Policies

Please see our 2025 Refunds, Transfers, Race Change page for additional details.

Transgender Athlete Policy

Missoula Marathon, Half-Marathon & 5K

Welcome! We are so happy you are here! At Run Wild Missoula (RWM) [race organizer] and Missoula Marathon (MM) we strive to ensure that everyone is and feels welcome at our events and in our community. The intent of this policy is to ensure fair and inclusive practices that respect the personal rights and dignity of transgender & non-binary participants while preserving the integrity of competition for awards and records based on gender.

The Missoula Marathon will accept each entrant’s declared gender at face value and no additional supporting evidence is required.

TRANSGENDER ATHLETES

A transgender female participant can register to compete as a female, provided the runner have undergone continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least one year prior to the race.

A transgender male participant can register to compete as a male. Transgender male runners can no longer register to compete as a female if they have begun hormone treatment related to their gender transition that includes testosterone or any other banned substance (as defined by USADA/WADA).

Athletes may compete in the category of their sex assigned at birth if they have not undergone hormone treatment. Transgender entrants, at their option, may provide medical documentation related to their transition to the Race Director and/or Medical Director(s) prior to the race. All information about the runner’s gender identity and medical information, including any information provided pursuant to this policy, will be kept strictly confidential.

(See additional information below relative to prize money & awards.)

POLICY ENFORCEMENT

It can’t be stated enough, a runner’s self-declared gender or category at registration will be accepted at face value. The primary reason for this policy is to ensure fairness regarding competition for awards and records. Therefore, there shall be no basis for, or tolerance of, any challenge to a runner’s self-declared gender unless prize money, an overall award or an age group award is at stake.

MM shall have the sole authority to review any challenge regarding the gender status of a prize money, overall or age group award winner. Any such challenge must be made in person or writing to the MM Race Director and must be done with the utmost discretion and respect for the privacy of all parties involved. All challenges must be submitted within 48 hours of the completion of the race in question.  MM in its sole discretion will determine whether there is a legitimate basis for the challenge.

Prize money awards at the Missoula Marathon weekend of events, MM shall comply with the current policies and rule of competition of USA Track & Field (USATF) with regards to the distribution of awards and prize money.

GENDER STATUS REVIEW

In the event of a challenge, MM may ask the runner for documentation from a medical doctor, healthcare provider or other qualified professional certifying that the participant has undergone continuous, medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition for at least one year prior to the race. (See attached Medical Clearance Form.)

In the case of the Missoula Marathon weekend of events, MM may ask the runner for documentation from a medical doctor, healthcare provider or other qualified professional certifying that the participant has met the policies and rules of competition of USATF.

Transgender participants, at their option, may provide the medical documentation related to their gender transition to the Executive Director prior to the race. All information about the runner’s gender identity and medical information, including any information provided pursuant to this policy, shall be kept strictly confidential.

The final decision regarding the participant’s gender status for registration purposes shall be within the sole discretion of MM. If it is determined that the runner is not in compliance with MM’s rules for transgender participants, the runner will be allowed to keep their finisher’s medal.  However, the participant will not receive prize money, overall or age group awards.  MM will attempt to protect the runner’s privacy interests to the maximum extent possible.

MISSOULA MARATHON DRUG TEST PROGRAM

If a transgender runner is selected for drug testing at the Missoula Marathon Weekend of Events and tests positive for a banned substance, it may be considered a legitimate medical use if the runner can demonstrate that the banned substance was being taken in connection with the person’s medically supervised hormone treatment for gender transition. The only exception is male transgender participants who register to compete as a female.

Additional questions can be directed to:

Trisha Drobeck

Run Wild Missoula Executive Director

406.531.0933

trishad@runwildmissoula.org

2025 coming soon! Please visit our Prize Money, Awards & Elites page for past rules. 

Run Wild Missoula and the Missoula Marathon affirm the worth and dignity of each member and participant. We celebrate the varied voices and wide range of lived experiences in our running community. With this in mind, we have updated our binary language and expanded gender categories and awards to make all participants feel welcomed, safe, respected and included.

• We welcome all as they self-identify.
• No member or participant is required to provide documentation regarding their gender.
• All gender expressions (distinct from gender identity) of individuals seeking membership or participation are welcome.