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Dalmatian Run Fest & Dizzy Dalmatian 101

Sat/Sun/Mon, February 15-17, 2025 (President's Day weekend)

- Full Marathons

RESCUE ROVER MARATHON (Saturday)
PUPPY POWER MARATHON
(Sunday)
MIGHTY MIA'S MARATHON
(Monday)

 

** MARATHON SCHEDULE **

Packet Pickup:
- Fri 3pm-5pm
- Saturday & Sunday 3pm-5pm
- Race Day 6:30am-7:15am
Pre-race meeting:  7:10am
Race start time: 7:15am
What time do the races end? How strict is the cutoff? The course closes at 5PM each day so our volunteers can make plans. As long as you start your last lap before 5PM, someone on the RD team will wait for you and give you your medal and an official finish time. BUT there may no longer be any support at the Aid Stations, and you may be asked to sign a waiver and take a light with you.
Is there an early start? No. Early starts have caused too much confusion in the past, so instead we changed the regular start times to be earlier.
Can I start late? Yes. We understand that Life and Traffic happens. Your gun time will start at your race's official start time, but your chip time will reflect your actual time. See also the Cutoff question above and Drop-down option questions below.
Is there a drop-down option?
- You can choose to drop down to any shorter distance that is offered that day as long as you have completed that mileage (or more).
- IMPORTANT: You and the Timer must both sign the Drop Down Sheet (located on a clipboard at the Timing Tent) for your Drop Down to be official
- You will be listed in the results of the shorter distance as an official finisher.
- You will get the medal corresponding to the race you completed.
- You will get the swag of your original distance (after all, you paid for it!)
- BUT if you drop down in distance, you won't be eligible for any awards.

** LOCATION AND COURSE DESCRIPTION **

RACE ADDRESS:
Marine Creek Lake
2700 NW Loop 820
Fort Worth, TX 76179
GPS:  32.826246, -97.389079
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Overview:
- The course is a 6.5547-mile loop that roughly follows the shores of Marine Creek Lake, except for the 1/2-mile Far-Aid out and back at the northern tip.
- Most of it is through thick woods, but the open areas may be windy. 
Surface:
- The start/finish is chunky gravel, and the path over the dam is crushed gravel.
- Most of the course is well-maintained concrete, which may be slippery when wet.
- The course averages 8 feet wide with wide shoulders
Elevation:
- Most of the course is flat.
- There is one significant hill; the start/finish is at the top of this hill.
- There are a few bridges, none of them are steep. 
Signage:
- The course is marked with signs, chalk & cones.
- There are no mile markers, but Halfway Bridge will have mileage signs
Other:
- Marathoners will do 4 loops
- Marathoners will pass through the start/finish arch each lap.
- Marathoners will do the Far-Aid out-n-back each loop.
- The Marathon course is a certified distance.
- The Marathon course features 2 full 'ultra-style' aid stations and 3 water stops per loop..
- Saturday and Monday races will run clockwise, which means they will have an uphill finish.
- Sunday races will run counter-clockwise, which means they will finish across the super-flat dam.
 

** SWAG & AWARDS **

The Swag:
- Long-sleeved race shirt (If you register before the shirt deadline, Otherwise, you'll get your choice of alternate swag.)
- Dalmatian-themed Swag item (past items have included frisbees, key chains, magnets, etc)
- Goody Bag featuring gifts and samples from our sponsors
For The Finishers:
- 4" Finisher's Medal
- Overall 1st, 2nd & 3rd place Male and Female Winners for each event will get stainless medals!
- If we have more than 25 people registered for the event, we will also give Masters awards 
 

** MARATHON FAQ **

Are the Dalmatian Run Fest marathons Boston qualifiers? Yes. We have professional timing and the course is USATF Certified for distance (#TX21021LAB) Here's what makes a race a Boston qualifier: 
Is the race record-eligible? Yes. The race is USATF Sanctioned for 2024
Are there official pacers? We don't offer organized pace groups.
Is the marathon walker-friendly? Yes! It's flat and has a very generous time limit. Lot's of people walk the Dalmatian Run Fest Marathons! 
Is the course protected from weather? Most of the course has great tree-cover, which nicely blocks the wind, but maybe not the rain. The sections through the college and across the dam are open to all elements and could be windy. There are a few spots on the course that could get icy in the rare Texas cold-snap, but we'll make sure they are marked.
How come there aren't any Age Group awards? We'd really like to give Age Group awards, but the Marathons don't have enough people in each race to justify them. Help us grow, and hopefully we can offer Age Group awards soon!
Are there any discounts? We offer a discount to several large running clubs: Marathon Maniacs, Half Fanatics and the 100 Marathons club. If you think your large running club's members would be interested, please email us to discuss.
Are there any package deals? Yes, the Triple Dog Dare  includes all three days of Marathons.  
I don't see my question here. Check out our General FAQs page
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