Frequently Asked Questions

TAMARACK OTTAWA RACE WEEKEND
May 27 and 28, 2023

Race Weekend Schedule:
All races start at Ottawa City Hall (110 Laurier Ave. W, Ottawa)

Saturday May 27:
Ottawa Kids Marathon
Time: 2:00 pm ET
Ottawa 2K presented by ASICS Runkeeper
Time: 3:00 pm ET
Ottawa 5K presented by ASICS Runkeeper
Time: 4:00 pm ET
Ottawa 10K presented by Otto’s Ottawa
Time: 6:30 pm ET

Sunday May 28
Tartan Ottawa International Marathon
Time: 7:00 am ET
Ottawa Half Marathon presented by Desjardins
Time: 9:00 am ET

Race Kit Pickup and Health & Fitness Expo has a new location for 2023!

Aberdeen Pavilion
Lansdowne Park
1000 Exhibition Way
Ottawa, Ontario
K1S 5J3

Directions: Google map

Race Kit Pickup and Health & Fitness Expo Hours of Operation:

  • Friday, May 26, 8:00 am to 8:00 pm
  • Saturday, May 27, 8:00 am to 6:00 pm 

Find the answers to the most frequently asked questions below:

Can someone else pick up my race kit for me?
You may have a friend pick up your race kit at the Health and Fitness Expo, they’ll need your bib number. You’ll receive it by May 24th via email. Should that email land outside of your general inbox, you can use the bib lookup following this link. 

Can I transfer my registration to someone else?

You can transfer your registration to a new participant. If you’d like to transfer to a new participant the steps are as follows:
1) transfer can take place at the Race Roster booth at the Race Expo. Only the new participant needs to be at the booth, in-person.
2) The new participant takes your race kit and written permission from you to action the transfer.
3) The new participant reimburses you for your registration.
4) The new participant is responsible for any transfer fees ($20.00), processing fees and taxes, which they will pay directly to Race Roster.

Transferring to a shorter or longer Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend event:

Ready to ramp up your goal-setting or is life getting in the way of your long runs? You can transfer to a longer or shorter distance within Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend (TORW).  Transferring to a new distance can be done at the Race Roster booth at the Health and Fitness Expo.  To transfer to a longer or shorter Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend event, please pick up your original race kit at the Health and Fitness Expo, and proceed to the Race Roster booth to complete the transfer.

Fees:
Participants transferring to a longer distance or challenge:

  • the original registration fee will be applied as a credit towards new registration 
  • $10.00 transfer fee at the expo. 
  • Processing fees and taxes 

Participants transferring to a shorter distance:

  • Processing fees and taxes
  • $10.00 transfer fee at the expo
  • Partial refunds going from a longer distance to shorter distances are not provided. 
Are there age discounts?
Youth, ages 3-18, receive an automatic 20% off registration fees at check out. Children ages 0-2 (with a stroller) are free, and must be registered as participants. Age discounts are based on age on race day.

Age Guidelines for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 

Run Ottawa follows the guidelines set by Athletics Canada with respect to developing runners.  Tartan Ottawa International Marathon is restricted to those over 18yrs , Ottawa Half Marathon presented by Desjardins is restricted to those over 16yrs , and Ottawa 10k presented by Otto’s is restricted to those over 14yrs.

Please visit this link to read Guidelines for the inclusion of Children and Youth in Road Races from Athletics Canada to view age restrictions on the 10k, 1/2 marathon and marathon. 

What is the Green Bib program and how is it different from in-person? 

Green Bib registrations are available for those participating in-person and virtually.
Green Bib allows participants who don’t want or need a medal to direct part of their registration fees to a charity of their choice in lieu of receiving a medal when crossing the finish line.
If you’re running virtually and registered in the Green Bib program, you will have access to a digital race bib; only items purchased during registration will be mailed to your home.
Those in the Green Bib program do not receive a medal when crossing the finish line.

Where can I purchase a race shirt?
As of May 8, 2023, event t-shirts will be available for purchase at the Health and Fitness expo, in the Run Ottawa booth.

How can I personalize my medal?
iTAB fits perfectly onto the ribbon of your Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend medal, engraved with your Name and Finish Time, and is a great way to celebrate your achievement.
Your personalized iTab will be mailed directly to you within one month of the completion of your 2023 race. 

If I get injured during training, am I able to get a refund on my registration with this policy?
Fanshield will cover your registration should a participant become injured or ill, be deployed with the military or have a death in the family. This policy is only available during registration and can’t be applied retroactively. The fee structure of this policy is calculated as a percentage of your race fees. View FanShield’s policy coverage by following this link. 
When you purchase a protection policy through FanShield, you will receive an email directly from them with the information on how to file a claim. If you did not see the email, you may follow this link to initiate your claim. 

