banff marathon
What you Need to Know
Athlete Update - Sept 1, 2021

Dear Participant,

The Banff Marathon, Half Marathon and 10K is approaching quickly! We are looking forward to hosting you. Please scroll down and read through these items carefully as there are many important items you will need to know for race weekend. The next update will contain more detailed course and schedule information. Please also check Facebook , Instagram and Twitter for new updates and announcements. Remember to also check the Banff Marathon website which can answer almost any question you have! In this Update you will find important information on:

  • COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
  • Volunteering
  • VIP Upgrades
  • Changing Your Race Distance
  • Transferring Your Bib to Someone Else - Prohibited
  • Official Charity Pledge Program - Join Team YWCA
  • Wildlife Safety and Bear Spray
  • Green Initiatives – Info on Gatorade, Waste, Water & Free Transport
  • Free BMO Kids Run!
  • Aid Station #1 – Sulphur Mountain
COVID-19 Safety Guidelines
Important - Please Review

The health and safety of all individuals in the event is a priority. We are working hard to implement modifications and new procedures to reduce the risks to all individuals involved with the event and provide a safe return to racing. The event has developed strong COVID-19 safety guidelines and operating principles in alignment with sport/industry standards, provincial health recommendations, and other events that have safely relaunched. We need you to do your part as well. The COVID-19 Safety Guidelines for the event include the following measures:
 
EDUCATION
1.     COVID-19 Safety Guidelines available on event website, point of registration, volunteer information
2.     Participants, staff and volunteers are encouraged to be fully vaccinated
3.     A COVID Safety Officer with extensive event experience is appointed for the event
 
SCREENING AND CONTACT TRACING
1.     All athletes, staff and volunteers agree to complete the screening questionnaire before attending the event
2.     Participants agree that if they, or someone who is with them, is feeling unwell, they will not attend the event
3.     All participants, staff and volunteers are electronically registered for contact tracing and available immediately via phone/text/e-mail in the case immediate contact is required
 
DENSITY REDUCTION / DISTANCING
1.     All venues will now be located outdoors for maximum ventilation
2.     Race Check-in/Bib pick-up times have been expanded
3.     Event infrastructure will allow for more spacing, one-way traffic flows (ie. tents, porta-potties)
4.     More space will be available in the Start Area (with increased space and rolling starts)
5.     More space will be available in the Finish Area – participants will be asked to exit immediately
6.     Award Ceremonies will not take place in person
7.     Participant Gear Check will not be available – please make other arrangements for your gear
 
ENHANCED HYGIENE
1.     Face masks are recommended for all venues outside of competition
2.     Self-serve sanitizing stations have been added
3.     Hand washing stations have been added
4.     Surfaces will be continuously cleaned and sanitized
5.     Staff and volunteers will be provided masks and gloves to be used while in athlete-facing areas
6.     Touchpoints have been reduced or removed at aid stations and other activities between participants, staff and volunteers

PARTICIPANT SELF-RELIANCE
1.     Participants are encouraged to carry hydration and nutrition with them
2.     Post race food will include pre-packaged/prepared foods that do not require preparation
 
For more information on the Banff Marathon COVID-19 Safety Guidelines and COVID-19 SCREENING CHECKLIST please click HERE
Participant Family and Friends
Not Running? We need your help!

Participants, we are in need of some help for volunteers at the event. Banff is a very small community (only 7500 people) so drawing volunteers for the many events held here is very challenging – we could use the help of your friends and family if they would like to pitch in! This is a great opportunity for them to be part of the event while you are on your running journey. They will be helping all of the participants achieve their goals!

Volunteer and receive the following:
·      A commemorative Banff Marathon technical shirt
·      Lunch and snacks and a volunteer Bowling Party!
·      $3000 in draw prizes!
·      Satisfaction of helping many people achieve their goals

If any of your friends or family are available to help us out, we would greatly appreciate that. Please contact: volunteers@banffmarathon.com
Or click here to sign up for a shift: VOLUNTEER
Treat Yourself to the VIP Experience

Do it right and treat yourself to the VIP Experience at the Banff Marathon! The packages and passes are limited and will be sold out soon so please reserve yours now.

