McKirdy MicrOTQ
Sunday, March 29, 2026
Rockland Lake State Park
Our Mission:
To provide the greatest opportunity for athletes to achieve the Olympic Trials qualifying time. We know that the viable options to run a qualifying time are limited and even then, the support system for non “elite” athletes to achieve their best can be limited to non-existent. McKirdy MicrOTQ is designed to be the best option to run fast and earn your ticket to the USATF Olympic Trials or attain the Olympic Standard.
We are 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.
To help the athletes accomplish this task we are set to offer total "in-race support." Dedicated pacers, nutritional guidelines, pre-race meetings, and many more aspects that large scale races can't offer to ensure our participants have the best experience possible as well as the best chance for success! 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 run your best.
The location of our race is the best place in the country to host a "time trial" marathon. The looped course is flat. The road surface is conducive for fast times. We have every "controllable" action in place. The only thing left will be the weather. GENERALLY we see great early mornings in the Northeast - but like anywhere else in the world - great weather is never a guarantee.
Race Location
299 Rockland Lake Rd
Valley Cottage, NY 10989 US
View Location on Map
Course Map and Eligibility
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.
Note: This is a professional level event. If you are hoping to run 2:25:00/2:45:00 or slower, please consider registering for the Breaking-3:00 Marathon held on March 28th 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.
Entry Standards
1) Must have run a qualifying time from 01/01/24 through present day (or until spots fill)
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Men: 2:25:00 / 1:07:00
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Women 2:50:00 /1:18:00
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New moms! If you have a qualifying time inside of 2023 and then had a child which prevented you from being able to race inside of our standard qualifying window, then your window extends back to Jan 1, 2023!
2) Acceptance to the marathon will be subject to verification of performance inside of the window with a net loss of -3.30m/1000m MAXIMUM. ("Downhill" race performances will not be accepted for entry)
Please note: You will not be allowed to participate in this race if you have ever served a suspension from USADA, WADA, or any other national governing body. There are no exceptions or considerations to this standard.
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 03/28/26, 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
If desired, registered runners will be able to transfer to the Breaking-3:00 Marathon. 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.
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.
