1. How does the lottery registration work?
2. Is the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon course certified?
3. Is the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon a Boston Marathon Qualifier?
4. How is the marathon run?
5. Will runners receive splits?
6. What about spectators?
7. Can I have friends run part/all of the marathon with me?
8. What can we expect as far as "weather" is concerned?
9. Will there be port-a-potties on the course?
10. Will there be music?
11. How does changing direction every 30 minutes work?
12. Is there a time limit?
13. What kind of replacement fluids and "food" will be at the aid stations?
14. Will there be showers available after I finish?
15. Are there any motels in the area?
16. Where/when is Packet Pick-up?
17. Will there be a pre-marathon dinner on Saturday night?
18. Is there a Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Expo?
19. Are head-sets, baby-joggers or pets allowed while running?
20. When I run an outdoor marathon there are plenty of places to spit if I need to. Will I be able to spit in the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon?
21. How many runners have completed the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon in 2006, 2007 and 2008?
22. Where do the runners come form?
23. What are the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Course Records and Age-Group Records?
24. Race Director's Comments

How does the lottery registration work?
Due to the large number of runners wishing to run the 2009 Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon, we will use a lottery system this year. Marathoners wishing to run need to complete a registration form and mail it with a check (dated June 20, 2008) for $60, so that it reaches Northfield, MN by June 20, 2008. On or about June 25, 2008 we will randomly draw registrations and these runners will be in the marathon. We will then draw the remaining registration forms and place them on the "wait list". You will be given an opportunity to withdraw from the wait list and have your check returned. Any runner who has to drop out of the marathon due to change of schedule, injury, etc. and lets us know that he/she will be unable to run will receive $30 (1/2 of the registration) back if we are able to fill your spot before the marathon. The $60 registration fee includes a ticket to the Saturday night pre-marathon dinner, 2 GU packets, 2 Jelly Belly Beans packets, a 5 X 7 color running photo, a finisher's certificate, a finisher's shirt and a finisher's medal!

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Is the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon course certified?
Yes! The Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Course was USAT&F certified on 7/17/2007 (MN-07026-RR)

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Is the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon a Boston Marathon Qualifier?
No! Although we are a USAT&F certified marathon, Boston has recently added a regulation (we named it the Randy Peterson Rule) denying indoor marathon qualifying times. Run with us on 1/11/2009 and meet Randy Peterson, the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Men's record holder and as far as we know, the only person ever allowed to run Boston using an indoor marathon time!

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How is the marathon run?
The marathon will consist of 150 laps on the upstairs running track. Runners will change directions every 30 minutes. (Each runner will complete the lap he/she is on before changing direction.)

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Will runners receive splits?
There will be a large display clock at the START-FINISH line displaying times the entire marathon. You will run by this clock every lap. In addition, members of the St. Olaf Women's Track & Field Team will be recording everyone of your lap splits on your "Finisher's Certificate". One mile is 5.7 laps.

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What about spectators?
Spectators are welcome! You may bring your support team as well! The St. Olaf Women's Track & Field Team will be taking splits and offering unbelievable encouragement. Also, since you will be running by the spot where your personal support will be standing every 282 meters, you will receive all the support you need!

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Can I have friends run part/all of the marathon with me?
No! We expect to have a full field of 40 runners and extra bodies on the track will just make it harder to pass/go around other runners.

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What can we expect as far as "weather" is concerned?
Well, we will guarantee that it will not rain and that there will be no wind! That being said, the air will be relatively dry and you will be running is low humidity. If you wear contact lenses you may want to have some eye-drops with you although we don't believe that this was a problem in 2006, 2007, or 2008.

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Will there be port-a-potties on the course?
No! But there are large restrooms approximately 60 meters from the track…no waiting in line at the Zoom! Yah! Yah!

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Will there be music?
Music will be played through the Field House sound system the entire marathon. We will ask all registered runners to let us know the names of their favorite songs so we can try to include them.

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How does changing direction every 30 minutes work?
At the 30, 60, 90, 120, etc. minute mark we will place a large orange traffic cone on the Start-Finish line. When each runner completes the lap that they are on he/she will simply run past the cone, turn and change direction. The runners who have just changed direction will be entitled to the inside lane until all runners have changed direction. This usually takes less than 2 minutes.

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Is there a time limit?
The marathon begins at 6:30 AM and the running track will be closed until 12:00 noon (5:30 hours). At 12:00 noon the track will be open to the St. Olaf College Community so there may be runners/walkers on the track at that time. We will continue to count laps and record times until everyone is finished.

