You can find all race information on our main website: www.wilmingtonNCmarathon.com
Start: Johnny Mercer Pier, Wrightsville Beach, NC
Finish: Live Oak Bank Pavilion, Downtown Wilmington
You must pick up your packet at the Expo or reserve our morning pickup option.
Expo/Packet Pickup: Wilmington Convention Center
Sign up for our email list! This is the best way to stay up to date on the latest marathon information. If you are not receiving race emails, please email the director with a valid email. Also follow us on social media. We post updates on Facebook and Instagram.
If you are active military or a veteran, please email us with your military email or a copy of your ID to wilmingtonncmarathon@gmail.com. If you are a student in high school or college, email us with your student email or ID. If you are a group or run club bringing several runners, email us with the details and we will issue you a group link with group rates. Also follow us on social media! It’s there we share holiday specials and giveaways.
No. All packets must be picked up at the expo on the days leading up to the race. The packet pickup schedule is as follows:
The Thursday before race day, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
The Friday before race day, 12:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.
If you cannot make it during the scheduled times, you may designate a friend or family member to pick up your packet. If you cannot make it during the scheduled times, you may designate a friend or family member to pick up your packet. Packet pickup on the morning of race day should be considered a last resort, and you can purchase the Bib ONLY option here if needed. By selecting this option, you are not guaranteed a shirt in your size.
No. It is against USATF rules and the race rules to participate for another runner. You can transfer your entry to another runner on the website or at the expo.
You can watch your runner anywhere between miles three and five on Eastwood Road. Park on the West bound lane heading downtown. We recommend relocating downtown to watch the rest of the race. There should not be many traffic stops heading toward downtown as the race is on the counterflow side of the street. Please read the spectator section in the athlete guide for more information. Our athlete guide is released the week before the race.
SPECTATORS, PLEASE DO NOT:
- Bike next to your Runner
- Cut across the street – use designated crosswalks instead
- Stop on any highways
- 1-mile: Friday 6:15 p.m.
- 5K: Saturday 7:10 a.m.
- Half-Marathon and Marathon: Saturday 7:00 a.m.
All marathon, half marathon and relay runners will receive a soft, athletic-fit t-shirt manufactured by Without Limits and a finisher medal. The participants in the 5K and Glow Run also receive a t-shirt and a medal.
Yes. At checkout, you can buy the race insurance to be sure you are covered if you cannot make the event. This is through REG SHIELD a separate insurance company that covers you in case of injury or an emergency.
You can transfer your entry to another runner. Alternatively, you can defer your entry to the following year for a $20 fee. The deadline for this is February 1.
Although consumers purchase through the RunSignup website, RegShield is a third-party entity, and all plan-related questions should be directed to FanShield via the following channels:
It is unsafe to wear headphones while running, however, event organizers do not restrict headphone use and leave it up to the athlete on his/ her ability to follow direction while wearing headphone devices. If you do choose to wear headphones please keep the volume level down so you are able to hear and follow the direction of course volunteers. We have a unique course where you MUST listen to volunteers. If you cannot hear a volunteer you have no excuses if you get led off-course.
You can park in any legal space in downtown Wilmington, NC and take the shuttle to the start. The shuttle will pick up runners on Harnett Street between Front and 3rd. MAP IT. You can also get dropped off at the start by anyone. Lastly you can park at the beach in any legal parking space, and we will have limited shuttles running until 1:30pm after the race from Harnett and 3rd back to Wrightsville Beach Park. During registration, please answer the question if you are taking our shuttles or using your own transportation. That way we can plan for the proper number of buses. You s should be at the start by 6:00am – 1 hour before the race starts. Leave early and plan ahead.
Please select what option you plan to use during the QUESTION SECTION in your registration. You can change that option anytime by logging into your www.runsignup.com account.
- Use our shuttles
- Get dropped off
- Park near the start and use post-race shuttles
- Carpool with friends and have one car downtown and one car at the start
The shuttle will pick up runners on Harnett Street between Front and 3rd both before and after the race. You can park in any legal space in downtown Wilmington, NC. Shuttles will also take you from the finish back to the start. Shuttles will run from 4:00 am until 6:00am and then after the race from 8am to 1:15pm taking runners back to the beach if needed. Please let us know if you plan to take the shuttle by answering that question appropriately during registration.
