Race policies
To make everybody's lives easier, we have a consistent set of policies for Orca Running events. Refunds, deferrals, transfers, awards, shirts and service dogs are all covered here.
All race registrations are non-refundable. Since the vast majority of race costs are incurred prior to a race and are non-refundable, we do not issue refunds for races.
If you are unable to participate, you have three options:
Race entries can only be deferred or transferred once.
You can defer your race entry to the next year if you can’t make it. Deferrals, or a request for a deferral, must be completed by 6:00pm the day before the race. Deferrals cannot be done the day of the race or after the race.
New for 2026: deferrals can be done online through your RunSignUp account. Click here for instructions on how to defer your race entry.
The window to claim your deferral will open when the next year’s race opens. The deadline to claim your deferral is December 31st for all races through September, and March 31st for races after September. If you do not apply your deferral by the deadline, your deferral is void and cannot be used. Click here for instructions on how to defer and claim your entry.
You will pay the reduced deferral fee up front, and once you claim your deferral the price of the race will be free but you will still be responsible for the fees. The cost of a deferral is $20 + fees (about $3) for half-marathons and longer, and $10 + fees (about $2.20) for all races under a half-marathon. If you are deferring a registration that was a free entry, you must still pay any applicable fees to defer.
Entries can only be deferred once.
A participant transfer, or bib exchange, is when a bib is transferred from one participant to another in the same race. It costs $10, paid online through RunSignUp.com by the person taking over the bib. Bib transfers need to be done online and can be done up until registration closes.
A race transfer is switching from one Orca Running race to another. Race transfers cannot be made between an Orca Running race and an Evergreen Trail Runs race. Race transfers must be completed by 6:00pm the day before the race, and you can transfer into any race with open registration.
Example: Thomas More is signed up for the Iron Horse Half, but has a book publishing tour for Utopia that conflicts with the race. So, he transfers to the Orca Half.
This costs $15 + any difference in registration prices, and is paid online through RunSignUp.com. If the race you are transferring to costs less than the race you initially signed up for, you will not receive a refund for the difference. Entries can only be transferred once. After that, a race entry must be used or forfeited.
An event transfer is changing distances at a particular race, i.e. switching from the half to the 10K. This is different from a race transfer, and is only an option at races that offer more than one distance. It costs $5 + any increase in registration prices.
You can do an event transfer online through RunSignUp for as long as online registration is open for that race. Click here for instructions on how to do so. You can still transfer distances after that, but it will need to be done in person or at packet pickup, where you will pay the transfer fee with cash, check, card or Venmo.
Do not switch distances without notifying us. It will cause errors with the results.
We will make every effort to communicate clearly and promptly with those signed up for the race. We will do so via email and Facebook posts. We will strive to make a decision as early as possible, while still balancing that against the need to wait for more or clearer information.
In the event that a race cannot be held on the scheduled date, our first preference is to reschedule the race to an alternate date. This won’t always be possible, but whenever possible, that is what we will do. Please note that when a race is rescheduled, no refunds will be given. When a race is rescheduled, we will offer participants that cannot make it to the new race date two options:
When a race must be cancelled outright and cannot be rescheduled, no refunds will be given for race entry fees. You can receive a refund for any merchandise that you purchased for the race. Registered participants will have two options:
If you become pregnant after registering, you can defer your entry to next year’s race at no cost, or request a refund. Email info@orcarunning.com — we’ll ask for confirmation from your healthcare provider. Deferral requests still need to reach us by the usual deferral deadline.
For Orca Running races, we score overall winners by Gun Time (also known as Clock Time) per USATF rules. This means that the first three runners of each gender to cross the finish line will be credited in the overall winner category, regardless of when those runners may have crossed the start line. We do this to ensure fairness of competition for all our runners.
As such, when a race is started in multiple waves, participants who believe they will be competing for an overall award should make certain they start their race in the first wave and towards the front of the wave. If you are asked for your estimated finish time during registration, please answer as accurately as possible to ensure that you are placed in the correct wave.
Overall winners are also eligible for age group awards (a practice commonly known as double-dipping). Overall awards are given to the top 3 runners in each 5 year age group and gender, i.e. Women 30-34. However, age group awards are determined using Chip Time (also known as Net Time). That is, the amount of time elapsed between when a runner crossed the start line and when they cross the finish line.