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What kind of replacement fluids and "food" will be at the aid stations?
You are expected to bring your own bottles of replacement fluid. We ask that you use a bottle as we believe that this will result in less spillage onto the running track than from cups. You may carry your bottle or leave it on any of four tables located on the running course. There is also a water fountain 2 meters from the course. We also ask that you provide your own "fuel"…bagels, bananas, etc. as you know what you want to eat. You will be given 2 GU packets and 2 Jelly Belly beans packets.

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Will there be showers available after I finish?
Yes, you may shower in the Field House when you finish. We will supply you with a clean towel if you need one. Please let us know ahead of time (by e-mail) if you would like us to provide you with a towel.

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Are there any motels in the area?
Yes, we have several motels in Northfield to accommodate you: AmericInn (located 2 miles from the Field House) 507-645-7761; Archer House (a historic river hotel 1.25 miles form the Field House) 507-645-5661; Country Inn & Suites (located 1 mile from the Field House) 507-645-2286; Super 8 Motel (located 2.5 miles form the Field House) 507-663-0371. Also, there are literally hundreds of motels in the Greater twin Cities metro area.

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Where/when is Packet Pick-up?
Packet Pick-up will be between 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM in the Buntrock Commons on Saturday night and at the Tostrud Field House beginning at 6:00 AM on race morning.

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Will there be a pre-marathon dinner on Saturday night?
Yes, the Pre-Marathon Dinner begins at 5:30 PM (following Packet Pick-up) in the St. Olaf College Dining (Buntrock Commons) Hall. The cost is included in your 2009 registration fee (additional tickets are $10.00). The dinner will be an all-you-can-eat meal and includes several entree' selections (including pasta) plus a choice of salads, deserts and beverages. St. Olaf does not serve alcoholic beverages on campus. We honestly believe that this is the best pre-event dinner that you will find on the marathon circuit!

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Is there a Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Expo?
Yes and ... No!... at least not a "BIG" Expo! We will give each runner 2 GU packets and 2 Jelly Belly Sport Beans packets when you pick up your race packet. We will also have additional GU and Jelly Belly Sport Beans" at $1 each and Band of 10,000 Aches running club t-shirts for sale at the EXPO (aka Packet Pick-up) on Saturday evening from 4:30 PM to 5:30 PM before the pre-marathon dinner (5:30 PM). Hopefully you will be able to join us at this time to pick-up your packet and meet old and/or new friends. In addition you will receive a Zoom! Yah! Yah! memento. Finisher's shirts and medals will be given out when you finish on Sunday.

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Are head-sets, baby-joggers or pets allowed while running?
No. Due to the limitation of the facility we do not allow head-sets, baby-joggers or pets. We do have music played the entire time through the Field House sound system.

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When I run an outdoor marathon there are plenty of places to spit if I need to. Will I be able to spit in the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon?
This is a great question, and YES, you will be able to spit. We will have 4 large plastic lined trash containers on the outside of the track that you may spit into. Please use these and refrain from spitting on the track.

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How many runners have completed the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon in 2006, 2007 and 2008?
We had 8 marathon (all men) and 7 half-marathon (5 men & 2 women) finishers in 2006. In 2007 we had 27 (21 men & 6 women) marathon finishers out of the 28 runners who started the race. In 2008 we had all 41 runners (32 men and 9 women) finish. See all results here.

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Where do the runners come form?
In 2008 we had 41 runners and we had 12 states represented. In the 3 years (2006-2007-2008) that the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor has been run we have had runners from 15 states: Alabama, California, Delaware, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, and Virginia. We want to have all 50 states represented! Join us!

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What are the Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon Course Records and Age-Group Records?
The men's course record is held by Randy Peterson (41) of Northfield, MN who ran 3:03:35 in 2007. The women's course of 3:37:02 was run by Amy Yanni (53) of Rapid City, SD and was set in 2008.

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Race Director's Comments:
The 4th Annual Zoom! Yah! Yah! Indoor Marathon will take place on January 11, 2009. We believe that the first three editions of the marathon have been very successful and that all runners have enjoyed our event. Please read the past runners' comments on marathonguide.com and the Zoom! Yah! Yah! article in the May, 2007 issue of Running Times. Also, look for an article in the May, 2008 issue of Runners World. Please e-mail or call me with any questions and/or comments. We look forward to having another great event in 2009.

Richard "Dick" Daymont
DickATnorthfieldrunningDOTcom
(612) 702-7421

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