I saved my 50% discount code from my 2020 registration for Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2023. How do I redeem this?
Should you choose to use your unredeemed 50% promo code for the 2023 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend, please enter your unique promo code in the ‘APPLY PROMO CODE’ at the bottom of the registration form in Race Roster.

2020 participants who’ve not redeemed their unique promo code can find their unique promo code on their Race Roster dashboard.  

Instructions on how to find your unique promo code in Race Roster:

  1. Log into your Race Roster profile following this link. 
  2. Select ‘Show All’ beneath Additional details menu, the dropdown will display your unique promo code.  This promo code will provide a 50% discount on any Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend distance or challenge. 
  3. Be sure to copy your unique promo code to accurately transfer it to your 2023 Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend registration. 

Your unique promo code was also mailed to you on December 11, 2020 in an email titled “Tamarack Ottawa Virtual Race Weekend 2020 – 50% Off Code”

If you signed up for 3 sub-events (example: 5k, 10k and half) OR signed up multiple individuals then you would have received separate emails with different promo codes for each distance. Each entry has its own promo code.

NOTE:

  • This one-time-use code can only be used by the 2020 participant for ONE distance or challenge. 
  • You cannot transfer your discount code to another person. 
  • Your purchase with your code is non-refundable and must be redeemed by the Closing Date of 2023.

Fundraising Questions:
I noticed that over $1M was raised for charity in 2022, how can I fundraise for my favourite charity? Here are some simple steps to get started. 

  • Select a charity from official charities listed in the 2023 Desjardins Charity Challenge during registration.
  • To join the challenge as a registered participant, log into your Race Roster dashboard. Select Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2023 from the dropdown listing of your events and select “View Registration”. You’ll be directed to your Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend profile where you’ll find the Fundraising “Edit Page” button. The “Edit Page” button will take you to your personal fundraising page where you can choose your charity and personalize your fundraising page.
    -or-
    From the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend page, select the “Donate to a Participant”, enter your name, then select the blue “Donate” button to direct you to your personal page. There will be an option to edit your page on the right hand side of your personal fundraising page. You will need to be logged into Race Roster to access your page.
  • Set up your personal fundraising page on Race Roster.
    Personal fundraising pages allow you to share photos and your connection with your charity of choice. Sharing the link to your personal fundraising page through email, your social media channels is an easy way to share your fundraising goals and a donate button to make the donation process simple to your friends and family. 

Volunteer Questions:
This isn’t my year to participate in Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend but I’d like to volunteer! How do I become a volunteer?
The Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend experience is only possible because of the generosity of  valued volunteers. To register for your preferred duties and shifts by visiting Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend volunteer page, hosted by Race Roster.
High School students are welcome to join us to help fulfill their volunteer hours needed for graduation. 

Race Day Questions:
Will my Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend race times be posted on Sportstats?
Sportstats will be the official timer of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend 2023.

Can I push a stroller during my race? Can I use a backpack child carrier on any of Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend courses?
With the exception of the Ottawa 2K, baby joggers and strollers are not permitted. Backpack child carriers are not permitted on any Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend courses. 

Can I run with my dog?
Dogs, with the exception of service animals, are not permitted in any of the events.

Can I run with headphones?
While the use of headphones is permitted on the course, they are not recommended.

Do any of the Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekend distances have time limits on them?
Marathon participants are expected to be able to reach the 26km marker by 11:30 am, after which point they may be redirected to the finish line. Marathon participants are expected to be able to finish within 7 hours.
Half marathon participants are expected to be able to complete the event within 4 hours. 

Will there be walk categories for the virtual and in-person event?
YES! We noticed so many participants walking, speed walking, pole walking etc. during the previous Tamarack Ottawa Race Weekends. This allowed for participants to complete longer distances and achieve larger goals! 

You can select a walking option during your event registration for each distance. This way, your results will be listed with others who are walking the events just like yourself! 

What accommodations have you made to ensure an accessible event for adaptive athletes?
Please visit the adaptive athlete program page on the Run Ottawa website for details on adaptive athletes registration. We are currently working with adaptive athletes to help create a seamless race day for all participants. Feedback from adaptive athletes is always welcome and can be directed to questions@runottawa.ca.

Virtual Participant FAQ
Will there be race results for the virtual event?
Yes! Our virtual timing partner, Race Roster, is set-up to receive virtual race results, starting May 27, until the end of July. You can download the ASICS® RunKeeper tracking app for iOS or Android, or use your running watch or GPS device to record your time.Instructions to upload your virtual race time can be found here, and your results will be uploaded to your Race Roster dashboard. 

How and when do Virtual Participants receive their race kits?
Virtual participants can pick up their race kits at the Health and Fitness Expo, kits that have not been picked up will be mailed out via Canada Post beginning mid-June. Participants who’ve chosen the Green Bib program and not purchased a t-shirt will not receive a kit by mail.