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Frequently Asked Questions

 

Booking Information

No, you must be 18 to run in the full marathon and 15 to run in the half marathon. The package price for children (below the age of 12 on race day) is half price of the chosen accommodation. Infants (below the age of 2 on race day) come along for free.

Make sure you notify us by using the comments box when registering for the marathon. Alternatively, send us an email.

You can pay using our credit card payment form here: solar-eclipse-marathon.com/payment-form. The form accepts VISA, Mastercard, Maestro and JCB. Please remember to enter the Booking ID from your booking email receipt as your payment reference.

Yes it is. You can change the name of a traveller or participant until 1 November 2012.

However, please note that each name change will be subject to the following fees:

- From now until 14 May 2012 - AUD 50
- 15 May 2012 - 13 October 2012 - AUD 100
- 14 October 2012 - 31 October 2012 - AUD 200
- 1 November 2012 - 14 November 2012 - Name changes will not be possible. 

Registration begins in January 2012. An online entry form will be available on our website for Cairns and Port Douglas running club members. Please note that only Cairns and Port Douglas running club members can apply. Proof of membership will be required. If you are an Australian runner and have any questions regarding registration, please contact Travelling Fit.

Practical Information

Yes, you can switch from the full to the half marathon and vice versa up to a month before race day.

Yes, there is a limit of 2000 runners in the marathon and we can accommodate up to 3000 people during the solar eclipse week.

Running a marathon requires preparation. However, The Solar Eclipse Marathon is an Adventure Marathon and as such it will take place in conditions that generally require more physical effort than the average city marathon. Make sure you are adequately prepared for the added strain of the rugged terrain and be sure to have consumed plenty of water and have plenty of energy to endure the challenge in the hot and humid climate.

Meals included in the package are as follows: Pasta Party dinner, breakfast on race day and the celebration dinner the following day. Additionally, breakfast is included for guests staying in the five-star hotels.

No, it is not possible to obtain a group discount.

No, but all participants and travellers must have valid travel insurance prior to departure.

Doctors and other medical staff will be available on race day. Should you require further medical assistance, the Port Village Medical Centre can be found in the Port Village Shopping Centre.

Box jellyfish (marine stingers) season begins in November and lasts until May. During this time, swimmers should only bathe in designated areas within the net enclosures along the beaches.

Make sure your passport is valid and that you have a valid visa to enter Australia (including electronic visas). Before entering Australia, you are required to complete and sign an Incoming Passenger Card, including health and character declaration. For more information on visas and travel documents required for entering Australia, please look here.

The age limits are 18 years for the full marathon and 15 years for the half marathon. It is recommended that runners are properly prepared for the run as it can be arduous and training beforehand is required to complete the race.

Solar Eclipse

Yes and no. If you don’t take the necessary precautions, it is potentially dangerous to look directly at the Sun while it is only partly covered by the Moon. Looking at the Sun while it is totally eclipsed does not pose any danger. All entrants in the Solar Eclipse Marathon will be provided with a pair of glasses specially designed for eclipse viewing. Learn more about the 2012 solar eclipse.

Of course, we cannot predict the future but we can say that there is a good chance of a sunny day on 14 November 2012. The monsoon season doesn’t take effect until December so cloud cover is usually not heavy at this time of year. As for heat and humidity, we can expect a morning temperature in the mid-20s degrees Celcius and humidity of around 70%. Look on our weather section for more information on Port Douglas weather and climate.

After breakfast on race day, spectators will go to the designated area of Four Mile Beach reserved especially for The Solar Eclipse Marathon to view the solar eclipse and the start of the marathon.

About

The Solar Eclipse Marathon is a collaboration between the Adventure Marathon organisers Albatros Travel in Denmark and Australian specialist travel agent Travelling Fit, supported by Port Douglas Event Management.

The Albatros Travel Adventure Marathon is a physically demanding marathon that will take runners to a whole new level. Even experienced marathon runners will be pushed to perform the athletic feat of their lives in one of our Adventure Marathons. A typical Adventure Marathon course will follow the classic marathon distance of 42.195 km but certain elements must be in place before a run can be termed an Adventure Marathon. Rough terrain, uneven surfaces, abrupt ascents and other small obstructions are all a part of the course. And the average time for running the course must exceed 4.5 hours and no more than 10% of runners can clock less than 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Additionally, this type of marathon is characterised by a location of magnificent scenery and unique cultural atmosphere.  Apart from the one-time event of  The Solar Eclipse Marathon, four Adventure Marathons are run each year: The Great Wall Marathon in China, The Big Five Marathon in South Africa, the Petra Marathon in Jordan and The Polar Circle Marathon in Greenland. Find out more: Adventure-Marathon.com.

 
 
 

Video

The Solar Eclipse Marathon - the experience of a lifetime