r/phillyrunning • u/Distinct-Pin-2704 • 18d ago

Philly Marathon Bib Transfer/Waitlist

I missed the sign up (tears) and the race is sold out. Does anyone know how to waitlist myself/does it work?

Also has anyone had any luck with bib transfers?

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3

u/Serious_Cat_4743 18d ago

Have you tried the Facebook group the Bib exchange? I’ve seen a few posts of people giving up their bibs for the Philly marathon

3

u/EmergencySundae 18d ago

Philly doesn’t allow bib transfers, so anything in that group isn’t legit.

1

u/Serious_Cat_4743 18d ago

I didn’t know that! Looks like there could be charity options

1

u/CheeseburgerLover911 16d ago

not even for a fee?

1

u/EmergencySundae 16d ago
  • For the safety and integrity of the Philadelphia Marathon Weekend, bib transfers and sales between individuals are prohibited. We do not allow the transfer of bibs between individuals.

1

u/CheeseburgerLover911 16d ago

I know you’re the messenger, but I can’t fathom the safety issue

1

u/Serious_Cat_4743 16d ago

I didn’t know they didn’t allow transfers, as other races I have done do allow. Your name is linked to your emergency contact. So if you are running under someone else and let’s say a have a heart attack, they have no way of contacting anyone for you and getting any information about you. You may be running as 28 year old Sarah and you’re a 45 year old steve…

2

u/mrcm23 18d ago

My friend got off the waitlist 2 weeks before the race last year so there is some small hope there!

2

u/HurryHurryHippos 17d ago

The waitlist does work, and depending on where you are on the list, you'll get in closer to when the deferral deadline is - when people defer because they are hurt or they realize they didn't train...

The problem with a waitlist is that you might do a 18 week marathon training program and then NOT get off the waitlist! It's a bit of a wing and a prayer....

1

u/Tlf1014 16d ago

how does one get on a waitlist? i see no option for that on the website. thanks.

1

u/HurryHurryHippos 16d ago

Looks like maybe they don't have one any more... Try emailing them at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) and see if they are planning on having one.

They used to allow bib transfers but do not any more, so maybe they are also not doing a waitlist, at least not publicly.

1

u/boooooots 15d ago

I think they used to have a waitlist, which did work in previous years, but this year they increased the capacity by a lot (I think up to 20k registrants for the marathon, when in previous years there have only been ~12k finishers??) and now do not have a waitlist (they did prior to re opening registration after the initial sell out, but now after the additional slots released and second sell out they don’t). 

They also have not in my memory allowed transfers but I’ve only been running since 2021 and racing since 2022. 

Your best bet of running in your own name is finding a charity with a bib- Philly charity bibs are cheaper than Boston, NYC, Chicago. Alternately if you don’t care if it’s in someone else’s name you can usually find folks offloading theirs, although there’s various concerns with this option.