FAQs ABOUT 2023 REGISTRATION

WILL THE BIG SUR MARATHON HAPPEN IN APRIL 2023?

YES! As of the summer of 2022, though the global COVID-19 pandemic is ongoing, we have every reason to believe we will be able to have a complete in-person event April 28-30, 2023.

WHEN WILL REGISTRATION OPEN FOR THE 2023 RACE?

We will open registration for the 2023 26.2-Mile Big Sur Marathon on August 25, 2022. Please see the registration page as well as the pages for each individual distance for more information, deadlines, and entry fees.

WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT WAYS I CAN ENTER THE MARATHON?

There are six different ways to enter the marathon:

1. The random drawing: this is the least expensive option to enter the marathon. Registration for the drawing will begin at 9 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time on Thursday, August 25th, 2022, and continue until 11:59 p.m. (Midnight) on Sunday, Sept. 11th (two weeks). See additional information on the random drawing below.
2. Youth Fitness Donation category: This marathon-only entry category is first-come, first-served for the first 400 entrants. The fee is twice the regular marathon entry fee with the additional amount a tax-deductible donation to the Big Sur Marathon Foundation to support our youth fitness running programs including the new Palo Corona community cross country trail.
3. VIP: This is a first-come, first-served category limited to the first 450 entrants. See more information below about the entry fees and extra benefits of the VIP entry program.
4. Charity Partners: You can elect to raise funds for one of our official charity partners. Those that raise the minimum amount are guaranteed a race entry. We will announce our charity partners on our before August 22 and links to their individual fundraising pages (which will include minimum fundraising amounts) will be available on each charity’s page.
5. Marathon Tours & Travel. Our official travel agency, Marathon Tours, does have a limited number of marathon entries available with combined hotel packages. The cost for their tours varies depending on location and other options. A link to the Big Sur Marathon page at Marathon Tours will be live on August 25.
6. Boston 2 Big Sur: Registration for the always-popular Boston 2 Big Sur (B2B) category will open on September 22, 2022, following the 2023 Boston Marathon timed qualifier entry period. See the B2B page for more details.

HOW DOES THE RANDOM DRAWING WORK?

To try to enter the 26.2-mile Big Sur Marathon through the random drawing, you will complete a race entry through Haku, our registration partner. As part of this process, you will either create or use an existing Haku account. Registration in the drawing will require your full credit card information. There is no charge to enter the drawing and you will only be charged the complete entry fee (and processing fee) if you are selected in the drawing. If you are selected, your credit card will automatically be charged and you will be officially entered in the race. If you don’t want to run the full marathon, please don’t enter the random drawing. If you enter the drawing but change your mind before we select the winning applicants, you may be able to withdraw your application before September 13, 2022, by contacting our athlete services manager at registration@bsim.org. Once we select the winning applicants in the drawing, entry fees are not refunded.

HOW MANY ENTRIES WILL YOU ACCEPT IN 2023?

We anticipate accepting full fields for all race distances in 2023, comparable to our recent very successful April 2022 race weekend (our first race since 2019). Capacities range from about 550 for the 5K to close to 5,000 for the 26.2-mile marathon. We expect all race distances to fill quickly. The By-the-Bay 3K will not be held in 2023.

WILL THERE BE AN OFFICIAL TRANSFER PROGRAM IF I GET INJURED OR ARE UNABLE TO USE MY ENTRY?

Yes. We will announce more details on the transfer program including fees and time schedule after January 1, 2023.

WILL YOU OFFER REGISTRATION PROTECT IN THE ENTRY PROCESS?

Yes, “Registration Protect” will be available in the registration path for an additional fee. This third-party program can refund up to 100% of your entry fee for a covered reason when all requested information (doctor’s note, etc.) are provided in the correct format during the requested time window. There will be more information available on Registration Protect when we open registration on August 25, 2022. 

HOW COULD COVID-19 AFFECT THE APRIL 2023 RACE WEEKEND?

• As of the summer of 2022, and given California’s current COVID-19 event guidelines, we are opening registration on August 25, 2022, with the expectation that the April 28-30, 2023 Big Sur Marathon weekend of events will take place in person.
• As race weekend approaches, we will continue to monitor and follow local, state, and federal guidance which may result in enhanced safety precautions. In our April 2022 race weekend, for example, we required all those attending the indoor race expo to wear a mask (and provided free masks to those who forgot).
• If or when guidance and requirements change, we will provide periodic updates to our 2023 registered participants through email communication and on our website, bigsurmarathon.org.
• If, due to the pandemic, local restrictions prevent us from being able to host an in-person event in April 2023, refunds will not be provided.

WHERE DO THE ENTRY FEES GO?

The Big Sur Marathon Foundation is a non-profit organization. Our mission is to create beautiful running events that benefit our community. Race entry fees help cover the cost of race production and help our organization provide grants to more than 90 area non-profit organizations throughout the year as well as our free year-round youth fitness programs and a newly built, best-in-class Palo Corona cross-country course to support cross country running in high schools and colleges.

WHAT ABOUT NON-MARATHON RACE DISTANCES?

Registration opens for our non-marathon distances (21-Miler, 11-Miler, 12K, 5K, and four-person Marathon Relay) on September 15, 2022. Visit the registration page for complete details.

HOW DO I RECEIVE ANY UPDATES ON FUTURE RACES?

The best way to stay updated about the status of our future events is to add your email address to our mailing list, available at the bottom of the home page at www.bigsurmarathon.org or www.montereybayhalfmarathon,org. Also, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram–see the bottom of the home page for links to our social media pages.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

We appreciate your patience and consideration as our board made many difficult decisions to help our non-profit organization survive during this international crisis. We have survived landslides, bridge collapses, floods, and forest fires though we have had to cancel eight of our races in the last five years. We look forward to providing you another beautiful and safe world-class event in April 2023.

If you have any additional questions, please contact us at the information below.

The Big Sur Marathon Foundation

Carmel, Calif.

General email: registration@bsim.org

Office phone (831) 625-6226