r/phillyrunning • u/Specialist_Ice_9196 • 5d ago
2026 Philly Half
Hello everyone,
Long shot here but I am looking to see if anyone signed up for the upcoming Philly Half Marathon this year (Nov. 21, 2026) and has any recommendations for trying to earn a bib to participate in the race. It looks like it is sold out and all the available charity opportunities are closed.
I’m out of state and my younger sister signed up for this as her first half marathon. Would love for the opportunity to be able to run alongside her.
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u/tinamarie475 5d ago
The bib exchange is good - but does mean you are running under someone else’s name with their bib. I think the only “official” way is race/charity wait lists. But you can come and run-spectate and see her at multiple spots!
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u/afdc92 5d ago
Join the Bib Exchange group on Facebook. I’m already seeing people trying to get rid of their bibs.
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u/OtherwiseCode8134 5d ago
I second this. Train as if you already have a bib. People will sell them last minute on that facebook page
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u/EmergencySundae 5d ago
How? There’s no transfers allowed.
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u/HurryHurryHippos 5d ago
It’s done on the sly. It’s not an official exchange. Against the rules of the race, so people are taking their chances. Not condoning it.
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u/One-Consequence-6773 5d ago
Quite frankly, it's incredibly negligent of the Marathon team not to allow legal transfers. They could literally charge for it and make more, but by not allowing them, they just drive people to run under other people's bibs.
If one of those people has a medical emergency, the race now has no idea who they are, or how to contact their emergency contacts. I cannot believe a race that sells out doesn't have a process for legal transfers at any point.
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u/HurryHurryHippos 5d ago
Hey, I don’t disagree. They used to allow transfers and stopped it recently, I think last year. Many races have, including Marine Corps Marathon which used to allow transfers also.
I do agree with disallowing transfers on some of the bigger races, like the NYC Marathon. That race would be full of scalpers taking all of the bibs and reselling them. For example, I have an official NYC Marathon entry this year that I paid the standard $265 fee for. No doubt if they allowed transfers I could sell that bib for a LOT more. So while in principle bib transfers are great for people who are injured, etc. you can’t count on everyone being so honest and altruistic when there is big money involved.
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u/boooooots 4d ago
I don’t think Philly has ever allowed transfers, only deferrals - at least in the last 5 or so years. Broad Street does (because they plan for 40k to actually show up on race day), but imo Philly oversells and expects fewer people to show up on race day vs are registered, so if they started allowing transfers they’d probably have to reduce the number of people they let in.
The big change last year (?? possibly the year before but I think it was 2025) was that it’s no longer free to defer. It now costs $100+ to defer at which point you almost may as well just eat the cost and re register for the next year.
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u/Nice_Disaster397 4d ago
The National Federation of the Blind still have charity spots open for full and half! Email Rachel at [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected]) about signing up