McKirdy Micro Marathon: Breaking 3
Saturday, March 28, 2026
Rockland Lake State Park
The McKirdy Micro Races are the only marathons in the world that offer a full elite experience to every participating athlete in order to give them the best chance at achieving their goal.
So what exactly is the elite experience?
About The Race
It’s estimated that less than 4% of marathoners who’ve ever run the daunting distance have broken 3 hours. We aim to bring that percentage just a bit higher. We invite you to join us and become one of those rare athletes!
Options are limited and proper support to run as fast as you are capable of is lacking in the vast majority of events around the country. Our event is the ONLY RACE in the country with a total “in-race” support concept in mind for all participating athletes! This will be a first time experience for MANY who participate but race directors James McKirdy, Sammy McClintock, and Heather McKirdy will walk you through every detail to ensure you have every opportunity to break 3.
Come race day, you’ll be ready!
Race Location
299 Rockland Lake Rd
Valley Cottage, NY 10989 US
View Location on Map
Course
Our course is USATF certified and sanctioned (course map and certification here).
We are also World Athletics Certified (World Athletics Certification #USA-2023-071). This certification will allow for the World Championship Standard and National Record performances to be valid.
If you run a Boston qualifying time on the course, it is valid and can be used to register for the Boston Marathon.
Note: This is not a professional level event. If you have run 2:25:00/2:45:00 or faster please register for the MicrOTQ Marathon held on March 29th at the same location.
VIP Bottle Service
New this year - if you'd prefer your race morning to be as stress-free as possible, leave the bottles to us. With the VIP Bottle Service add-on, you can bring your prepared bottles to bib pickup and we will ensure they are on the table waiting for you on race morning in the correct position. This service is capped to a maximum of 50 participants!
Without this optional add-on, participants are required to get their bottles dropped off to the correct table on race morning. Volunteers will be there to assist you, but please plan for the extra time.
Deferrals and Refunds
No refunds are allowed. Deferrals to the 2027 event will be permitted pending race director approval. Deferral requests must be submitted no later than 03/27/26, and a deferral fee of $25 will apply.
To request a deferral, you can log into your RunSignup page and click 'Manage Registration', or send us an email.
Event Transfers
Registered runners will be able to transfer to the MicrOTQ Marathon if a qualifying time for that event is achieved by 02/14/26. The fee to transfer events is $25.
The deadline to request transfer is 02/28/26. You can transfer events by logging into your RunSignup page and clicking 'Manage Registration.' Transfers will be reviewed and are pending race director approval based on field size.
Entry Standards
There are NO entry standards for the 2026 race - registration is open to all.
If you are hoping to run between 2:45 - 3:15 in the marathon this spring, this is the race for you. On race day, simply join the pace group that fits your goal. There is no need to "prove" your fitness prior to entry.
Early Bird Pricing!
Register before September 1st to secure an early bird rate of $150! After that, the registration price increases as follows:
September 1 - September 30: $175
October 1 - February 28: $199
March 1 - March 14: $225
Questions? Contact Us
If you have any questions about the race, send us a message:
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Support the Series
The McKirdy Micro race series was born from a genuine desire to help runners achieve their biggest - and sometimes scariest - dreams. If what we're doing speaks to you, we'd be honored if you considered donating to the race.
Volunteer
We couldn't do this without the support of our amazing volunteers! If you're interested in giving us a hand on race day and supporting these amazing athletes, click the link below to sign up.
