Frequently Asked Questions

If you can no longer participate, you can transfer your registration to another person you have found who would like your entry. Transfers cost $15 and must be completed through your Race Roster account. View transfer instructions.

The deadline for person-to-person transfers is September 10 at 11:59 pm. After this deadline, transfers to another person are not permitted. No exceptions.

You are responsible for collecting any payment directly from the person receiving your registration.

If you are purchasing a transferred bib, please verify that the seller is registered using the Confirm Registration tool. RVM is not responsible for any issues between buyers and sellers.

You can change your race distance through your Race Roster account until October 6, 2027, at 11:59 pm, provided space is available. Transfers into sold out distances are not permitted.

View transfer instructions.

After the online deadline, distance changes can be requested at Race Package Pickup, subject to availability.

RVM does not find buyers or sellers for race bibs. Participants can use this Facebook group to connect with people looking to buy or sell an entry.

All registrations must be officially transferred through Race Roster before the transfer deadline. Participants cannot run under another person’s name or registration information.

Someone else can pick up your race package on your behalf. They will need:

• Your last name

• Your bib number

• A text or email from you authorizing them to collect your package

Bib numbers will be emailed to participants during event week. Please confirm your pickup arrangements with the person collecting your package.

You can confirm your registration by logging in to your Race Roster dashboard or using the Confirm Registration tool.

You can cancel your registration, but refunds and deferrals are not available for 2027. Refund protection will be offered for purchase during registration.

You can transfer to another race distance for a fee, subject to availability. After October 6, distance changes can only be requested at Race Package Pickup on October 8 and 9.

Transfers to another person must be completed by September 10.

If you purchased refund protection, use the “Request a Refund” button in your confirmation email from Protecht to submit a claim.

If you need help or did not receive your confirmation email, contact help@protecht.com directly. The RVM team cannot assist with refund protection questions or claims.

The Royal Victoria Marathon distance is a Boston Marathon qualifier.

Applications for the 2027 elite athlete program will open in spring 2027.

You can purchase an iTAB during registration to personalize your finisher medal with your name and finish time.

Your personalized iTAB will be mailed directly to you by the company within one month of completing your 2027 race.

Participants must meet the following minimum ages on race day:

• Marathon: 18 years old

• Half Marathon: 16 years old

• 8K: 11 years old

This policy follows international standards, has been informed by our external medical advisers and supports participant safety.

Parents or guardians must sign the online registration waiver for participants aged 18 or under. They should also ensure young runners have the training and pace judgement needed to complete their event comfortably and safely.

Event organizers reserve the right to request proof of age.

During registration, participants must acknowledge and agree to our General Release and Waiver of Liability, Refund, Deferral and Cancellation Policies.

Preview the policies.

A waitlist will open if a race distance sells out. Waitlists may also close if they reach capacity.

Race weekend information emails include important details for each event. Please check your inbox, spam folder, promotions tab and Race Roster account to ensure you receive our updates.

The information documents linked in the original FAQs are available below:

• Marathon, Outway Half Marathon and Westland Insurance 8K

• Island Savings 5K

• Thrifty Foods Kids Run

Saturday, October 9, 2027

• Island Savings 5K: 9:00 am

• Thrifty Foods Kids Run: 10:30 am

Saturday’s events take place at Willows Beach Park in Oak Bay.

Sunday, October 10, 2027

• Westland Insurance 8K: 7:15 am

• Marathon and Outway Half Marathon: 8:15 am

There are no early starts for any distance. Please review the Course Time Limits and Cutoffs section for completion requirements.

The Island Savings 5K and Thrifty Foods Kids Run start and finish at Willows Beach Park in Oak Bay on Saturday, October 9, 2027.

The Marathon, Outway Half Marathon and Westland Insurance 8K start and finish downtown near the Legislative Buildings on Sunday, October 10, 2027.

• Saturday venue map

• Sunday venue map

Course maps are available on each event page:

• Marathon

• Outway Half Marathon

• Westland Insurance 8K

• Island Savings 5K

Strollers are not permitted on the Marathon, Half Marathon or 8K courses.

Strollers are welcome in the 5K. Participants with strollers must start at the back.

Pets are not permitted in any distance. Nordic poles are only permitted for participants with mobility impairments.

Visit our Road Closures page for detailed information about event-related closures.

The course time limits are:

• Marathon: 6 hours, 30 minutes

• Outway Half Marathon: 3 hours, 30 minutes

• Westland Insurance 8K: 90 minutes

• Island Savings 5K: 60 minutes

There are no early starts for any race.

Marathon participants must pass the 13K mark by 10:30 am to continue on the marathon route. Participants who do not reach this point by the cutoff can move to the Half Marathon distance or withdraw from the event.

