Relay Team Time Limit: 6.5 Hours

Runners, Joggers and Walkers are all welcomed to participate in the Marathon, Half Marathon and 5-Person Relay Race. Although the marathon race is mainly put on for racers, we applaud all those who set out to complete the marathon or half marathon distance, regardless of the pace. However, due to the costs associated with a production of this scale, we must limit the amount of time the course is open. Therefore, we establish a 6.5 hour time limit.

The course opens at 8:00 a.m. and closes at 2:30 p.m.
This is a pace of 14:50 (min:sec) per mile for the marathon. For your own safety, we strongly discourage you from participating in this event if you can not maintain a pace of 14:50 (min:sec) per mile as all course support shuts down based on this pace.

If participants choose to continue running after 2:30 p.m., they do so at their own risk and will be required by the Dallas Police Department to move to available sidewalks and obey traffic signals and laws along the course.

No times are recorded after 2:30 p.m. Finisher medallions and completion certificates will be awarded only to those who finish within the official time span.

Medical Aid closes at 2:30 p.m. in the American Airlines Center lobby. If problems are experienced after this time, please contact your personal physician or proceed to the nearest emergency room.

Race Course Closing Schedule
The race course is closed to all traffic, and then re-opened based on a “ROVING” schedule, which means the course will officially re-open (to vehicular traffic) behind the participants based on a pace of 14:50 (min:sec) per mile. Crews drive in trucks at a pace approximately equal to 15 minutes per mile to pick up trash and supplies from the aid stations along the course.

14:50 (min:sec) Pace
Any person moving at a pace slower than 14:50 (min:sec) per mile is strongly encouraged to discontinue. Officials with the Dallas White Rock Marathon Presented by NexBank and related parties take no responsibility for participants after the course reopens. All participants on the course after it reopens are required by law to follow all traffic rules, including using the sidewalks, cross walks, obeying cross walk signs, and not crossing streets while the traffic lights are red. In addition, once the race course closes and the streets reopen, all medical aid provided by the marathon is no longer accessible.

Course Time Limit FAQs

Why is the course only open 6.5 hours?
A number of services related to the marathon are paid for on an hourly basis. This includes ambulance services (which are required by the City), medical help, rental of supplies used on the course, rental of trucks and other vehicles, rental of supplies used at the finish line, and rent of the American Airlines Center. Keeping the course open past 6.5 hours is not financially feasible.

Why can’t you guarantee me a medallion even if I finish over the 6.5 hour time limit? I paid the same entry fee as those who finish in 3 hours.
One of the hardest tasks in holding a race is trying to project the final number of participants far enough in advance when ordering all the supplies. If you guess too much, you’re stuck with dated finisher medallions and have wasted money. If you order too little those without are deeply hurt. Typically our orders for medallions are placed in late summer, giving our suppliers time to provide us preferred pricing. Less than 10% of the final participant numbers have signed up at this time. So we have to make educated guesses based on past figures. Things like weather, 9/11, the local flu & cold season, the price of gas, and other factors beyond our control influence the final numbers. Bottom line is that the finish line goodies are passed out on a first-come, first serve basis. If supplies are still left at 7 hours, we are quite proud to bestow a medallion to you.

I am just a little slower than the pace of 14:50 per mile, and I want to stay on the street to avoid the sidewalk curbs. Why can’t I?
Because the streets are once again under the jurisdiction of the City of Dallas and they have laws against pedestrians traveling in the street. Sorry.

Can I start early then?
No, for two main reasons: the streets are not officially turned over to the race participants until the 8:00 AM start, and the official timing system is not turned on until the 8:00 AM start. Any person whose chip does not register as crossing the various timing mats along the course (including the start mat at 8:00 AM) will be disqualified from the race and may be barred from entering future races.