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In accordance with the guidelines issued by USA Track & Field and Wheelchair Sports USA, only runners, walkers and wheelchair participants will be allowed on the course. The term “wheelchair,” as defined for this event, means push-rim wheelchairs only. In addition, guidelines for participants in wheelchairs state that all chairs must be equipped with brakes and participants must wear helmets.
The following are prohibited on the course: runners going backwards, jump ropes, animals (dogs, cats, birds or any other exotic or domestic pets!), bicycles, baby strollers, baby joggers, roller skates, in-line skates, skateboards. No wheeled vehicles are allowed other than wheelchairs. No exceptions. Please do not use cell phones during the race, as these can be hazardous.
Since our course is a closed course during the term of the event, wearing an iPod WILL NOT result in disqualification in and by itself. If wearing an iPod or headset device results in you not hearing or obeying race instructions, you could be disqualified. We expect all participants to use good judgment and take responsibility for their actions should they wear an iPod or similar device during the race. We do ask that all participants be able to hear last minute instructions both at the start and finish lines, and that the ear buds be removed at these locations.
In some areas, only the side of the road runners are on will be closed to vehicular traffic. As such, it is imperative that you stay within the cones marking the course. Any deviations from the marked race course can result in a disqualification! On Matilda runners will run against the flow of traffic, running south in the northbound lanes and then north in the southbound lanes after reaching the turnaround. Matilda will be closed to vehicles.
It is our intent to provide the safest possible race course. Those who participate in violation of these rules will be disqualified and removed from the course.
Foot runners and authorized vehicles have the right-of-way at all times. Wheelchair participants must yield the right-of-way to foot runners and to course vehicles.
Any assistance received from anyone other than an official aid station volunteer or other course official may result in a disqualification.
Runners, Joggers and Walkers are all welcomed to participate in the Rock to Victory Half Marathon. Although the events are mainly put on for racers, we applaud all those who set out to complete the half marathon distance, regardless of the pace. However, due to the costs associated with a production of this scale, we must limit the amount of time the course is open. Therefore, we establish a 4 hour time limit.
This is a pace of 18:20 (min:sec) per mile for the half marathon. For your own safety, we strongly discourage you from participating in this event if you can not maintain a pace of 18:20 (min:sec) per mile as all course support shuts down based on this pace. All participants must reach the beginning of the Katy Trail (mile 10) by 11:00 A.M. in order to continue on to the finish of the race.
If participants choose to continue running after 12:00 p.m., they do so at their own risk and will be required by the Dallas Police Department to move to available sidewalks and obey traffic signals and laws along the course.
No times are recorded after 12:00 p.m. Finisher medallions and completion certificates will be awarded only to those who finish within the official time span.
Medical Aid closes at 12:00 p.m. If problems are experienced after this time, please contact your personal physician or proceed to the nearest emergency room.
The race course is closed to all traffic, and then re-opened based on a “ROVING” schedule, which means the half marathon course will officially re-open (to vehicular traffic) behind the participants based on a pace of 18:20 (min:sec) per mile. Crews drive in trucks at a pace approximately equal to 18:30 minutes per mile to pick up trash and supplies from the aid stations along the course.
Any person moving at a pace slower than 18:20 (min:sec) per mile is strongly encouraged to discontinue. Officials and related parties take no responsibility for participants after the course reopens. All participants on the course after it reopens are required by law to follow all traffic rules, including using the sidewalks, cross walks, obeying cross walk signs, and not crossing streets while the traffic lights are red. In addition, once the race course closes and the streets reopen, all medical aid provided by the marathon is no longer accessible.
A number of services related to the marathon are paid for on an hourly basis. This includes ambulance services (which are required by the City), medical help, rental of supplies used on the course, rental of trucks and other vehicles, rental of supplies used at the finish line, and rent of the American Airlines Center. Keeping the half marathon course open past 4 hours is not financially feasible.
One of the hardest tasks in holding a race is trying to project the final number of participants far enough in advance when ordering all the supplies. If you guess too much, you’re stuck with dated finisher medallions and have wasted money. If you order too little those without are deeply hurt. Typically our orders for t-shirts and medallions are placed months before the event, giving our suppliers time to provide us preferred pricing. Less than 10% of the final participant numbers have signed up at the time the order is placed. So we have to make educated guesses based on past figures. Things like weather, 9/11, the local flu & cold season, the price of gas, and other factors beyond our control influence the final numbers. Bottom line is that the finish line goodies are passed out on a first-come, first serve basis. If supplies are still left at 4 hours, we are quite proud to bestow a medallion to you.
Because the streets are under the jurisdiction of the City of Dallas and they have laws against pedestrians traveling in the street when it is not during the event time. Since the last 5k of the course is on the Katy Trail, the cut-off time to reach mile 10 (where the course gets on the Katy Trail) is 3 hours, or by 11:00 a.m.
No, for two main reasons: the streets are not officially turned over to the race participants until the 8:00 AM start, and the official timing system is not turned on until the 8:00 AM start. Any person whose chip does not register as crossing the various timing mats along the course (including the start mat at 8:00 AM) will be disqualified from the race and may be barred from entering future races.
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