When: Sunday, January 11, 2026 – Tentative Start Time: 7:30 a.m.; Expected Finish Time Marathon Winner: 10:35 a.m. (men) and 11:07 a.m. (women). Expected Finish Time of International Half Marathon Invitational: 8:57 a.m. (men), 9:05 a.m. (women)

Where: Santee, CA – A World Athletics certified pre-verified 1.0 km course on Riverview Parkway and Town Center Parkway adjacent to the Trolley Square Mall at Santee Town Center, with the start / finish on Town Center Parkway behind the Mall.

Team USA Selection & Qualifying Protocols: Following USATF team selection and qualifying protocols, the USATF Marathon Race Walk Championships will serve as the selection event for Team USA for the 2026 World Team Race Walking Championships in Brasilia, Brazil on April 12. Several of the favorites among the athletes expected to compete have local roots.

World Athletics World Race Walking Tour Silver Label Event: This year’s Championships have once again been accepted as a World Athletics World Race Walking Tour Silver Label Event for the new Marathon and Half Marathon distances, as well as the 10km and 5km distances. It is expected that several top male and female walkers from around the NACAC & South American areas will compete in an attempt to qualify for the World Team Race Walking Championships in Brazil and other international championships. Athletes may earn World Ranking Points in the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km, and 5km events.

Additional Events:  Open Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km, and 5km race walks for U.S. and international men, women and masters, as well as youth 5km and 3km races.

Entry Information – USATF Marathon Race Walk Championships & USATF Masters Half Marathon Race Walk Championships :  The USATF website for their open Marathon and Masters Half Marathon Race Walk Championships is: https://www.usatf.org/events/2026/2026-usatf-national-marathon-race-walk-championshi  Entries for the USATF Marathon and Masters Half Marathon Race Walk Championships will be due by Monday, January 5, 2026, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.  The on-time entry fee will be $50 per individual. After this time, entries will be accepted only as late entries, up through Thursday, January 8, 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time.  The late entry fee will be $100. Athletes wanting to enter the USATF Men’s and Women’s Marathon and Masters Men’s and Women’s Half Marathon Race Walk National Championships must do so online using the USATF online registration link: https://usatf.sport80.com/public/wizard/e/160978/home

– Entry and Late Entry appeals for the USATF Marathon Championships should be sent to Allen James, USATF Race Walk Chairperson at RaceWalkChair@usatf.org.

– Entry and Late Entry appeals for the USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships should be sent to Dan Pierce, USATF Masters Race Walk Chairperson at DPTrack@gmail.com.

Entry Information – Open, International, Masters, and Youth Divisions:  Contact Jennifer Nanista Stephens at 619-990-4892 (cell) or nanista.jennifer@gmail.com. The on-time entry fee for all individual races except the Youth 3km and 5km races is $50. The two youth races are free. The late entry fee, including on-site race day is $100, except the Youth races, which will continue to be free. On-time entries are due no later than Wednesday, January 7. Entrants in all non-USATF Marathon and USATF Masters Half Marathon Race Walk Championship events, including all international entrants, will enter online using this ENTRY FORM.

Qualifying Standards:  There are no qualifying standards for entry into any of the contested events.  

Technical Meeting & Packet Pick-Up: A Technical Meeting will be conducted virtually for all athletes and their support personnel during race week at a time still to be determined. All entered athletes will be notified. Athletes may pick up their competition bibs and timing tag on Saturday, January 10 at a location to be determined or at the timing tent near the start line beginning at 6:00 a.m. race morning.

Prize Money: USATF Marathon Race Walk Championships: The prize structure at the USATF Marathon Race Walk Championships will be: M&W: 1^st) $8,000, 2^nd) $6,000, 3^rd) $4,000, 4^th) $3,000, 5^th) $2,000, 6^th) $1,000, 7^th) $1,000.  These funds are provided by USATF. Please note that in order to be eligible for the USATF National Championship prize money, an athlete must be properly entered in the manner prescribed on the USATF website. Note: There is no unique, dedicated prize money for the USATF Masters Half Marathon Championships. Performances there are eligible for World Athletics Race Walking Tour Silver Label Prize Money.

