expo, (assuming the race you want to switch into has not already reached its capacity). There is a $10 fee to do so, along with any applicable entry fee increase at the time of the switch.

The distance of the event you are switching to/from is a non-factor in determining what you will owe when you switch events.  The determining factors are what you have already paid and the current price of the event you are switching to.  If you have already paid more than the current price of the event you are switching to, you will only owe the $10 transfer fee.  If you have paid less than the current entry fee of the event you are switching to, you will owe the difference in what you have paid and the current entry fee + the $10 transfer fee.  You will not receive a refund of any entry fees.

PLEASE NOTE: If you deferred your race entry from 2020 to 2021 and would now like switch distances, you must email [email protected] in order to process the switch.

1. SWITCHING TO AN EVENT THAT IS LESS EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID:

EXAMPLE: If you registered for the half marathon for $75 and then want to switch to the 8k when its entry fee is $30, you would only pay the $10 transfer fee.

2. SWITCHING TO AN EVENT THAT IS MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WHAT YOU HAVE ALREADY PAID:

EXAMPLE:  If you registered for the marathon for $85 and would like to switch to the half marathon in July when the half’s entry fee is $95, you will owe $20 ($10 difference in entry fee + $10 transfer fee).

TO BEGIN THE SWITCHING PROCESS, CLICK HERE AND FOLLOW THE PROMPTS.

Still have questions or trying to switch between one of our training teams? Please e-mail [email protected].

You may defer your registration from the 2021 VCU Health Richmond Marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon or Allianz Partners 8k to the 2022 event. You may only defer to and from the same event: 2021 8k to 2022 8k, 2021 Half to 2022 Half or 2021 Full to 2022 Full. Deferred registrations may not be transferred to another person. Refunds will not be issued under any circumstances. The fee to defer a registration is $10 for the 8k and $20 for the half or full marathons through August 31 and then $20 for the 8k and $30 for the half or full marathons from Sept 1 – October 31. All deferrals must be done by October 31, 2021 and may be used only for the 2022 event. You may only defer an entry once (i.e., if you defer your 2021 entry to 2022, you will not be able to defer it again to 2023). 

Please note: Training team registrations have different deferral rules and deadlines. Check each Training Team page for details.

TO BEGIN THE DEFERRAL PROCESS, CLICK HERE AND FOLLOW THE PROMPTS.

Still have questions? Please e-mail [email protected].

If you need to make a change to your registration, you may do so online.  You have the ability to change the following online through Sunday, October 31, 2021 unless otherwise noted:

• Predicted time (until September 29)
• Gender
• Shirt size (until September 29)
• Address
• Birthdate
• E-mail address

To edit any of your registration information, click here for instructions.

If you need to change information other than is listed above, please e-mail [email protected].

Yes! The VCU Health Richmond Marathon is a great event for first-timers as well as anyone trying to qualify for Boston. In fact, we are one of the top 25 races most frequently used to qualify for the Boston Marathon, based on the number of accepted entrants into the event.

Packet pick-up will take place at the Walmart Health & Fitness Expo held at the Richmond Raceway on Thursday, November 11 from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Friday, November 12 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

A photo ID is required to pick up your race packet.  You may pick up a race packet for another pre-registered runner, provided you have a copy of their photo ID.

Have your bib number and shirt mailed to you!

Can’t make it to the expo to pick up your packet? We offer the option of paying to have your bib number and shirt mailed to you! The cost is $30 per person through September 15 and from September 16-October 31, the fee is $40. You can add packet mailing during the registration process or if you are already registered please follow these steps.  No packet mailing will be offered after October 31, 2021.

Race Day Packet Pickup

Can’t make it to the expo, and rather pick up your bib race morning? We now offer the option to pay for a limited Race Day packet-pick-up for $40, which will include receiving your bib on race morning and your shirt once you have finished. You MUST purchase this in advance during registration. If you have already registered and want to add race day packet pick-up to your registration, please follow these steps. This option will close Friday, November 12^th at 9pm. If you purchase this option, you will receive an email closer to race day with location and time details.

Race Day registration will be offered from 6 to 7:30 a.m. on November 13 at Dominion Energy Center (enter on Grace Street between 6th and 7th Streets in the middle of the block). This is ONLY for those that have not already registered for one of the races.

We encourage the seasoned and first time marathoners (including walkers) alike to take part. Our course, however, is only open for 7 hours. This requires a 16:02 per mile pace. You must pass these points by the following times in order to continue with course support:

Mile 7 – 9:45 a.m.
Mile 11 – 10:50 a.m.
Mile 16 – 12:10 p.m.
Mile 20 – 1:15 p.m.

The half marathon course is open for 4 hours.

You can click HERE to see if you are registered.

Nuun Endurance is the official replenisher of the VCU Health Richmond Marathon and is served at every water stop. GU is the official energy gel. Assorted flavors (Vanilla Orange, Strawberry Kiwi, Lemonade, Sea Salt Chocolate) are offered at Miles 14 and 21 on the marathon course and Mile 8 on the half marathon course.

Estes will offer bag check on race morning near the start of each race. You are responsible for providing your own bag. Volunteers will be on hand to help you attach the tear-off tag on your race bib to your bag. Once you have finished your race, you can pick up your bag in the parking lot of the Civil War Visitors Center at Historic Tredegar, adjacent to the CoStar Post Race Party.

Kids Run RVA is an initiative of Sports Backers, the nationally recognized non-profit organizer of the VCU Health Richmond Marathon, that motivates thousands of young people across our region to run and be active on a regular basis. Sports Backers is committed to improving the health of our children by encouraging routine physical activity, which is critical to their long-term growth and well-being.

Kids Run RVA provides free training opportunities for youth of all ages, abilities and backgrounds as well as funding to support school-based run clubs and events. For schools with fewer resources, Kids Run RVA grants may also cover shoes, transportation and event entry fees.

Donations are critical to the program’s success. Each time a child laces up his or her shoes, you will be giving them the most important gift of all-a path to good health and fitness!

A donation to Kids Run RVA of at least $50 will automatically reduce your race entry fee by $20.

We always need volunteers for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon! There are many different and fun opportunities for you to be a part of Richmond’s best running race. And, when you volunteer, you receive a cool marathon volunteer t-shirt.

Visit our volunteer website to sign up! »

**PLEASE NOTE**

Prize Money will not be awarded in 2021. The information below is from prior to the pandemic. We hope to be able to offer prize money again beginning in 2022.

If you would like to enter the VCU Health Richmond Marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon or Allianz Partners 8k as an elite athlete, please fill out this application and return it, along with a running resume, to the elite athlete coordinator, Thom Suddeth at [email protected]

Prize Money

Eligibility

To be eligible for elite entry or prize purse at the VCU Health Richmond Marathon, CarMax Richmond Half Marathon, and Allianz Partners 8k, an athlete must:

• Not be currently serving a suspension for use of a banned substance
• Not have ever served a ban for use of performance enhancing drugs
• Not be represented by coaches and/or agents who have had 2 or more athletes receive such suspensions in the previous 4 years
• Not be represented by coaches and/or agents who ever served a ban for use of performance enhancing drugs during their own athletic career
• Provide proper documentation proving they are eligible for prize money (form W-9, W-8ECI or W-8BEN)

Course Records

Double your money! Bonuses are offered for course records for both male and female athletes.

• $2,500 bonus for VCU Health Richmond Marathon course records
• $1,000 bonus for CarMax Richmond Half Marathon course records
• $1,000 bonus for Allianz Partners 8k course records

Bonus Money for Fast Marathon Times

Bonuses of $500 will be awarded marathoners that finish under a certain time.

• Male – 2:20
• Female – 2:46

Travel & Accommodations

• There is no available travel and accommodations for the CarMax Richmond Half Marathon and Allianz Partners 8k.
• We have limited travel and accommodation for the VCU Health Richmond Marathon

Requirements to be considered for free entry*

*All times must have been run in the last 18 months
*Comparable times from other distances are considered

Richmond-Area Marathon Championship

The VCU Health Richmond Marathon is awarding the top local finishers with cash prizes! Any current resident of the Richmond-Petersburg MSA is eligible to win prize money for being the first Richmond resident to cross the finish line at the VCU Health Richmond Marathon. Prize money will be awarded to the top three males and females as follows:

Place Amount
1…………………………..$500
2…………………………..$300
3…………………………..$100

Please note: Plaques will be awarded to the top three local male and female finishers in the CarMax Richmond Half Marathon and Allianz Partners 8k. Richmond-Area Marathon Championship prize money and plaques will be mailed after the event.