Time limits may change based on route approval, but they will not be shorter than those listed above.

Participants must remain on the official course and follow all instructions from race, medical and police officials.

Where cones mark the route, participants must follow the cone line. Curbs, sidewalks and grass are not part of the measured course and cannot be used to shorten the route.

Failure to follow the official course or race instructions may result in disqualification.

Please dispose of gels, wrappers and other waste in designated garbage cans at aid stations, or carry them with you until you can dispose of them properly.

Marathon, Outway Half Marathon and Westland Insurance 8K

Prize ribbons will be awarded to first through fifth place in each age category on October 10.

Awards will be presented at the Victoria Conference Centre:

• Westland Insurance 8K: 11:00 am

• Outway Half Marathon: 12:00 pm

• Marathon: 1:00 pm

Island Savings 5K

Prize ribbons will be awarded to the top three male and top three female finishers on October 9. There are no age group awards for the 5K.

Ribbons will be presented at Willows Beach Park.

Please collect your ribbon on race day. Unclaimed ribbons will also be available at Frontrunners Victoria on Vancouver Street beginning October 12. Ribbons will not be mailed.

Each race distance has a registration cap. Prices increase based on registration levels and published deadlines.

Follow our social media channels and subscribe to our e-newsletters for updates about pricing changes and remaining spaces.

The Super Pacers will return to help participants reach their finish time goals. The team has paced our Marathon and Half Marathon events since 2014.

Marathon finish times

3:30, 3:40, 3:50, 4:00, 4:10, 4:20, 4:30, 4:45, 5:00 and 6:00.

Outway Half Marathon finish times

1:30, 1:40, 1:50, 2:00, 2:10, 2:20 and 2:30.

Westland Insurance 8K finish times

35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65 and 70 minutes.

Meet the Super Pacers at the Pace Team booth during the Race Expo on Friday and Saturday.

No advance signup is required. On race morning, look for the star-shaped sign displaying your desired finish time and join the group. Marathon and Half Marathon pace signs will be on opposite sides of the start corral.

Pace Leaders will be in the start corral at least 30 minutes before the race begins. Pace groups are subject to pacer availability on race day, and times are not guaranteed.

Live results and participant tracking for the Marathon, Outway Half Marathon and Westland Insurance 8K will be provided through Startline Timing.

The Live Tracker will be available on race morning. Tracking details will be shared in early October.

Participants, family and friends can use the web tracker or RTRT.me mobile app to access:

• Split times and current pace

• Estimated finish times

• Live leaderboards

• Estimated participant locations on the course map

• Push notifications and event updates through the app

Map positions are estimated using the latest timing data recorded from each participant’s bib. Participants do not need to carry a phone for this feature to work.

Results displayed during the event are unofficial. Official results will be posted after the event.

The Locker will provide free, secure parking for bicycles, scooters, one-wheels, hoverboards and other micromobility vehicles.

When you arrive, staff will check in your bike or vehicle and give you an identification tag. Return with your tag after the event to collect it.

Learn more about The Locker.

The full entertainment lineup will be announced closer to race weekend.

In 2026, Friends of Music Society, one of the RVM CHEK Charities, provided entertainment for Marathon and Half Marathon participants at 1128 Dallas Road, between Cook Street and Clover Point.

Four musical groups performed outside Saint Frances Manor by the Sea Seniors Residence in support of mental health.

Divisions with prize money, including high performance categories in the Marathon, Outway Half Marathon and Westland Insurance 8K, use gun time.

Age group awards are based on chip time.

XACT NUTRITION will return as our official on-course energy and hydration sponsor.

On-course products include:

• XACT ENERGY fruit bars in orange, apricot and strawberry, in equal quantities

• XACT ELECTROLYTES in Lightly Lemon

Aid stations will provide Old Victoria Water and XACT Electrolytes. Stations 3 and 7 will also offer XACT ENERGY fruit bars.

Portable toilets and a radio operator will be available at each aid station if you need medical assistance.

Participants are encouraged to be self-sufficient where possible and carry their own hydration as appropriate.

Please keep the course clean. Do not discard gels, wrappers or other packaging outside RVM aid stations.

Use designated garbage cans or carry your waste until you can dispose of it properly.

Victoria is located on Vancouver Island and can be reached by air or ferry.

Travel options include:

• Harbour Air: Flights from several locations directly into Victoria’s Inner Harbour.

• BC Ferries: Ferry service from the Vancouver area. Reservations are strongly recommended. Booking information.

• FRS Clipper: Passenger ferry service from Seattle. Service information.

• Coho Ferry: Ferry service from Port Angeles. Service information.

• Victoria International Airport: Located approximately 30 minutes outside Victoria. Airport information.