The VIP Experience Package includes all of the following benefits:

- Express race package pickup service
- Exclusive Finish Line Lounge adjacent to finish line with food and beverage
- Exclusive Bathroom Area Access at the Start/Finish Area
- Dedicated Event Day Bag Check
- Post Race Massage by certified massage therapists (with priority check-in)
- Sport Bag with exclusive sponsor gifts
- Commemorative Banff Marathon Lanyard
Only $95.00 for all of this! (does not include entry fee)

Don’t need all of the VIP Benefits? VIP Lounge Passes are also available for participants, friends and family members. The VIP Lounge is the perfect place for you to relax after your race or for friends and family to enjoy the race. The VIP Lounge will be directly adjacent to the finish line with the best seats in the house. The pass will also include complimentary food and beverage and exclusive bathroom area access.
VIP Lounge Pass: $49.00

Click below to make your experience even more memorable...


Can I Transfer to a Different Distance?
Yes, But Must be Completed by Tuesday, September 7th

You can transfer to a different race distance until Tuesday, September 7th. Please note that you will need the correct race bib to start in the event you registered for unless you complete the transfer to receive a new bib. You will not be permitted to start in a different distance at the start line if you do not have the race bib that matches that event distance (ie. if you registered for the Half Marathon and decide to run the 10K you must officially change your distance to start the 10k on race day). In summary, if you want to transfer to a different distance you must officially transfer via the link below. The transfer fee is $10 (to cover admin costs). By clicking below, you will be directed to a Paypal link - once you have completed the payment, your name will be sent to the registration team who will manually make the transfer to your new distance.



Reminder: Race Bibs Not Transferable to Another Person
Selling or Giving Your Race Bib to Others is Strictly Prohibited

Due to the popularity of the event there is a demand for race bibs/registrations. A reminder to all that due to legal, logistical, timing, and safety requirements that race registrations are NOT transferable to another participant under any circumstances. Registration personnel will be asking for ID during race check in, and only registered runners are authorized to run the 10K, half marathon, or full marathon courses. Running with someone else’s bib can cause many problems (timing, safety, confusion, etc) that can affect many other participants in the event negatively so please do not do this. For example running with some else's race bib affects the race results and finishing places of everyone in the event (and can also affect award placings). Anyone who gives their bib to another runner is subject to penalties and/or future ban from competition. This policy is very commonplace among running events and your understanding is appreciated in this matter. 
Raise and Run: Support the Banff YWCA

It’s not too late! Join the pledge program for the official charity of the Banff Marathon and give back to the communities of Banff and the Bow Valley – even a few pledges will make a big difference. You will also be rewarded with some great prizes as you reach different fundraising levels. Join Team YWCA - check it out HERE.

The official charity partner of the Banff Marathon is the YWCA Banff. The YWCA of Banff is the Bow Valley's provider of domestic violence prevention programs and services, and the leading provider of affordable housing in Banff. The mission of YWCA Banff is to shape a safe, inclusive community that empowers women and girls.

Create or share your pledge page with your Family and Friends!
Steps to creating and/or sharing your page:
  1. First navigate to your participant dashboard via this LINK
  2. From here, ensure that you are on the Banff Marathon registration (as it will pull up the most recent active registration). This can be done from the top-menu bar on your participant dashboard
  3. Once on the registration information for the Banff Marathon, in the lower-right hand portion of the dashboard will be an "Edit Page" option.
  4. Once on your personal fundraising page, all of its details can be updated by selecting "Edit Fundraising Page" from the right-side menu if not prompted to do so immediately.
Wildlife Safety
Do you need Bear Spray?

Some participants have inquired about carrying bear spray during the event. Due to the unique setting of the run taking place in a National Park setting, wildlife activity is abundant. The course is well monitored by Parks Canada, race officials, EMS and volunteers however interaction with wildlife is always possible. Carrying bear spray is permitted while running but please educate yourself regarding the instructions and proper care of the bear spray canisters. Carrying bear spray is not mandatory in this event however if you feel uncomfortable in the natural park setting it is recommended that you consider running with bear spray. In the essence of safety, our recommendations are as follows:

Marathon Participants: Highly Recommend
Half Marathon Participant: Recommend
10K Participants: Optional (risk of incident in town site where 10K takes place is very low)

Runners carrying bear spray in the mountains is very common and many of the bear spray canisters are smaller and designed with clips and belts for active people. Strides Running Store will have these available at the Health and Fitness Expo. They can also be purchased at many local stores in Banff but if you are going to carry one, you may want to acquire a canister and holster before you arrive in Banff.

