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Marathon Details - OBX Marathon

North America Marathons > USA > NC > Outer Banks > OBX Marathon

OBX Marathon

Towne Bank OBX Marathon & Half Marathon, 8K, 5K

Outer Banks, NC USA

November 10, 2024

https://www.obxse.com/outer-banks-marathon

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Race Details

The Outer Banks Marathon & Southern Fried Half Marathon is a point to point course. The Marathon will start in Kitty Hawk, providing breathtaking views of the Albemarle Sound; traverse the famous Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills; meander through the lush Nags Head Woods Maritime Forest; take you through some of our finest neighborhoods with cheering crowds; pass the largest sand dune on the East Coast at Jockey's Ridge State Park; cross the beautiful Washington-Baum Bridge; and finish on Roanoke Island.

Contact Information

Name:	Peggy Stovall
Address:	2234 South Lark Ave., Nags Head, NC., POB 265 Kill Devil Hills , NC 27948
Phone Number:	252-255-6273
Fax Number:	252-261-6296
Email:	Email the organizers

Runner Reviews (183)

Course 4.3

Organization 4.5

Spectators 4.3

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Number of comments: 183 [displaying comments 1 to 11]

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 19 > ]

M. D. from USA (2/24/2020) "Great Race and Course" (about: 2019) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I've vacationed in the Outer Banks for 20 years so I was happy to run this one on what I thought would be familiar terrain. However, I was pleasantly surprised as the course took through some areas that I had no idea exited down there. The Wright Brothers memorial and Nags Head highway section I expected. But there were some nice neighborhoods, some cool views along the sound and a few miles through the woods that I'd never seen before. The woods section is definitely not trail running, it's about three miles of a hard-packed rolling dirt road through a park which I thought was great, it felt like a rain forest. Then there is about ¼ mile of actual trail running that takes you from the dirt road up a mild hill, down a mild hill and out to a neighborhood with the halfway point then onto the highway portion. That wooded section is pretty straight forward and I was with a pace group at that point, but there are areas where I could see people running alone might question the right direction to go. It definitely could have used a few more markers or arrows&runners should never, ever be wondering that they may have strayed off the course. Overall, this is what you'd want with a smaller marathon. Small efficient expo, the half marathoners start way ahead so are never seen or in the way, easy and enthusiastic start area, adequate number of port-a-johns, point to point flat course, excellent aid stations and staff, decent overall crowd support but a few lonely miles in the 2nd half, particularly miles 22-25, and then a very nice finish area. This could definitely be a PR and/or BQ course. My only reservation would be to watch the weather. The Outer Banks can get some strong winds out of the southwest that could make it a tough day, but this year the winds were a non-issue. The temp did get to about 60 degrees and though it never felt overbearing that's not ideal for a PR. The temp took its toll on me by the last five miles but then again that may have also had more to do with me going harder early than I should have. The silver lining is that when I got to the top of the bridge at 23 my chance at a BQ was gone so I stopped and took in a little 360 view of the both sound and ocean, which was beautiful. This is no big city marathon but if you want a low key, 400-500 runner, enthusiastic race of marathoners only, this is a good one. Definitely recommended.
N. D. from Baltimore, MD (11/13/2019) "How Roanoke Colony was Lost" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This is a beautiful marathon marred by missing directions and mile markers, unstaffed positions, and terrain. The run between Kitty Hawk and Manteo took my breath away. Running through a maritime forest, past the Wright Brothers National Monument, and over the blue blue waters of Roanoke Sound highlight my 11-year marathon career. Will I run OBX again? No. Will I recommend it to a friend? NEVER. OBX Marathon gives a very generous 16 mins/mile pace. To balance this, six cutoffs (not five) cull the herd at miles 3.5, 8, 13.1, 18, 20, and 'the Bridge'. Full marathoners failing to meet the 16 min/mi cutoffs are bused off the course. In case you were calculating that these 111 simply went on to become OBX Half Marathoners, no. The half marathon course had already begun 13 miles closer to the finish. 