Go the Distance Together.

Make the marathon a team effort.

Want to experience the beautiful, buzzing energy of the Classic City Marathon without committing to the whole 13.1 or 26.2? Have a group of fun-loving friends, family members, or coworkers that you would be honored to call “teammates”? FANTASTIC! You can participate in race day by running the Classic City Marathon Relay!

Like a marathon, a marathon relay is an event that covers 26.2 miles of distance along one set course. But instead of one person running the entire distance, each runner on your 2-, 3- or 4-person team will only run a portion of the marathon (roughly ¼ of the distance, or 6-7 miles, if you are a team of four).

How It Works

The marathon course is divided into four sections. After each of the first three sections, there is an Exchange Zone. Each relay team will be given one special race belt that holds the team’s race bib and timing chip. The team’s first runner runs the first section (or the first two or three sections!) and then passes the belt to the next team member at an Exchange Zone. Each runner will be able to see their individual split time(s), and everyone who participates gets a medal, a t-shirt, and bragging rights — but the only time that matters for awards is the total team time!

Create your team first, and sign up as a team. You’ll need a team name, and you’ll definitely want to dress up on race day so onlookers know you belong together!

Types of Relay Teams

Marathon Relay Team: Any group of two, three, or four people can be a Marathon Relay Team.
Greek Life Marathon Relay Team: Are you part of a Greek Life organization? Get 4 people together, dress up in your best Greek outfit, and come run a Marathon with us!
Fitness Center Marathon Relay Team: Calling all gyms, fitness centers, yoga studios, kickboxing arenas, flying trapeze troops, pickleball clubs, pilates pals, masters swimmers, cross fitters, and orange theorists! This relay is a chance for you and your training buddies to put your fitness to the test and compete on behalf of your gym against other fitness enthusiasts from other gyms! The fitness center with the fastest team and the one with the most number of teams entered will each win a special award.

Register your relay team

Where is the Relay Course? Where is my Section of the Relay?

As whole, the relay course is the marathon course. As individuals, each member of a relay team will run one or more of these four legs, or segments, of the course. Every relay runner must start and end at an Exchange Zone (or at the Starting Line or the Finish Line).

GETTING FROM “START” TO “START”… TO “FINISH”!

Most members of your relay team will start and/or finish somewhere in the middle of the complete marathon course. Our friendly Relay Shuttles will help!

Getting Out to Your Relay Start

Shuttles will depart from the statue of Athena in front of the Classic Center to take runners to the Exchange Zones for legs 2, 3, and 4 of the Relay. Departure times will be publicized by January 1.

Getting Back from Your Relay Finish

After you finish running your part of the relay, volunteers at the Exchange Zones will help you find the return shuttle. Return shuttles will bring you to the statue of Athena in front of the Classic Center.

If your team would rather arrange your own rides, or organize your own team drop-off and pick-up systems, or combine some shuttle rides with some independent rides, that’s fine, too.

Frequently Asked Questions

We encourage relay participants to use the provided shuttles. There is also parking available at each of the relay exchange points.
Each segment of the marathon relay is ~6 to ~7 miles. If you are a team of four, you will each run one segment of the relay. If your team is smaller, one of the three people, or both of the two people, will run more than one segment. How to divide the segments is up to you. Exchanges must be made at Exchange Zones.
Relay runners are running the marathon course. There are water stops, port-a-potties, medical assistance, entertainment, and crowd support!
Watch for the complete Relay Guide that will be made available to runners by January 1. We know it’s complicated, but it’s worth it!