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Registration Rules

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To register for the Boilermaker Road Race, click here.

The 2026 Boilermaker Road Race will be held on Sunday, July 12, 2026.

Please read carefully as the Registration Rules have changed.

NO REFUNDS, NO ROLLOVERS, NO DEFERRALS
(except for medical reasons with a Doctor’s note)

LIMITED TRANSFERS, LIMITED DROPDOWNS.

Registrants must be capable of completing the full distance, start line to finish line, within the event time requirement of 2 hours and 30 minutes in the 15K and within 45 minutes in the 5K. Any runner not keeping the appropriate pace will be asked to remove themselves from the course.

Below is an outline of the 2026 Registration Rules; (Rules may be subject to change prior to the opening of registration.)

Early Bird Priority (8/1-8/31)

15K Race: $55

5K Race: $40

** Only open to those who registered for the Boilermaker in 2023.

Tier 2 (2/1-2/28)

15K Race: $59

5K Race: $44

Tier 3 (3/1-4/9)

15K Race: $62

5K Race: $47

Tier 4 (4/10-5/31)

15K Race: $65

5K Race: $49

Priority Registration

The Priority Registration period is exclusive to anyone who registered for the 2025 races, regardless of whether they completed the race.

Priority Registration: 1/9/23 – 1/31/23

Priority Registration will last for three weeks.

Priority Runners MUST use the exact name that they registered with for the 2022 race and can register for either race they choose to run. (Registrations can be corrected/edited after the registration process is complete.)

Open Registration: 2/1/23 – 7/4/23

Open registration will close once the caps are reached for each race.

Race Caps: 15K = 8,500 5K = 3,500

Waitlist

The waitlist will open once each race reaches its cap.

Runners have the option to be placed on the waitlist if they are closed out of the 15K race. There is no waitlist for the 5K.

Runners will be notified if a spot opens up. Once notified, the runner will have 48 hours from the time the email was sent to register.

If they don’t register within the allotted time, they will lose their spot and the next person on the list will be notified.

Medical Deferrals (With a Doctor’s Note)

All medical deferral requests must be accompanied by a doctor’s note and be emailed to the Race Director at racedirector@boilermaker.com.

All Medical Deferrals expire and are invalid once the “Deferral Registration” period closes in 2025.

Medical Deferrals are not transferable and cannot be carried over to the following year.

Medically Deferred runners are responsible for notifying the race of a change in their email address and/or personal contact information prior to registration opening.

Online Bib Transfers

(A registrant offers their registration to another user, and upon that user’s paid registration, the original registrant receives a refund.)

The transfer window opens Friday, May 1, 2026. All transfer requests must be made online.

The transferee (new runner) will incur the cost of the registration fee. The bib cost is the current cost at time of registration, NOT what the original registrant paid.

Online transfers must be started by Saturday, July 4, 2026 at 11:59pm and any in-progress transfers must be completed by Monday, July 6, 2026 at 11:59pm.

Bib Transfers at the Expo

Limited transfers may be available onsite at the Health & Wellness Expo on July 10 from 12-7pm and July 11 from 8am – 3pm. No transfers will be possible after 3pm on Saturday, July 11.

You must have written consent from original registrant to initiate a bib transfer at the Expo. All transfers done at the Expo will be gift transfers meaning the original registrant will not receive a refund and the new registrant will not pay a fee. See the Solutions Desk at the Expo for more information.

There are no Race Day Transfers.

Drop Downs

Because of our 5K cap, ONLY the first 500 requests to drop from the 15K to the 5K will be honored.

Once the change is made, it is final. Runners will not be able to change back to the 15K, and will not be refunded the difference in the cost of registrations.

Drop-downs not completed before Monday, July 6 at 11:59pm, must be made in person at the expo (if the cap of 500 has not been reached).

There are no Race Day Drop Downs.

Refunds

There are NO REFUNDS (except for Active Military Personnel)

Important Reminders

No 2026 registrations can be carried over to the 2027 race.

You are responsible for keeping your RunSignUp account up-to-date with your current contact information, including an email address that you check regularly. The Boilermaker Road Race is not responsible for non-deliverable emails.

Boilermaker Registration FAQs

Can I still register for the Boilermaker after it sells out?

Registration for both the 15K presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and the 5K presented by Utica National Insurance Group is to be announced.

