Frequently Asked Questions

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Where and when is the event this year?
Our Pre-Race Expo with packet pick up, registration, and exhibitors will be March 8, 2008 at the Community Center at Mercer View, located at 8236 SE 24th St., Mercer Island at the north end of the Island. Click here for directions. Race Day is March 9, 2008 and will take place at Community Center at Mercer View.
Tell me about the event.
This family-oriented run day includes the Swedish Cancer Care Institute Half Marathon Run and Half Marathon Walk around Mercer Island, the Seattle Cancer Care 10K Run that is a Bloomsday 2nd seed qualification run, the Virginia Mason Team Medicine 5K Run and 5K Walk, and a non-competitive half-mile Kids' Dash (for children age 10 and under).
What is going on during the event?
Farmers Insurance Race Village at the Community Center, will have music, family fun, giveaways and friendly faces at our sponsor booths and some surprises! We are also planning other activities to make your Sunday as enjoyable as we can.
How and when do I register?
The best way to register is online, through this website. Click on the Registration link at the top and choose the event you wish to register for. You can mail in the registration form in our brochure, which can also be downloaded from this site, or found in our advertisement in Northwest Runner and Competitor Northwest magazines. The last day for mail registrations is March 1. You can register online until March 6. You can also register on March 8 at the Pre-Race Expo at the Community Center at Mercerview, from 1-5pm and you can register day of race starting at 6:30 AM at the Community Center at Mercerview. Hurry to take advantage of our lower fees for early registration and to avoid the higher fee for late registration.
What about dogs and baby strollers?
The terms of our insurance policy require that no baby strollers or dogs be allowed on the Half Marathon, 10k Run, or 5k Run course,s other than service dogs.
Where and when can I pick up my race packet?
All shirts, bibs, and chips will be distributed at Pre-Race Expo, Saturday, March 8 from 1-5 PM, at the Community Center at Mercer View, located at 8236 SE 24th Street in Mercer Island. These items can also be picked up on run day at the registration area in the gym at the community center, between 6:30-9:00 AM.
Will there be water along the run route, and opportunities for carbohydrate replacement?
Water and Clif Shots will be available near the 6-Mile Water Station and in the Race Village. Six water stations are planned on the courses, as well as plenty of food and water at the start and finish.
What about medals?
Medals will be awarded to the top three finishers, male and female, in the Half Marathon, 10K, and 5k, in 13 different age groups, from Under 15 to 70 & older and there will be medals for the top three overall finishers. We will also have an award in each age category for the first colon cancer survivor to cross the finish line and the top survivor overall.  We would like to be able to award medals to all finishers but the cost would take too many dollars from our causes.
If I can't participate after registering, can I transfer my registration to someone else?
Yes.  Email your information, along with your name, address, age, gender and event, and the name of the substitute person, to runinfo@mercerislandhalf.com. We will change the registration to the updated information, making a note that it is a substitution. When the substitute person arrives at packet pick up, they will have to sign the entry form ... and that's all there is to it.
What happens if it takes longer to finish than three hours (course closure)?
We then begin releasing the course marshals and police, but you are welcome to continue at your own risk.  The time clock will continue to run and times will continue to be taken until the last runner has finished.
Where is there convenient lodging if I am traveling from out of town?
There are no hotels or inns on Mercer Island.  However, plenty of rooms can be found in downtown Seattle, which is within three miles of the event, or in Bellevue. Try a web search for hotels in either city for more information.
Are donations required?
Absolutely not.  Donations, both 'whether to donate' and 'how much to donate, are entirely up to you. If you do wish to make a donation in addition to your event registration fee, you can do that either on this website or on the paper-based registration form (you cannot pay by credit card unless you register online). More information on donations is available on our Donations page. 
How much of the money raised goes to charitable causes?
Once all the bills are paid (timers, shirts, awards, prizes, security, advertising, printing, sani-cans, etc.), all event registration fees, sponsorship revenue, and vendor payments go entirely to support charitable causes. This can vary from year to year but in the past few years, it has been well over 70% of the funds raised.
Who receives donations for Colon Cancer Awareness and what do they do with the funds?
The recipients are organizations in the Pacific Northwest that are working to educate the community on the importance of checking for colon cancer early on, so that it can be detected, treated and cured. Many of these organizations are also engaged helping lower income and uninsured members of our communities get screening. Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S., and treatment in its early stages of development is far more effective than in its later stages (success rates can be as hight as 90%). Thus, the medical and cancer research communities know that for colon cancer, Early Detection IS the Cure. 
Can I designate that donations I raise go solely for Colon Cancer-related organizations?
Yes. Unless you specify otherwise, the money you contribute is used to support the fight against Colon Cancer (including education), as well as fund several other charitable causes supported by The Foundation of the Rotary Club of Mercer Island. For more information about our foundation's activities, click here.
To what organization should donation checks be made payable?
You can donate through this website by credit card; to learn more, see our Donations page. If you prefer, you can send your check, made payable to Mercer Island Rotary Half Marathon, to Mercer Island Rotary Foundation, PO Box 1, Mercer Island, WA 98040. All donations are fully tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
How do teams work?
Teams can be formed by completing the Team Captain Packet available for download from the Teams page. If your company is interested in forming a team with pre-paid registrations for employees and their families, get in touch with us by sending email to runinfo@mercerislandhalf.com.
Must the Team Captain sign up first?
Yes, the Team Captain establishes the Team name so that all persons wishing to sign up for his or her team are included correctly.
What does "official second seed Bloomsday qualifying race" mean?
Men and women that finish the 10K Run at a race time that is faster than the qualification time will qualify for the "Second Seeding" of the Bloomsday race.  This is the seed, or starting group, just behind the elites. The qualifying time is 39:00 minutes for men and 47:00 minutes for women.
Where will results be posted?
Results will be posted at Farmers Insurance Race Village, on this website, at the Athletes Lounge website, and in the Mercer Island Reporter.
Is my time based on Chip Time or Gun Time?
We are guided by the USA Track and Field rules ... and the only time they recognize is "gun time."  Their logic is that a person could "game" chip time by starting late, not being slowed by the pack, and thereby develop an overall, elapsed time advantage.  This is why the starting positions are seeded by expected pace, so the elite and quicker runners do not have to work their way through the pack, believing they have earned that right.
Can I pick up my award after the race?
If you miss an award during the Award Ceremony after the event, your medal will be at Youth and Family Services office at Luther Burbank Park on Mercer Island during the month of April. Feel free to drop by and pick up your medal ... and congratulations!