Due to the nature of using Chip Time to distribute awards on-site, we ask that all participants wait a minimum of 10 minutes after finishing to view their age group placements and claim an award. This helps to ensure that all participants receive their correct award. The unique starting schedule of the Iron Horse Half and Orca Half will also increase the time necessary for a runner to be secure in their age group placement.
As is true of any timing system, ours is not 100% infallible and we cannot guarantee that results will be 100% accurate immediately after finishing a race. However, we do employ multiple backup systems to help ensure that we can issue all runners a finish time — you can help by always making sure your bib is worn visibly from the front on your outermost layer of clothing. In some cases, we may be able to issue you a Gun Time but not a Chip Time, as congestion at the start line does not allow for the use of photo or video backup strategies. Also, to maintain the integrity of results, we are only able to use personal GPS data as a piece of the puzzle when investigating results issues and will not issue an official result based solely on this data.
Awards are only available for pickup at the race — we do not mail them out. However, if an error in timing means that a runner is now eligible for a prize, we can mail it out at no cost.
New for 2023, we now have a non-binary category in addition to male and female. This means that when you register for an Orca Running race, you can select ‘male’, ‘female’, ‘non-binary’, or ‘prefer not to say’.
If you would like to change the gender listed in your RunSignUp profile for future race registrations, follow the instructions here. If you would like to change your gender for a particular Orca Running race that you are already registered for, follow the instructions here.
We will have overall awards for the top three overall non-binary runners for every race. Non-binary awards will be available for pickup at the Orca Running tent. If you would not like to be eligible for overall awards, you should select ‘prefer not to say’ for your gender in your registration.
We welcome runners of all ages, but there are a few requirements for participants who are minors.
| Distance | Who can participate |
|---|---|
| 5K/8K/10K | Participants age 12 and older are welcome to participate and run independently at the discretion of their parent/legal guardian. Participants between 6 and 12 are invited to participate in this distance, but must be accompanied for the duration of the event by an adult guardian who is also registered for the race in question. Participants under 6 are not allowed to run. |
| 12K | Participants age 14 and older are welcome to participate and run independently at the discretion of their parent/legal guardian. Participants between the ages of 8 and 14 are invited to participate in this distance, but must be accompanied and supervised for the duration of the event by an adult guardian who is also registered for the race in question. Participants under 8 are not allowed to run. |
| 15K/Half | Participants age 15 and older are welcome to participate and run independently at the discretion of their parent/legal guardian. Participants between the ages of 12 and 15 are invited to participate in these distances, but must be accompanied and supervised for the duration of the event by an adult guardian who is also registered for the race in question. Participants under 12 are not allowed to run. |
| 30K | Participants age 16 and older are welcome to participate and run independently at the discretion of their parent/legal guardian. Participants between the ages of 14 and 16 are invited to participate in these distances, but must be accompanied and supervised for the duration of the event by an adult guardian who is also registered for the race in question. Participants under 14 are not allowed to run. |
| Kid’s Races | All children ages 12 and under are invited to participate. A parent/guardian is welcome to escort their younger children if necessary for their comfort and safety. |
The parent/legal guardian is responsible for registering the minor participant and will be required to sign the race waiver on behalf of the minor participant, which assumes responsibility for all associated risks and certifies that the minor participant is in proper physical condition to safely participate in the event. Please read the race waiver thoroughly when registering your minor child to participate.
In addition, the minor participant must be physically able to safely complete the selected distance within the time allotted for the event. Please be aware of course closure times, which can be found on each event website.
We allow shirt exchanges at all of our races, after the race. There are no shirt exchanges prior to the race. If you’d like to exchange your shirt, don’t run in it, and bring it to the big blue Orca Running tent, where we can exchange it for your desired size. We cannot guarantee that we will have the desired size, but generally we have extra shirts. We do not mail shirts.
If you register for the race after the guaranteed shirt size date, your shirt size is not guaranteed and you will receive your shirt after the race and not at packet pick up. Everyone will receive a shirt, however your size is not guaranteed.
Discounts and coupons are not applicable to previously purchased races. Coupons do not apply to the Bundle & Save discount program.
We strive to provide events that are inclusive and enjoyable for participants of all abilities. While dogs are not typically allowed at our events due to insurance limitations, we understand that some participants may require the assistance of a service dog due to disability in order to safely participate in races. Dogs must meet the following requirements in order to accompany a person during any Orca Running event:
More information about ADA Service Dog Requirements can be found on the ADA website HERE.
Stay in the loop