1 in 5 fully-trained on this course DNF'd in the 2019 Outer Banks Marathon. By 13.1 split, 111/566 marathoners Did Not Finish. How do you design a marathon course in which 111 paying marathoners don't even make it to the 13.1 split???? I got lost THREE SEPARATE TIMES on this course. At mile 4, I ran up someone's long driveway, and had to retrace my steps: no direction markers At mile 8, Wright Brothers National Monument, I relied on a passing car: staffer had moved away 'when race got quiet.' At mile 19, I awaited for a resident in a deserted neighborhood: no direction markers At Nags Head Nature Preserve, mile markers 10 - 12 absent. On Washington Baum Bridge, markers 22 - 23 not there. Please note that 'running on a trail' is NOT the same as 'trail running.' You'll require a different technique, including a slower pace, better core strength, and longer reaction time. Please note that your GPS may not work here, as there's both heavy tree cover or twisting trails. Miles 10 - 13 were Trail Running. If the trail had once been agreeable to runners, recent rains had removed the surface buffers. Deep ruts, exposed roots, and thousands of 1' cubed grey rocks strewn across the path. In addition, steep inclines of sandy or gravelly soil exist across the trail. And you have a mile marker 13.1 cutoff time. I get it. Back of the pack runners will sign up for deserted roads, low course support, and leaden legs. I sign up every time. I train alone, prefer inclement weather, and run until my legs give way. I get it. There's only so much highway you can partially close, only so many neighborhoods to use for doglegs, and only so many hours you can shut off infrastructure. At the end, the small and lackluster finisher's medal resembled a manhole cover. It was pulled out of a cardboard box still containing dozens more.
W. H. from Pontotoc, Mississippi (12/27/2018) "beautiful course, beautiful area" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 My first time to travel to the Outer Banks and I loved the area and the race. Fall weather and cool temps made for a quiet and peaceful weekend -- very few tourists beyond runners. Loved the variety of the course - nice starting area, neighborhoods, bay views, dirt road in the woods with rolling hills, Wright Brothers Memorial, highway, the bridge, and nice finish area in Manteo. Shuttles worked well. I parked at Wal-Mart close to the start. We were shuttled to the school to wait and stay warm before the start, and from the finish back to Wal-Mart. Bathrooms should have been available at the school! Manteo finish area was fun with food, music and awards -- street party feel. Some confusion to the location and start of the Expo -- double check this info. Enjoyed expo -- easy packet pickup, nice selections and race merch. This was my 13th marathon and my FIRST since double bypass open heart surgery in March, 2017. Ran a 4:01:40 and loved all of it! Thanks for an awesome race weekend.
Sanjay Mohanta from Ontario (11/19/2018) "126th marathon! Great support from the city!" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I had never run in this state and although there is a lot pretty things to see during the race the best part was running on the highway. I lost count of the number of cars that shouted encouragement to me throughout the race. Friendly volunteers and lots of water stations. Lots of food near the end. I got a place in Manteo and was less thatn 2 miles to the start.
Mark Kimball from North Carolina (11/14/2018) "Perfect Storm on the Coast" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 There are so many things going right for this race. The weather for the race was perfect -- mid-40s at race start with a slight tailwind for most of the first 20 miles. The course is almost entirely flat except for slight rolling hills during miles 10-13 and the bridge at mile 23. My Garmin tells me I hit 292 feet of total climbing. Speaking of the bridge, don't be afraid of it, it really isn't that bad but I suppose its placement at the end of the race can cause heartbreak for some. Crowd support was good throughout, but was especially strong during miles 1-10 and miles 23-26.2. There are some dull, quiet moments along US 158 that can be a bit of a drag. The neighborhoods came out well and offered homemade support as well as cheering. The official water stations were plentiful and so were porta-potties. The finish area (old town Manteo), is really charming and the race puts on a fun street party by the docks. Race organization was perfect from email communication before the race weekend to the expo to the start line. I didn't use the shuttles but saw plenty of them going up and down the course. Considering the flat course and ideal weather, I think this is a really good race for a PR or BQ attempt.
E. T. from Vienna, VA (11/29/2017) "Plentiful aid stations & separate start for half" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I loved this race! The organizers did a great job with the plentiful aid stations with water, Vaseline, etc. Two stations with GU. Point to point course was scenic and allowed for complete separation from half runners. (Even though I read about the trail it was surprisingly long with a narrow uphill finish. It was lovely and shaded, and added variety.) I am a slower runner and I was not really lonely. (5:45) Runners encouraged each other throughout. The finish was in a very cute area. Shirt, hat, and medal are nice and also race-specific (and gender specific for shirt).
W. C. from NY (11/19/2016) "Dont Miss" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon should make the top of your list. There isn't one thing that needs to be adjusted. The trail leg of the marathon is a welcome surprise.
L. B. from Angier, NC (12/6/2015) "Great course! Very flat." (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and was extremely pleased with it. I was nervous but the website was very organized and told me exactly where to go and where to park. First half was residential and pretty with parts near the water and parts in the woods. The last half was in the business section and more spread out. The last 5 miles are really neat as you run across the bridge into Manteo. Keep in mind it is usually windy at this time of year so a hat may not stay on. I loved this race!
D. S. from North Carolina (11/23/2015) "PR course potential" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I say it's a PR course, but I did not PR. I took the gamble with a bum leg that reduced training slightly. Most of the course is pancake flat and pleasant. Running on back roads first 1-10 miles. Great to run around the Wright Bro's Memorial. Miles 10-13 you go into a wooded trail that will knock you off pace slightly-rolling hills (good break from flat surface I must add). I had to latch on to someone to do the pacing on the trail. Once out you'll hit some good long stretches on 158 with a couple of detours into neighborhoods. Felt very safe on roads - lane is coned off for runners. Water stops were on point and ready throughout race. I noticed more fans during the first half (more residential). Very supportive. Later stages was lacking (area spread out), which I'm ok with. I still tagged onto that guy I saw in the woods to help with pacing. If you're a faster runner, there is a good chance you'll run alone during the second half or earlier. The bridge at 23 miles is not that bad to go over. It's where it's located during the race and that's part of the charm. If you've got the bridge, you've got the race. Backside is downhill and leveling out to Manteo for the finish. I don't eat much after 26.2, but was impressed with the block party going on in town. The 13.1ers were mostly there at the time, but I imagine there was plenty. This time of year the winds have a good chance to come from the N NE. Well, we had them 20-30 mph, mostly on our backs. Mostly cloudy during race, but you will be exposed to the sun on those long stretches. The day before it was 80 and sunny. Fortunately it was much cooler on race day. This was my first time in that area. Good job OBX!! Glad to have run there.
K. E. from St Louis, MO (11/15/2015) "Top-Notch Small Town Marathon" (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I chose this to be my first marathon after reading about the course and knowing I prefer smaller events. OBX did not disappoint. From beginning to end, the weekend was fantastic. Small expo, but efficiently run. I chose to park my car at the finish and take the shuttle to the start (which I recommend). UPS Bag drop-off was well-run. Course was mostly flat, except for the trail section mile 10-ish thru 13.1 and the bridge at mile 23. I visit OBX most summers, so I enjoyed seeing the sites throughout the course. Support and Spectators were AMAZING, providing water/gatorade/portojohns/fuel at just about every mile. Just a short walk to my car after the race, too. Wholly recommend!

More Comments: [ < 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 .. 19 > ]



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M. D. from USA (2/24/2020) "Great Race and Course" (about: 2019) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 I've vacationed in the Outer Banks for 20 years so I was happy to run this one on what I thought would be familiar terrain. However, I was pleasantly surprised as the course took through some areas that I had no idea exited down there. The Wright Brothers memorial and Nags Head highway section I expected. But there were some nice neighborhoods, some cool views along the sound and a few miles through the woods that I'd never seen before. The woods section is definitely not trail running, it's about three miles of a hard-packed rolling dirt road through a park which I thought was great, it felt like a rain forest. Then there is about ¼ mile of actual trail running that takes you from the dirt road up a mild hill, down a mild hill and out to a neighborhood with the halfway point then onto the highway portion. That wooded section is pretty straight forward and I was with a pace group at that point, but there are areas where I could see people running alone might question the right direction to go. It definitely could have used a few more markers or arrows&runners should never, ever be wondering that they may have strayed off the course. Overall, this is what you'd want with a smaller marathon. Small efficient expo, the half marathoners start way ahead so are never seen or in the way, easy and enthusiastic start area, adequate number of port-a-johns, point to point flat course, excellent aid stations and staff, decent overall crowd support but a few lonely miles in the 2nd half, particularly miles 22-25, and then a very nice finish area. This could definitely be a PR and/or BQ course. My only reservation would be to watch the weather. The Outer Banks can get some strong winds out of the southwest that could make it a tough day, but this year the winds were a non-issue. The temp did get to about 60 degrees and though it never felt overbearing that's not ideal for a PR. The temp took its toll on me by the last five miles but then again that may have also had more to do with me going harder early than I should have. The silver lining is that when I got to the top of the bridge at 23 my chance at a BQ was gone so I stopped and took in a little 360 view of the both sound and ocean, which was beautiful. This is no big city marathon but if you want a low key, 400-500 runner, enthusiastic race of marathoners only, this is a good one. Definitely recommended.
N. D. from Baltimore, MD (11/13/2019) "How Roanoke Colony was Lost" (about: 2019) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 2 ORGANIZATION: 3 FANS: 5 This is a beautiful marathon marred by missing directions and mile markers, unstaffed positions, and terrain. The run between Kitty Hawk and Manteo took my breath away. Running through a maritime forest, past the Wright Brothers National Monument, and over the blue blue waters of Roanoke Sound highlight my 11-year marathon career. Will I run OBX again? No. Will I recommend it to a friend? NEVER. OBX Marathon gives a very generous 16 mins/mile pace. To balance this, six cutoffs (not five) cull the herd at miles 3.5, 8, 13.1, 18, 20, and 'the Bridge'. Full marathoners failing to meet the 16 min/mi cutoffs are bused off the course. In case you were calculating that these 111 simply went on to become OBX Half Marathoners, no. The half marathon course had already begun 13 miles closer to the finish. 1 in 5 fully-trained on this course DNF'd in the 2019 Outer Banks Marathon. By 13.1 split, 111/566 marathoners Did Not Finish. How do you design a marathon course in which 111 paying marathoners don't even make it to the 13.1 split???? I got lost THREE SEPARATE TIMES on this course. At mile 4, I ran up someone's long driveway, and had to retrace my steps: no direction markers At mile 8, Wright Brothers National Monument, I relied on a passing car: staffer had moved away 'when race got quiet.' At mile 19, I awaited for a resident in a deserted neighborhood: no direction markers At Nags Head Nature Preserve, mile markers 10 - 12 absent. On Washington Baum Bridge, markers 22 - 23 not there. Please note that 'running on a trail' is NOT the same as 'trail running.' You'll require a different technique, including a slower pace, better core strength, and longer reaction time. Please note that your GPS may not work here, as there's both heavy tree cover or twisting trails. Miles 10 - 13 were Trail Running. If the trail had once been agreeable to runners, recent rains had removed the surface buffers. Deep ruts, exposed roots, and thousands of 1' cubed grey rocks strewn across the path. In addition, steep inclines of sandy or gravelly soil exist across the trail. And you have a mile marker 13.1 cutoff time. I get it. Back of the pack runners will sign up for deserted roads, low course support, and leaden legs. I sign up every time. I train alone, prefer inclement weather, and run until my legs give way. I get it. There's only so much highway you can partially close, only so many neighborhoods to use for doglegs, and only so many hours you can shut off infrastructure. At the end, the small and lackluster finisher's medal resembled a manhole cover. It was pulled out of a cardboard box still containing dozens more.
W. H. from Pontotoc, Mississippi (12/27/2018) "beautiful course, beautiful area" (about: 2018) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 4 My first time to travel to the Outer Banks and I loved the area and the race. Fall weather and cool temps made for a quiet and peaceful weekend -- very few tourists beyond runners. Loved the variety of the course - nice starting area, neighborhoods, bay views, dirt road in the woods with rolling hills, Wright Brothers Memorial, highway, the bridge, and nice finish area in Manteo. Shuttles worked well. I parked at Wal-Mart close to the start. We were shuttled to the school to wait and stay warm before the start, and from the finish back to Wal-Mart. Bathrooms should have been available at the school! Manteo finish area was fun with food, music and awards -- street party feel. Some confusion to the location and start of the Expo -- double check this info. Enjoyed expo -- easy packet pickup, nice selections and race merch. This was my 13th marathon and my FIRST since double bypass open heart surgery in March, 2017. Ran a 4:01:40 and loved all of it! Thanks for an awesome race weekend.
Sanjay Mohanta from Ontario (11/19/2018) "126th marathon! Great support from the city!" (about: 2018) 50+ previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 4 FANS: 3 I had never run in this state and although there is a lot pretty things to see during the race the best part was running on the highway. I lost count of the number of cars that shouted encouragement to me throughout the race. Friendly volunteers and lots of water stations. Lots of food near the end. I got a place in Manteo and was less thatn 2 miles to the start.
Mark Kimball from North Carolina (11/14/2018) "Perfect Storm on the Coast" (about: 2018) 6-10 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 There are so many things going right for this race. The weather for the race was perfect -- mid-40s at race start with a slight tailwind for most of the first 20 miles. The course is almost entirely flat except for slight rolling hills during miles 10-13 and the bridge at mile 23. My Garmin tells me I hit 292 feet of total climbing. Speaking of the bridge, don't be afraid of it, it really isn't that bad but I suppose its placement at the end of the race can cause heartbreak for some. Crowd support was good throughout, but was especially strong during miles 1-10 and miles 23-26.2. There are some dull, quiet moments along US 158 that can be a bit of a drag. The neighborhoods came out well and offered homemade support as well as cheering. The official water stations were plentiful and so were porta-potties. The finish area (old town Manteo), is really charming and the race puts on a fun street party by the docks. Race organization was perfect from email communication before the race weekend to the expo to the start line. I didn't use the shuttles but saw plenty of them going up and down the course. Considering the flat course and ideal weather, I think this is a really good race for a PR or BQ attempt.
E. T. from Vienna, VA (11/29/2017) "Plentiful aid stations & separate start for half" (about: 2017) 11-50 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 I loved this race! The organizers did a great job with the plentiful aid stations with water, Vaseline, etc. Two stations with GU. Point to point course was scenic and allowed for complete separation from half runners. (Even though I read about the trail it was surprisingly long with a narrow uphill finish. It was lovely and shaded, and added variety.) I am a slower runner and I was not really lonely. (5:45) Runners encouraged each other throughout. The finish was in a very cute area. Shirt, hat, and medal are nice and also race-specific (and gender specific for shirt).
W. C. from NY (11/19/2016) "Dont Miss" (about: 2016) 11-50 previous marathons COURSE: 4 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This marathon should make the top of your list. There isn't one thing that needs to be adjusted. The trail leg of the marathon is a welcome surprise.
L. B. from Angier, NC (12/6/2015) "Great course! Very flat." (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 4 This was my first marathon and was extremely pleased with it. I was nervous but the website was very organized and told me exactly where to go and where to park. First half was residential and pretty with parts near the water and parts in the woods. The last half was in the business section and more spread out. The last 5 miles are really neat as you run across the bridge into Manteo. Keep in mind it is usually windy at this time of year so a hat may not stay on. I loved this race!
D. S. from North Carolina (11/23/2015) "PR course potential" (about: 2015) 4-5 previous marathons \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 3 I say it's a PR course, but I did not PR. I took the gamble with a bum leg that reduced training slightly. Most of the course is pancake flat and pleasant. Running on back roads first 1-10 miles. Great to run around the Wright Bro's Memorial. Miles 10-13 you go into a wooded trail that will knock you off pace slightly-rolling hills (good break from flat surface I must add). I had to latch on to someone to do the pacing on the trail. Once out you'll hit some good long stretches on 158 with a couple of detours into neighborhoods. Felt very safe on roads - lane is coned off for runners. Water stops were on point and ready throughout race. I noticed more fans during the first half (more residential). Very supportive. Later stages was lacking (area spread out), which I'm ok with. I still tagged onto that guy I saw in the woods to help with pacing. If you're a faster runner, there is a good chance you'll run alone during the second half or earlier. The bridge at 23 miles is not that bad to go over. It's where it's located during the race and that's part of the charm. If you've got the bridge, you've got the race. Backside is downhill and leveling out to Manteo for the finish. I don't eat much after 26.2, but was impressed with the block party going on in town. The 13.1ers were mostly there at the time, but I imagine there was plenty. This time of year the winds have a good chance to come from the N NE. Well, we had them 20-30 mph, mostly on our backs. Mostly cloudy during race, but you will be exposed to the sun on those long stretches. The day before it was 80 and sunny. Fortunately it was much cooler on race day. This was my first time in that area. Good job OBX!! Glad to have run there.
K. E. from St Louis, MO (11/15/2015) "Top-Notch Small Town Marathon" (about: 2015) 1 previous marathon \| 1 OBX Marathon COURSE: 5 ORGANIZATION: 5 FANS: 5 I chose this to be my first marathon after reading about the course and knowing I prefer smaller events. OBX did not disappoint. From beginning to end, the weekend was fantastic. Small expo, but efficiently run. I chose to park my car at the finish and take the shuttle to the start (which I recommend). UPS Bag drop-off was well-run. Course was mostly flat, except for the trail section mile 10-ish thru 13.1 and the bridge at mile 23. I visit OBX most summers, so I enjoyed seeing the sites throughout the course. Support and Spectators were AMAZING, providing water/gatorade/portojohns/fuel at just about every mile. Just a short walk to my car after the race, too. Wholly recommend!

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Marathon Details - OBX Marathon