2022 PARTICIPANT GUIDE 
Everything you need to know for race weekend in one place! 
Please be sure to read all information thoroughly so you are most prepared for race day.

Please be sure to regularly check the website and social media for event updates
Registration Deadline Details
Registration Deadline

  • There are caps for all events
  • Cap for Rochester Regional Health Half Marathon (120 Spots Left)
  • Cap for Wegmans Family 5K (90 Spots Left)
  • Cap for Kids 1/2 Mile (20 Spots Left)
  • If spots are still available:
  • On-line registration closes Saturday, April 23rd at Noon
Packet Pick-Up/Expo
PACKET PICK-UP IS THIS WEEK!

Please go to Packet Pickup! Don't wait until day of!

Packet pick-up for ALL events will be held at the Fleet Feet Health & Wellness Expo. The Expo will be held at Fleet Feet (155 Culver Road, Rochester, NY 14620). Be sure to check out the great deals on running apparel, accessories, footwear and official marathon merchandise.

Others may pick up their packet for you at the Expo!

PACKET PICK-UP/EXPO HOURS:
Friday, April 22nd     12:00 pm - 6:00 pm
Saturday, April 23rd  10:00 am - 4:00 pm 
Fleet Feet @ The Armory
155 Culver Road, Rochester, NY 14620 

RACE DAY ON-SITE PACKET PICK-UP HOURS:
Do Not Wait Until Race Day
 Race Day Packet Pick-Up at the Blue Cross Arena 1st Floor
as you enter the main doors for Half, 5K and Kids 1/2
6:00 am - 7:15 am

Packet Pickup For All Races Closes Promptly at 7:15 am on race day
Please Do Not Wait Until Race Day to Get your Packet
Expo Happenings
ALL WELCOME
 
Friday, April 22nd from 12PM - 6PM
Saturday, April 23rd from 10AM - 4PM
 
You Can Visit
 
Altra | asics | Brooks | Currex | Diadora | Karhu | Nathan | New Balance | Mizuno
PowerBar | Saucony | Superfeet
 
Special Expo Happenings
Friday, April 22nd 4:30PM - 6PM
Enjoy Happy Hour with Saucony
 
Saturday, April 23rd 10AM - 11AM
Enjoy Ugly Duck Coffee with Diadora
FREE Sustainability Shake-Out Run/Walk w asics
Saturday, April 23rd - 9AM
Join us 9AM, Saturday, April 23rd at Fleet Feet @ The Armory for the pre Expo opening asics Sustainability Shake-Out Run/Walk. A very easy paced 3ish mile workout to work out the pre-race jitters and get ready for the expo.
 
asics is accepting shoe donations, so feel free to bring them along Friday or Saturday to the Expo.
Smartwool Recycling Program
Enjoy Savings with Your Sock Donations
We’ve partnered with Smartwool on their 2022 sock recycling program.
 
Smartwool takes in old socks; any brand, any material, and grinds them up to create new materials for new products.
 
From Now - 4.24.22
Donate any pair of socks and
Enjoy Buy 3 get 1 FREE on all Smartwool socks in any of our three stores
 
Clean out those drawers and closets and turn old socks in to new
Run It Local
Run it Local with us
Fleet Feet is teaming up with Saucony to keep our community strong.
 
For every pair of full priced Saucony footwear sold, we’ll offer you a $25 gift card to spend at our store on a future visit!
 
Offer Valid to First 100 Saucony Customers from April 15th Through May 15th *

*Free gift card offer available only at participating locations while supplies last. Offer valid on purchases of full-priced Saucony footwear totaling $110 or more. Excludes sale styles, children’s footwear, running spike styles, prior purchases, and online purchases. May not be valid in conjunction with other offers, promotions, coupons or discounts. Offer subject to change without notice. Void where prohibited by law. Additional restrictions may apply: visit retailer for further details.*
Plus Limited Edition Flower City Gear
Check out the
NEW Flower City
Sprints Hats and
Miir Tumblers
Race Information
Take pride in our city - please keep it clean and do not drop anything on the ground anywhere on the course. Please be courteous, and don't litter.