Yes. We have bag drop at the start only. We do not recommend you put any valuable in your bag such as keys, wallets, or cell phones
When you finish, bag drop will be one of the first things you see as you exit the athlete chute
You can pre-order race swag and have it mailed to your house at: https://apparelnow.shop/collections/without-limits-events?filter.v.option.race=Wilmington+Marathon
If you want it for race weekend, you will need to do it 14 days before the event
- 3:15:00 for the Half Marathon
- 6:20:00 for the Full Marathon
- Mile 3 – 7:45am – 15:00 pace
- Mile 10 – 9:30am – 15:00 pace – hard cutoff for the half – full should maintain 14:30
- Mile 19.5 – 11:45pm – 14:30 pace for the full
Water and a Banana in the finish chute. Goodies from Harris Teeter and Nothing Bundt Cakes. Beer and Food in the Athlete zone after you walk through the chute.
There will be 10 Aid stations on course. The first four will be hit once for the half and full, and then next four will be hit twice for the full only. Half marathoners will have access to four aid stations and full marathoners 12. We recommend you carry your own fluid bottles and nutrition if you need to reduce touch points on course.
We will have water, Gatorade, and HUMA Gels on course
Top 3 male and female finishers as well as top 3 masters male and masters female will receive a cash prize in both the half and full marathon. Medals will be given to all half and full marathon finishers along with marathon relay finishers and 5K/1-mile finishers. Age group awards will also be given to the following age divisions: 14 and under,15-18, 19-24, 25-29, 30-34, 35-39, 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+ Overall awards for top 3 will be given at the race finish. Age group awards will need to be picked up at the information booth at the finish line. If you need to leave early you can pickup your award at the awards tent. Any awards not picked up on race day, can have their award mailed for a fee.
Parking in downtown Wilmington is plentiful. You must park in a legal space, parking deck or parking meter. You can also park in any legal space in Wrightsville Beach. The best lot to park in downtown is the big parking deck on Brunswick St. between Front and 2nd Street.
Race morning at Wrightsville Beach, it is free, but downtown parking is NOT free
The race will take up one lane from Wrightsville Beach to Downtown. There will be traffic slowdowns and detours but with an additional 15-20 minutes you can drive around the race. Getting to the start is the biggest traffic issue. We have to close one lane of the street by 6:30am, so please arrive to the start before 6am to the start to ensure you do not get stuck in traffic. Leave your location around 5am and plan to be at the start by 6:00am. Some runners just stay on Wrightsville Beach and do not have to worry about getting to the start since we have post race shuttles back to the beach.
Our suggestion is to leave for the start by 5am so you are at the start by 6am. Traffic begins to get heavy around 5:45-6am.
If you are staying at the beach, you can jog to the start
It all depends on your logistics. If you stay at the beach, you can jog to the start whenever and take a shuttle or Uber or get a ride back later after the race. But if you stay downtown you can walk to your hotel after the race and not worry about post race transportation, but you will have to get up earlier to get to the start area by 6am.
February 1st is the final day to transfer to another race or to another runner. You can transfer to another race and pay the difference in price if the price is higher. There is a $10 transfer fee. You can also transfer at the expo, there is a $20 transfer fee at the expo.
ABSOLUTELY! The Wilmington NC Marathon is one of the top races in the country to qualify for Boston. We try to put together a fast field so there is a better chance to qualify and get a fast time. Our course is flat and has enough variation to keep you engaged. After the race, we turn in all our results to the BAA. Both half and full marathon are certified courses and sanctioned by USATF.
You may have someone pick up your packet from the expo on Friday OR pay $20 to request special pickup on Saturday morning.
You can walk if you meet course cutoff times. This typically involves a walk/run method.
There are no baby joggers or pets allowed.
YES! If the event is not sold out, we take onsite registration. We DO NOT take registration on race morning.
We do NOT have race morning registration
We kindly request that parents refrain from running with their kids during the race. With over 500 children participating, allowing parents to run as well would introduce several hundred additional people onto the course alongside the kids. If your child is unable to complete a mile without a parent, we ask that you reconsider signing them up for the race
Max elevation is 40ft above sea level.
The virtual run may be completed anytime and anywhere if you cover the race distance. After you complete the distance, submit your finisher time to our website results page. There will be a link on that page that says, “submit virtual results here.” The deadline for submission is at midnight on race day. After the live event, we will mail a t-shirt and finisher medal to you.
See our race morning staff at Johnny Mercer Pier
Yes and we are strict about our time limits due to the nature of the event on major roads and highways. Please see our cutoff times on the website
The 5K starts and finishes downtown at the marathon finish line. Do not go to the beach if you are running the 5K.
Yes, we will have a bag drop area at the finish line
Yes, but they must bring a copy of your ID so we can verify it is legitimate.
You can confirm your registration by visiting the FIND A RUNNER page and inputting your information
