Registering during Marine Corps Marathon Rush Registration

Running the Marine Corps Marathon is on many people’s bucket list. And once you’ve run it once, it grabs you by the heart strings and you want to run it again. (Even if you claim you don’t. Not that I’d know anything about that.) But getting into the race requires a little bit of luck.

In recent years, in addition to the other options, MCM has offered a rush registration. This is a 20 minute window to register that will allow up to 7,000 runners to register before the lottery opens. It starts at noon – usually on a day in mid-march. Here’s how the process goes:

Set an alarm on your phone so you don’t forget. Ok, maybe set 2 or 3. Actual number dependent on your level of OCD.

Dress in your lucky MCM registering clothes. If you are lucky, this is your “faces” shirt from the 2018 race. (Go ahead, put that bad boy on and wear it with pride.)

Obsessively check the website, refreshing like crazy, until the actual link to register appears. (Checking on multiple devices allowed.)

Once the link appears, click on it approximately 5 million times in the space of 15 minutes. I mean, they COULD open a few seconds early. (This is the Marines. They won’t.)

Once the link works, type like a madman. Misspell your name. Forget your birthdate. (You checked your password if you already have an account beforehand, right?) Finally get it all right and press enter. Only to find out you missed something. Fix it. Press enter. Watch the little dude run.

And BOOM! You are in! Take a deep breath. Try to stop shaking. Maybe go for a run to bring down the adrenaline. Post to Facebook so everyone knows.

Congrats! You are now one of the lucky ones who is registered!

And if you didn’t get in, don’t worry – the lottery starts soon and if not, there are always bibs up for transfer in late summer when people realize that they are in no way ready to run. One way or another, you’ll get the chance to earn one of these awesome medals.

See you in October!