The Blue Cross Arena will be open before, during and after the race, which means the restrooms on both levels will be available for use.  
  
Race Date & Time
Sunday, April 24th
National Anthem/Opening Remarks: 7:20AM
Rochester Regional Health Half Marathon Start Time: 7:30 am 
Wegmans Family 5K Start Time: 7:45 am
Kids 1/2 Mile Start Time: 10:30 am
Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial 
100 Exchange Blvd, Rochester, NY 14614 
 
Start & Finish Line Details
The Half Marathon Start is in the middle of the bridge on Broad Street. Please give yourself time to get to the start line as it MUST Be BACK LOADED.
 
The 5K Start is 300' in front of the Half Marathon start. You will have to wait until AFTER the Half Marathon is started, and then you MUST BACK LOAD into the starting corral.

The Kids 1/2 Mile Start is at the corner of Exchange and Court Street. Look for the Kids Run Wild Flags.
 
The Finish Line is located right outside of the main entrances to the Blue Cross Arena on Exchange Blvd.
 
Timing Details - Half Marathon, 5K & Kids Race
Your timing chip will be on the back of your bib. YOU MUST MUST MUST WEAR YOUR BIB VISIBLY ON THE FRONT OF YOUR TORSO. If you lose your bib, forget it, misplace it etc, there is a $5 replacement fee. No chip, no time. You will get the Bib Chip during packet pickup. Be sure to wear your bib chip visibly on your torso, not your shorts, not your back, not your arm, not under a jacket etc. In addition, don't place your water bottle belt or other obstruction over the top of it and be careful hitting stop on your watch as you cross the finish line, as systems have a hard time reading through the human body.  Also, no bib no medal!

Virtual Race Details
All virtual participants have from April 23rd to May 1st to complete your event. You will receive several emails on how to submit your time. Please be sure to check your spam and if you unsubscribed from Run Sign Up, unfortunately we are unable to change that. You can also go into your profile on Run Sign Up. Go to Flower City event and submit your time that way. You are more than welcome to get your packets at the expo on Friday and Saturday. They will not be at the race site. Otherwise, we will mail your virtual packet sometime mid next week.

Race Day Directions & Parking
For information on directions to the Blue Cross Arena and parking information, please click here. There are multiple lots around the vicinity. Please know we have no control if fees are charged or not.

Course Maps
Wegmans Family 5K Course Map can be found here

Rochester Regional Health Flower City Half Marathon course map can be found here. 

Participant Shirts, Bibs & Medals
Shirts: Sizes for shirts were guaranteed if registered by March 15th. The sizing for participants who registered on March 16th or later will be first come based on when you register.

  • Half Marathon & 5K - participants will receive a gender-specific, short-sleeve, technical shirt
  • Half Marathon - the first 1200 will also receive a Custom Race Logoed Gaiter
  • Kids 1/2 Mile - Those that ordered a tee will also get their tee with their bib

All finishers with a bib will receive a unique finishers medallion as they cross the finish line.

Post Race Services
Once you finish you will receive your medal, water and goody bag of Wegmans treats. Inside Blue Cross Arena on the first floor will also be fruit options. There will also be a live band (Sinzibukwud),
On the third tier of the arena, be sure to visit the Recovery Zone from Chiropractic College! The Recovery Zone is FREE and a great opportunity for a post race workup.     
  
Participant Photographs
Flash Frame will be at the race to take photos of participants that will be available to purchase after the race. This should be made available by mid week after the event.
 
Half Marathon - Course Time Limit
There is a 3 1/2 hour course limit for the Half Marathon (a 16:19 mile). If you are not keeping up to pace, you will be asked to move to the side of the road or sidewalk, so traffic can resume. At this point, the course will no longer be supported by traffic control, Road Marshals, Water Stops or finish line. So please be sure to plan accordingly. The finish line will close at 11:00 am sharp.
  