Here are some good resources:
Green Initiatives - Do Your Part
Banff Marathon - The Greenest Marathon on the Planet
 
Did you know that the Banff Marathon is the world-leader in Sustainability? Each year we divert nearly all waste from the landfill, offset all greenhouse gasses and use green power - grid energy that is certified from renewable sources! We want to keep these and our other sustainability programs thriving. Please help! We encourage you to participate in as many of the Sustainability Programs as possible – a great start is to travel to the Banff Marathon with only items that can be recycled easily and reduce your waste. Please read below for a few more…
GATORADE
Please drink all of the Gatorade in your cup. If you have any leftover Gatorade in your cup that you cannot drink, please DO NOT dump it on the ground, it must be dumped into the waste bins. Bears love sweet sticky stuff so this is an attractant and we want to keep our Aid Station Volunteers safe!
WASTE ON COURSE
***Important, please read…
 
During the run, ALL waste must be deposited at the nearest Aid Station. Participants CANNOT drop any waste (cups, gels, sponges, wrappers etc.) anywhere along the course (including KM markers or any other spots – even if you believe it will be found by organizers or see that others have done it). Aid Stations are located at least every 2-3km, and disposal bins will be located for you to drop your garbage. Any participant leaving waste along the course other than at the designated aid stations will be immediately disqualified and asked to leave the course.  This is very important for wildlife protection and the safety of the participants and will be patrolled by monitors on bicycles and vehicles. Please remember that Littering in a National Park is an offence and can be fined under the National Parks Act, but more importantly lets all respect the environment and opportunity to run in this special place. Thank you.
BYOB:
BRING YOUR OWN WATER BOTTLE
 
Rather than just using the cups we will provide along the route, athletes are encouraged to bring their own water bottles on race day. There will be 10 aid stations along the marathon route and volunteers are happy to assist with refilling bottles. It is one of the ways athletes can take an active role in helping make the Banff Marathon the Greenest Marathon on the planet!
Banff Marathon
FREE TRANSPORTATION! 
ROAM AROUND BANFF FOR FREE
 
The Bow Valley Regional Transit Service is providing free public transit for race participants and their families on Friday to Sunday on race weekend. We invite all of our athletes and their families to take advantage of this great offer to help reduce parking congestion in Banff and to keep our event as green as possible. Just be sure to show the bus driver your race bib to take advantage of this special offer.

Roam buses will take you to Banff must-sees such as the Banff Springs Hotel, the Cave and Basin, the Banff Gondola, Tunnel Mountain, and many stops throughout the town of Banff – and even Canmore! You can see the bus routes and schedules HERE
FREE BMO Kids Run – Bring your Family to Run!

Saturday, September 11th
Banff Central Park
Registration: Health and Fitness Expo: Friday 2pm-7pm, Saturday 9am-11am
Banff Central Park Registration: 12noon-1:15pm, Run Start: 1:30pm

The Banff Marathon is pleased to offer the BMO Kids Run to all kids between the ages of 3 and 12 years old. The run will take place in beautiful Banff Central Park with different distances for different age groups. The kids all finish under the same Banff Marathon arch where the adult participants finish their races the next day! Each participant will receive a Goodie Bag and a commemorative Finishers Medal. This family-friendly fun run is being offered for free to all kids as part of the Banff Marathon festivities! 
 
3 Categories:
500m - ages 3-5
750m - ages 6-8
1km - ages 9-12
Station
STATION #1 - Sulphur Mountain!

Experience Banff National Park’s geographical, wilderness and historical treasures along your Banff Marathon trek. Each Aid Station also serves as an interpretive station! If you look to the south from Station #1 you will see Sulphur Mountain! This famous mountain was named in 1916 for the hot springs on its lower slopes, including an area now known as the Cave and Basin National Historic Site, birthplace of Banff National Park and the entire Parks Canada System. One of the earliest pioneers to ascend the heights of Sulphur Mountain was park meteorologist and museum curator Norman Bethune Sanson. Sanson first climbed the mountain on shoeshoes in 1896 in order to record weather observations for the Banff area. In 1903, a meteorological observatory building was completed atop Sanson Peak. This building still exists and visitors can look through a window to see its interior complete will rustic furnishings. On Saturday, July 18, 1959 the Sulphur Mountain Gondola officially opened. It was the first bi-cable gondola in North America and the first gondola of any kind in Canada. Learn more about the interpretive/aid stations and Banff National Park by clicking here: