26.2 | 26.2 Relay | 13.1 | 5K | 1Mile
26.2 | Full Marathon
The Full Marathon is the perfect Boston Marathon qualifying event because it’s fast, flat, and notorious for being the backdrop for setting personal bests. The course starts in Wrightsville Beach and makes a straight shot to downtown Wilmington. Runners will span 6 bridges (4 flat) and run the best Wilmington, NC has to offer. Come span the Cape Fear Coast and run from destination to destination.
2021 PRE-RACE INFORMATION VIDEO
“THIS RACE IS HIGH ON MY LIST OF EVENTS PEOPLE SHOULD COME TO” ~Dave McGillivray
Schedule of Events
Now until April 17th, 2021
11th Annual Virtual Race Submission
Friday, April 16th
11:00AM – Expo/Packet Pickup at Wilmington Convention Center
7:30pm Packet Pickup Ends
6:00pm – 5K at Wrightsville Beach Park
Saturday, April 17th, 2021
5:55am: National Anthem
6:00am: Half and Full Marathon and Marathon Relay Start. Waves of 50 athletes will start every 8 minutes beginning with the marathon and then the half marathon. You will be placed in a wave based on your submitted time under question management.
1:00pm Course Cutoff
2021 Wave Start Times
IMPORTANT START LINE INFORMATION When to Arrive: Participants will first come to the Start Line Check In, then will make their way to the Pre-Start Area, then to the Start Line. Please arrive to Start Line Check In 15 minutes prior to your Start Time. Masks:...
2021 Race Is On April 17th! Click here for details!
We have great news! With guidance from the City of Wilmington, we are now able to move forward with the race planning! Thank you for your patience. The race will have 50 people in waves every 8 minutes. (Unless mass gatherings increase before then) Marathoners...
13.1 | Half Marathon
Who wants to run from Wrightsville Beach to Downtown Wilmington? Designed to test your limits, the Half-Marathon guides runners on a fast-paced trip around Wrightsville Beach’s waterfront straight to the Cape Fear River. As well as being a qualifying race, this run is also a popular one with veterans and first-time half marathoners alike. Known for the flat terrain and running 1 straight line from the Beach to Downtown Wilmington, this is a fun, fast destination to destination race. Span the Cape Fear Coast from Wrightsville Beach to downtown Wilmington, NC
Make sure you read the FAQ Section to find out answers to our most frequently asked questions
FAQ
DISCOVER ADVENTURE AND RENEWAL
From Wilmington’s vibrant riverfront and scenic Riverwalk that winds around the storied Cape Fear River to three colorful island beaches, there’s something about the water here that surrounds, transforms, and enthralls visitors. One destination with four unique settings creates a bounty of vibrant vacation experiences. Come explore North Carolina’s most accessible coastal destination flowing with energy and creativity.
26.2 Relay | Marathon Relay
Grab a friend (or three) and get ready to cover some ground! The Marathon Relay is the perfect opportunity to perfect your skills as a team, with flat course expanses and a route that takes each of you through an iconic part of Wilmington or the Wrightsville Beach area. The exchanges happen quickly, so make sure each runner is ready to go, right from the starting line.
Course Maps
Whether you are a runner looking to win your age group or a first time marathoner, you need to know the course. Check out our detailed maps page.
Marathon Madness 5K | Great Beginner Race
If you’re not a hardcore runner, the 5K is a great place to start. Less intense than a full or half-marathon, the 5K provides a manageable course that makes it easy to mark your progress along the way and finishes Saturday morning on the half marathon route. Show off all your hard work and use this flat, maintained course to improve your skills as a runner.
“Just a quick note to thank you for the outstanding race you put on every year. WB Half Marathon is my favorite event. Well done! I do a lot of half marathons and when I take their surveys, I can never in good conscience check (x) “the best” under their questions because your race is simply the best. Don’t let it get to you about the medals! That stuff happens in business. I run a business and we get curve balls every day. You handled it with class. I saw you and your friends running Sunday morning (I was about to go back over the bridge) and I noticed you picking up trash along the route. That just shows the amount of class in which you operate. Thank You”
Marathon Madness 1MILE | Run Walk
Enjoy the company of friends, family, and fellow runners on this gentle course in comfortable coastal weather on Wilmington’s downtown Historic Waterfront. Great for including the kids and dusting off those running shoes, this course is flat and easily navigated, so you and your running partners can move at your own pace to the finish line.