World Athletics Race Walking Tour Silver Label Prize Money: International prize money for both men and women will be awarded based upon the World Athletics World Ranking performance points achieved for their results in the Marathon, Half Marathon, 10km, and 5km races for men and women. This prize money will be awarded based upon the combined results of all the races: M&W – 1^st) $2,000, 2^nd) $1,250, 3^rd) $1,000, 4^th) $500, 5^th) $250.  To be eligible for the prize money the performances must be worth a minimum of 850 World Ranking performance points to qualify for the prize purse. The times equal to 850 World Ranking performance points at each eligible competitive distance are: Marathon – 3:52:37 (m), 4:15:47 (w); Half Marathon – 1:43:32 (m), 1:54:22 (w); 10km – 46:55 (m), 52:09 (w); 5km – 22:30 (m), 25:21 (w). Please note: USATF Marathon competitors cannot double-dip and earn prize money in both the USATF Marathon Race Walk Championships and the international World Athletics Race Walking Tour Silver Label competition no matter what their place and performance.

Interesting Facts: 2026 is the first year that the Marathon is a World Athletics and USATF championship distance and based upon performances at the previous championship distances of 50km and 35km, the male winner of the 26.2 mile / 42.195km marathon distance will finish in approximately three hours and five minutes (3:05:00), walking about seven minutes and four seconds (7:04) per mile, and the female winner will finish in approximately three hours and thirty-seven minutes (3:37:00), walking about eight minutes and fifteen seconds (8:15) per mile. The Half Marathon – also a new championship distance this year – is 13.1 miles / 21.0975km, and the winners will finish in about one hour and twenty-seven minutes (1:27:00) (men) and one hour and thirty-five minutes (1:35:00) for the women walking about six minutes and thirty-eight seconds (6:38) per mile (men) and seven minutes and fifteen seconds (7:15) for women.

Race Directors: Tracy Sundlun, Everything Running Foundation for the Future, 619-726-1952 (cell), TracySundlun@gmail.com; Jennifer Nanista Stephens, 619-990-4892 (cell), nanista.jennifer@gmail.com.

Media Contacts: Dan Cruz, 619-925-7671 (cell), DanCruz8@me.com and Jay Holder, 315-529-4861 (cell), jay.holder@usatf.org.

Sponsoring / Host Organizations:  City of Santee, CA, USA Track & Field – San Diego-Imperial Association.

Event Headquarters & Official Hotel:

Rodeway Inn
10135 Mission Gorge Rd, Santee, CA 92071
(619) 258-2020

Rodeway Inn is across the street from the racecourse.  Rooms are $117.12 for a non-smoking double-double Thursday through Sunday; $111.62 for a non-smoking king bed Thursday through Sunday; and $106.12 for a non-smoking single queen bed Thursday through Sunday. All prices include tax! To secure event rates, please call the main number. Event code is: Race Walking.  The current room block is 15 rooms. Housing block and pricing will be held until January 1, 2026 at which time the block will be released and rooms will be available on a space-available basis only. Facilities: Pool (unheated), free internet and coffee (6:00am – 9:00am).

Additional Official Hotel:

Best Western Santee Lodge
10726 Woodside Ave., Santee, CA 92071
(619) 449-2626

Best Western is .8 miles from the racecourse. Rooms, both singles or doubles, are $152.74 per night, taxes included. Service Animals with notice upon registration are free. Other pets are $30 per night. All rooms have two queen beds. To secure the event rates, please call the main number and the Event code is Race Walking 2026. Housing pricing will be held until January 4, at which time the block and group pricing will be released and rooms will be available on a space-available basis at rack rates only. Facilities: Pool (unheated), free internet, in-room microwave and refrigerator, and continental breakfast (6:00am – 9:00am).

Additional Hotel Option:

Carlton Oaks Golf Club
9200 Inwood Drive, Santee, CA 92071
(619) 448-4242

Carlton Oaks is 2.0 miles from the racecourse. Rooms, both singles or doubles, are $229.90 per night, taxes and resort fees included for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Call to book rooms or book online at https://www.choicehotels.com/reservations. There is no room block. Rooms are available on a space-available basis only.  Facilities:  Pool (unheated) and Jacuzzi, but no gym facilities; Free Internet; Bar & Grill open 10:00am – 7:00pm.

Event Features: Spectator Guides, cheerleaders on course, music on the course provided by a DJ, and on-site VIP Hospitality.