The 2027 Race Expo will take place on October 8 and 9 at the Victoria Conference Centre.

Interested exhibitors can download the Exhibitor Package from our Expo page.

Marathon, Outway Half Marathon and Westland Insurance 8K

Package pickup takes place at the Victoria Conference Centre, 720 Douglas Street:

• Friday, October 8: 11:00 am to 6:00 pm

• Saturday, October 9: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm

• Sunday, October 10: From 6:00 am, for out-of-town participants only

Island Savings 5K and Thrifty Foods Kids Run

Packages can be collected at the Victoria Conference Centre on Friday, October 8, from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Alternatively, collect your package at Willows Beach Park on Saturday, October 9:

• Island Savings 5K: 7:30 am to 8:30 am

• Thrifty Foods Kids Run: 9:00 am to 10:00 am

Wear your bib on the front of your chest so it is clearly visible to course marshals, photographers and medical personnel.

Your bib’s timing chip must remain uncovered. Participants who do not wear their bib correctly may be removed from the event.

Headphones are permitted but are not recommended, as they can prevent you from hearing other participants, course marshals and important instructions.

If you choose to wear headphones, keep the volume low or use only one earbud. Participants are responsible for hearing and following all race instructions.

Gear check will be available in tents on the grounds of the Legislative Buildings beginning at 6:00 am on Sunday. Tents will be labelled by race distance.

Gear check will also be available at Willows Beach Park for the Island Savings 5K on Saturday, October 9.

Kilometre markers will be provided for all race distances. Mile markers will also be placed every five miles.

Visit the City of Victoria’s parking information page for details about downtown parking.

You can also park outside the downtown core and walk to the event. Please observe residential parking restrictions and do not park on the race route, as vehicles will be towed.

For Saturday’s events, limited parking is available in the Willows Beach parking lot and on surrounding streets in Oak Bay.

Visit BC Transit for local bus routes and schedules.

Capital Bike will be onsite with The Locker, a secure parking service for bicycles, scooters, one-wheels, hoverboards and other micromobility vehicles.

Staff use portable racks and an identification tag system to keep checked items secure during the event.

Visit the course map on your race distance page to find aid station locations and details about what each station provides.

XACT NUTRITION will return as our official on-course energy and hydration sponsor, providing:

• XACT ENERGY fruit bars in orange, apricot and strawberry

• XACT ELECTROLYTES in Lightly Lemon

Portable toilets will be available at aid stations.

Participants are encouraged to carry their own hydration as appropriate and review the course map before race day.

We welcome volunteers to help bring race weekend to life. Volunteer registration will open by May 2027.

Race results will be available through Startline Timing beginning on race day.

We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of our event while creating a positive experience for participants, volunteers, spectators and our community.

Our goals are to minimize waste, reduce emissions and encourage responsible participation.

Our waste reduction efforts include:

• Providing clearly marked recycling and compost stations, plus an “IDK” bin for items you are unsure how to sort

• Having a dedicated team sort, weigh and haul event waste

• Donating usable leftover materials and clothing

• Working with vendors to minimize packaging

Waste stations will be available throughout the event site, with volunteers on hand to help participants sort materials correctly.

We encourage participants to bring a reusable water bottle or cup.

A water refill station will be located to the right of the Legislature stairs.

Disposable cups of water will be available at aid stations to help participants stay hydrated.

Please drink and discard your cup within the aid station area. Where possible, participants are encouraged to carry reusable hydration systems.

Help reduce event-related emissions by:

• Walking, cycling or taking public transit

• Carpooling with friends or teammates

• Using shared transportation where available

• Taking advantage of the free bike valet provided by Capital Bike

Whenever possible, surplus food that is safe to consume is donated to local organizations.

Food scraps are composted where facilities are available.

We aim to source race shirts, medals and other merchandise from suppliers that prioritize sustainable materials, ethical manufacturing practices and reduced packaging.

You can help reduce the event’s environmental impact by:

• Bringing reusable bottles, cups and bags

• Choosing sustainable transportation

• Sorting waste correctly

• Respecting natural areas along the course

We work with facility managers, municipalities and landowners to minimize the impact of race activities on local ecosystems, wildlife and vegetation.

Whenever possible, signage, banners and other event materials are reused at future events, repurposed or recycled.

Clothing left at the start line is collected by event volunteers and donated to local charities and community organizations whenever possible.

If you plan to discard a layer, consider bringing a gently used item you no longer need.

Discarded clothing cannot be retrieved. If you want to keep your garment, please leave it with someone you know.

We track indicators such as waste diversion, volunteer engagement, transportation initiatives and sustainability program participation to identify opportunities for improvement.

We welcome ideas and suggestions from participants.

Post-event surveys will include sustainability questions. You can also contact the race organizing team directly with feedback.