In the event that both races are sold out, here are your options:

Join the Wait List – 15K ONLY: If a spot becomes available, you’ll receive an email giving you 48 hours to register. Join here: runsignup.com/boilermaker
Find someone who wishes to transfer their 15K or 5K bib! Many people post in our Community Facebook Group looking to transfer bibs. Please keep in mind that ALL bib transfers MUST be done through RunSignUp for medical and safety reasons. Anyone caught running with a bib not legitimately transferred risks being banned from future Boilermaker events. Instructions: bit.ly/BMTransfer
Charity Bib: Run for an incredible organization like Parkinson’s Foundation, HumaneCNY, Young Scholars LPP of Utica, Mohawk Valley Latino Association, The Neighborhood Center, Inc., Abraham House, EB Research Partnership, and Project Purple! All have 15K and 5K bibs available in exchange for $500 in fundraising. Contact us and select Charity Bib Program from the Topic drop-down menu to learn more!

When is the Boilermaker?

The Boilermaker is always run on the second Sunday of July. The date for the 2027 Boilermaker Road Race is Sunday, July 11, 2027.

The 5K Race starts at 7:15 AM, the Wheelchair Race starts at 7:45 AM, and the 15K Race starts at 8 AM.

Can I change my Boilermaker registration from 15K to 5K?

Because of our 5K cap, ONLY the first 500 requests to drop from the 15K to the 5K will be honored.

Once the change is made, it is final. Runners will not be able to change back to the 15K, and will not be refunded the difference in the cost of registrations. To drop your 15K entry to the 5K, please contact us and select “Registration Change.”

Drop-downs not completed before Monday, July 5 at 11:59pm, must be made in person at the expo (if the cap of 500 has not been reached).

There are no Race Day Drop Downs.

Can I transfer my Boilermaker bib (registration) to another runner?

Yes. The Transfer Process will open at noon on Saturday, May 1st, 2027. To complete a transfer via your RunSignUp account:

Go to runsignup.com, click on “Sign In,” and enter your email and password to sign in.
Click on “Profile” from the drop-down menu in the upper right-hand corner.
Find the event you wish to transfer and select “Manage Registration.”
Select “Transfer to Another Runner” (located either at the top of the page or in the menu).
Confirm the event information and input the recipient’s full name and email address.
Select the Transfer Type: “Registration Gift” (no refund given to the original registrant and recipient will not need to pay) or “Registration Transfer” (refund given to the original registrant upon confirmed payment from the new recipient).

For more information, click here.

Please note: per RunSignUp, the cost of a transferred registration will be the current cost at the time of transfer, not what the original registrant paid.

Online transfers must be started by Saturday, July 3, 2027 at 11:59pm, and any in-progress transfers must be completed by Monday, July 5, 2027 at 11:59pm.

Bib Transfers at the Expo

Limited transfers may be available onsite at the Health & Wellness Expo on July 9 from 12-7pm and July 10 from 8am – 3pm. No transfers will be possible after 3pm on Saturday, July 10.

There are no race-day transfers.

Avoiding Scams

ALL legitimate bib transfers will take place via RunSignUp. Absolutely NO legitimate bib transfer will occur via Venmo, CashApp, Zelle, PayPal, or other third-party payment platform.

If someone asks you to pay them directly, it is likely a scam. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or to confirm a transfer is legitimate.

When can I register?

2027 registration periods will be announced on our website, social media, and via email. To join our mailing list, click here.

What is “priority” registration?

Priority registration is the first period of registration for the Boilermaker Road Race 15K, 5K, 15K Wheelchair, and 15K/5K virtual events. Priority registration gives those in the Boilermaker’s loyalty program the chance to register first.

If you registered for the previous year’s Boilermaker 15K, 5K, wheelchair, or virtual races, you are in the loyalty program. You’ll receive an email before priority registration opens with instructions.

What are the race capacities this year?

The race cap for the 2027 15K race presented by Excellus BlueCross BlueShield and the 5K race presented by Utica National Insurance Group are to be announced.

What do I put down for Seed Time?

Your seed time is your estimated finishing time. Times may be verified by our timing company.

How do I know my registration has been processed?

You will receive a confirmation e-mail letting you know your registration has been processed.

If you did not receive a confirmation email, check your spam folder first. If you don’t find it there, you can request the confirmation email be resent.

If you are still not receiving a confirmation e-mail, contact us.

What do I do if I entered incorrect information on my registration?

You can make most corrections yourself prior to the race by logging into your RunSignUp account and updating your information. If you have any trouble, please contact us and select “Registration Change.”

Is there a waiting list for the Boilermaker Road Race?

Yes! As soon as each race reaches its caps, you will need to opt in to be placed on the waiting list. You can sign up for the waiting list by going to RunSignUp and following the prompts.

If a spot opens up, you will be notified via e-mail, and you will have 48 hours to register from when the e-mail was sent. If you do not register within 48 hours, you will be removed from the list. The Boilermaker is not responsible if your e-mail notice goes to your spam folder.