Long-distance relay races have been around for decades, but demand has surged recently. With the popularity of the marathon unstoppable, more and more major events around the world are looking to add marathon relays to their events.
The experience of running a marathon in a major event is truly unforgettable. These marathon relays give runners the opportunity to experience all the feelings and emotions they will have on race day without having to complete the entire 26.2-mile route.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at what exactly a marathon relay is, how it works, the rules involved, and everything else you might need to know before signing up for a marathon relay.
What is a marathon relay?
The Marathon Relay is a 26.2-mile or 42.195-kilometer race held in relay format. This means that the competition is played in small groups who will take turns competing in different stages or legs of the competition. This means that runners don’t have to run the entire marathon distance, but only a small portion.
Like any relay race, a marathon relay involves passing the baton or timing chip between different members of the team at specific transition points on the course. Not only does this format help make the marathon distance more achievable, but it combines endurance training with strategic thinking and team participation.
What are the benefits of running a marathon relay?
Teamwork- One of the main benefits of participating in a marathon relay is the teamwork and camaraderie of participating in the event. A typical marathon is usually very lonely and therefore very difficult. Therefore, having a team dynamic can help make training and racing easier.
Accountability – Another significant benefit of running a marathon relay is the sense of responsibility that comes with it. You no longer just run for yourself, you run for every member of the team. This pressure can help you stay accountable and ensure you complete all required training and preparation.
fun – Marathon running is often a strenuous activity. However, when you shorten the distance significantly and share it with a close group of friends, the day becomes even more fun. It also makes the whole running experience more enjoyable and less daunting. Plus, if you’re traveling overseas for a race, the reduced distance means your legs will be full of energy to explore after the race!
Charity Fundraising – Make these big events more meaningful by running for a cause. When campaigning and fundraising for a cause, a group of people can raise much more money than a single person can. So every dollar you raise and every mile you run will mean a lot.
How does a marathon relay run?
Team size:
Most marathon relay teams usually consist of 4 to 6 runners. However, this number may change depending on the event.
distance:
The total distance of the race was 26.2 miles or 42.195 kilometers, but no runner could complete the distance. The total distance will be divided into different sections and each different runner will be responsible for it.
Competition leg:
There is no set distance for the race leg. However, the length of the race will depend on the number of competitors in the team.
Different runners can also run different lengths based on their abilities. So one runner might run 15K, while another might only run 5K.
Passing the baton:
Between each play, teams must pass the baton or timing chip in a designated transition area.
The runner must be in the transition zone when making a handoff. The transition area is where one competitor completes their portion of the race and the next competitor begins their portion of the race.
Transition zone:
There will be different transition areas along the track where competitors must pass the baton or chip. If they do not stay within these areas or drop the baton/timing chip then they may be penalized.
Timing:
The total time is from the time the first runner starts until the last runner crosses the finish line. All times will be tracked by official event organizers so are very accurate.
What’s the best strategy for a marathon relay?
While the marathon relay is primarily about enjoyment and having fun, you ultimately want to run as fast as possible. However, due to the added logistics required for a marathon relay, having a well-thought-out strategy for race day is important to ensure the race is as fast as possible.
Below we’ve listed some strategy tips to ensure you and your team have the best chance of achieving a fast time in your marathon relay.
Understand your team’s strengths and weaknesses
One of the most important factors to consider when developing your marathon relay race day strategy is your team’s strengths, weaknesses, and abilities. Not only does this help you distribute leg length and pace correctly, it also allows you to set realistic expectations for everyone on the team.
We recommend giving your strongest runners the longest legs and letting them start and finish the race. This is because a strong start and strong finish can help relieve stress on the mid-leg, allowing “weaker” runners to have a more enjoyable and less stressful run on their legs.
It is always advisable to let your strongest runners finish the race as they can push themselves harder to ensure the strongest finish for the team. Therefore, this gives you the best chance of getting a fast running result.
Set your pace
Another very important factor to remember about marathon relays is pace. Too many runners neglect pacing during these events. This is because they think the game is much easier because the burden is shared among their team. However, pacing yourself according to your abilities is still very important to ensure the game goes smoothly.
As a team, you should set a time for the game. With this time in mind, you should calculate the average pace goal each team member will need to achieve that race time. When setting each personal pace goal, it’s important to make sure the pace is realistic and doesn’t put too much pressure on the runner.
Practice handoffs
One of the most difficult parts of a marathon relay is the baton/timing chip handoff. While this may seem like a simple and trivial task, it can be very costly if not implemented. This is because any handoff errors can result in a timing penalty for your team, significantly increasing your finish time.
During training, you should make sure to keep practicing passing the baton. This will help make the transition to game day as smooth as possible and help you avoid any unnecessary penalties.
Perform warm-up and warm-up activities
This tip isn’t about strategy, it’s about making sure every runner can perform at their best on race day. Before every race, it’s important to make sure every runner on your team warms up properly. This is because a good warm-up helps relax your joints, improves blood flow to your muscles, and helps prevent injuries.
Struggling to come up with a warm-up routine? We’re lucky enough to work with running powerhouses Runna, who provide tailor-made training plans and support no matter what your running goals are.
Coach Beth’s Steady Warm-Up:
Coach Beth’s tough warm-up:
Coach Ben’s tough warm-up:
How to find out marathon relay events?
The number of marathon relay events around the world has increased dramatically in recent years. At realbuzz we work with Run the Rome Marathon They are adding a marathon relay to the March 2025 event.
At realbuzz, our goal is not only to help people participate in incredible events around the world, we also want to make every mile more meaningful for runners. That’s why we offer guaranteed entry to major global running events, where all you have to do is raise money for an incredible cause. We’ve raised over £1 billion for incredible causes so far and we’re incredibly proud of this, but we’ve only just begun.
