We use a colored-flag warning system for all course dangers, including weather, medical, fire & police events. There will be a flag system at each Aid Station along the course. The Race Director or Event Coordinator will contact each Aid Station Captain to initiate a color change as needed. Our Lead Bikes will stop and notify all runners if the race is cancelled. We will also post on our official Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/RockinBrewsMarathon if the race is stopped or if there is an emergency situation along the course. If you signed up for Text Notifications and you have your phone with you, you will receive text messages with updates as well.

We receive live weather updates from the National Weather Service throughout the event. Our Weather Policy is based on expert advise from the National Weather Service, and the Madison and Monona Fire Department & EMS.

The following describes each flag color.  

GREEN Good Conditions: Races will start without issue.
The “feels like temperature” is 69 degrees or less. Everything is normal.

YELLOW Caution: Races will start under caution.
The “feels like” temperature is 70 to 79 degrees. Increased risk of heat related problems, runners should increase hydration and be prepared for a course closure. If there is a nearby medical, fire or police event that is a risk to the
runners, runners will be re-routed to avoid the area of the event.

RED Extreme Risk: 80 degrees is our “DO NOT START” temperature for the Marathon & Half Marathon distances.
If the “feels like” temperature is 80 degrees or higher, the race will not start. 

FULL MARATHON RUNNERS – If the “feels like” temperature reaches 80 degrees before you start your second lap, the second lap of the course will be closed, and your time will count as a Half Marathon instead of Full Marathon. 

If you are on the course after the “feels like ” temperature reaches 80 degrees, you may finish and the clock continues, however, if our Medical Team determines that the temperatures become too dangerous (combination of heat & humidity), and runners are still several miles from the finish, the clock will shut down soon. 

We will reach out to each Aid Station to let them know what color flag to show. Example; Aid Station 1-4 may show red, and 5 may show yellow. This allows the runners who have made it to Aid Station 5 to continue, since they can reach the finish before the clock stops. 

If you are on the course when it closes, you can call an Uber, Lyft or Taxi, have them take you to Winnequah Park in Monona.

BLACK Extreme Emergency:
The race is canceled. Runners should seek shelter immediately.

* If Red, race will not start.

* If Red during the course of the race, slow down, consider stopping.  No marathoners will be allowed to start a second loop.  They will be done at the Half Marathon point.

* If Black, the race is cancelled.

If the race is cancelled, the Finish Line Festival will still offer free live music, cider, beer & water. Swap your running shoes for dancing shoes and make the best of an unfortunate situation. Some things are out of our control and Mother Nature gets the final call.