Half Marathon - Aid Stations
There are 5 Aid Stations approximately 2-3 miles apart. Aid Stations will have water. Be sure to thank the volunteers!!
 
    - Mile 2ish - Frontier Field
    - Mile 4ish - George Eastman House area
    - Mile 6ish - Goodman St by Rite Aid
    - Mile 8ish - as you enter Cemetery
   - Mile 11ish - on River Path, past newest pedestrian bridge
 
Porto Potties will be located at
    - Approximately the 5K mark
    - At Water Stop #3 (Mile 6ish - Goodman St)
    - Just before you enter the cemetery (approx 8 mile mark)
    - Around mile 11 by the U of R
 
Awards
There will not be an awards ceremony on race day. In Person Overall Winners & Age Group Winners can stop at Fleet Feet @ The Armory starting at 11AM on Sunday, April 23rd. Awards will be available until May 7th at the Armory. We can transfer your award to Fleet Feet Buffalo mid week, but will need an email to events@yellowjacketracing.com on Monday or Tuesday post race to plan this transfer. Awards will not be mailed.

  • Half Marathon Awards: Overall Male and Female, Top 3 Male and Female in 5 year age groups (19 & under, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70 & up)
  • 5K Awards: Overall Male and Female, Top 3 Male and Female in 5 year age groups (14 & under, 15-19, 20-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70 & up)

Road Closures
There will be some road closures & delays the morning of the race. We appreciate the efforts of the Rochester Police Department, who along with volunteer road marshals will do their very best to lessen the impact to the community while keeping the runners and walkers out of harm's way.   Click here for the traffic advisory. 

Key Race Tips
  1. Thank the Volunteers!
  2. Wear your bib VISIBLY on the front of your body and not obstructed
  3. No Littering
  4. There is a great deal of construction on downtown roads, PLEASE WATCH YOUR FOOTING and stay upright
  5. Go to Packet Pickup/Expo!!
  6. Come to the asics Shake-Out Run/Walk on Saturday morning at 9AM then pancake carbo load with us
  7. Get to the start line early
  8. Set your gear out the night before and don't forget your bib!
  9. Have FUN!!! We are back downtown and on the city streets seeing the sights, hearing the sounds and getting life back!
  10. This is not a race tip, but a HUGE Thank you for joining us! To say the last few years in the event industry has been easy is 100% false. We so appreciate you coming back and joining us again! Put that smile on and let's get ready to Run the Roc!
Kids Half Mile Race
Kids Half Mile Participant Information
Kids 13.1 Program Registration Closed April 3rd,
but kids age 5-12 can still register for the 1/2 Mile
    
Kids Race Schedule:
Sunday, April 24th, Blue Cross Arena
Start Time - 10:30 am

For Race Day: 
  • Be sure to pick up your bib & amenities at the Expo/Packet Pick-Up (April 22 & 23 at Fleet Feet @ The Armory)
  • All finishers receive a medal as they cross the finish line
  • The final 1/2 mile will be professionally timed
  • Packet pickup closes at 7:15AM so please go to Expo/Packet Pickup
  • We do ask that adults try not to run with the children so there is egress for all athletes and for safety. But you can run along the sidewalks. Half Marathoners will be finishing as well and we want to make sure all participants have room.

Where to go on Race Day:
The Start Line for kid’s races is at Court & Exchange. You should report to the west side of Exchange Street (opposite the corner of Court Street) by 10:15 am. There will be Kids Run Wild Flags to denote the start.
 
Course:
The course stays on Exchange Blvd, it is a single loop, and finishes at the same finish line as the 1/2 and 5K.
Volunteers Needed!
We are still strongly seeking approx 10 volunteers to help during Rochester Flower City Challenge Weekend!

Volunteers are Needed for
 
Race Day
Sunday, April 24th, Blue Cross Arena

If you have friends or family that may be interested in volunteering, please share this information with them!

THANK YOU
to our Sponsors!