OBX Marathon - Race Reviews

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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!

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.

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!

This was my first marathon. I had picked this one 5 years ago when I first started thinking of running a full. I think this was the perfect first marathon for me. It was very well organized and not so big to feel overwhelming. The trail portion had more elevation change than the bridge at the end and was the most difficult part of the course in my opinion. All the spectators were incredibly friendly. The race is very well supported with porta-johns almost every mile and water every other mile. I am so glad I picked this for my first marathon. It is a beautiful low-key event. If you need to be constantly jockeying for your position and thrive on the cheers of the crowds, this might not be the race for you. I thought it was nearly perfect!

COURSE: The course is relatively flat with the exception of the bridge at the end and a little elevation in the trail section. Speaking of which, I was not expecting three miles of quasi-trail running in the woods. I didn't mind it, I just wasn't expecting it. But the course has nice variety, the best parts probably being running around the Wright Memorial and the Virginia Dar Bridge. A nice community - spectators were sparse but friendly and enthusiastic. To me the best part was the abundance of course supplies. Water stops and portatpotties just about every other mile after mile 3, 4 Gu stops and Gatorade at possibly 6 or 7 spots. The half marathoners began halfway down the course and actually started 20 minutes earlier so the full marathoners were completely separate from the runners doing the half. EXPO: The Expo was OK - about what you would expect for a marathon with only ~1000 runners. Unfortunately we got some bad information about the road closures from a well-meaning but not fully informed volunteer but luckily we were able to find an actual information desk and got it sorted out. One nice thing about a smaller expo/race, though is you get in and out quickly with no hassles picking up the packet. ORGANIZATION: For the size of this race it seemed very well organized. As I mentioned, plenty of portapotties and other course support. There was a bag drop run by UPS. I didn't use it but it seemed to be going well. The course is a point-to-point and they had multiple shuttle services to get people around. They seemed to work well for the most part. One nice touch is that runners had the choice to either park near the start and get a shuttle back to their cars after the race or park near the finish and get a shuttle up to the start line before the race. SWAG: We got a nice T-shirt, finisher's medal, finisher's hat and logo pint glass - more than I expected. POST-RACE PARTY: It looked like there was a lot of great food and beer, and there were bands as well. Pretty good for the size of the race. I never feel like eating after a run of much over 10 miles so I didn't try any of it, but folks seemed to be enjoying it. In summary, I would recommend this race. The weather was perfect, it was a nice low-key marathon for me to re-introduce myself to marathons (I ran one previously, but it was 17 years ago). It would be a good first time race if you aren't the type that needs lots of spectators cheering you on.

This could be a hot, sunny course considering the location. Instead with the detours into wooded areas and neighborhoods, there was canopy and diversion. Quite often the wind was to our backs. It is a good plan to schedule this marathon in November. Special kudos to all of the course marshals who dotted the course wearing identifiable yellow bibs. Remote areas of the course had fan support and extra beverage stops. For anyone with a medical emergency, there was a superb medical tent at the end of the course. A friend needed an x-ray after a fall. The tent had a machine and gave her a CD to take to an orthopedic surgeon in her city - free of charge! Medical stations were prevalent along the course.

The Outer Banks are one of my favorite places on earth. This course really picks some of the ugliest parts of the OBX to run through: strip malls, new housing developments, and you won't see the ocean until the very end when you cross the bridge. The crowds were small but they cheered. Some of them did not understand marathon running: brownies, cookies, beer were all offered. The trail portion was pretty rough, largely because I am slower 4:45 and it was like running on dunes by the time I passed through. The only food at the end of the race when I finished was a pulled pork sandwich. Bananas, bagels all gone. And the shirts are kind of lame, but the visor is nice.

Just got back from running the 2014 OBX marathon and will definitely plan on heading back. We had wonderful conditions (50s, cloudy, slight tailwind) and I thoroughly enjoyed the course - PRed by 6 minutes! It is a nice, flat course (for the most part) that takes you to the other side of the Outer Banks that you don't typically see. Despite the long stretch down 158 on the second half, I thought the course organizers did a great job of mixing it up and sending us back into gorgeous neighborhoods so I didn't mind 158 at all - it was actually quite nice to spend a couple miles on it and get into my groove. As mentioned in other posts, the 3 miles of trails were a little rough - beautiful scenery but I fell off my pace by about 30 sec/mile (from 7:40s to 8:10s). I also didn't mind the bridge, it wasn't as along as anticipated and there were plenty of portalets and water along the route. The spectators were a little sparse, but the scenery more than made up for it. Great race!!

The positives: efficient organization; awesome finish area; plenty of medical support; beautiful place. The negatives: miles 10-13.1 was on a trail that was at first sandy then rocky then hilly, forcing a field of 1000 into singletrack; aid stations not at regular intervals. The bridge that so many talk about was fine. Yes, at mile 23 it was a challenge, but a good one, IMO. The trail portion, though, really slowed the field down; and it sapped a bit more energy than those miles should have. It was basically a cross country course, which is not what I want nor expect when registering for a road race. Other than that, it is a nicely organized event in a beautiful place. I would only run it again if they changed the course.

This course was (for the most part) great...but if I'd wanted a trail marathon, I would've signed up for a trail marathon. The first part of the trail (packed gravel) was fine; the second part was hilly and loose dirtdifficult to navigate and slowed a lot of people down. Otherwise, great course. Crossing the bridge is more mental than anything, but its placement (mi 23) certainly makes it a challenge. If it had not been for the 3 miles of dirt trail, I would've set a 3-5 minute PR. As it was, I matched my previous PR. It is also kind of demoralizing to see the finish line MILES before you actually get to it-the first time it's visible (you see the bridge) is mile 16, and then mile 18. Great spectators, good scenery-my only complaint is the 3 miles of dirt trail. Because of that, I probably will not sign up for this race again-just not my cup of tea.

Will be back next year for the half but the dirt gravel trail is not for us. To many rocks and loose sand.

This is my second OBX marathon - the organization seemed much better this year - excellent volunteers and very friendly. The course was great and very beautiful. The nature preserve and bridge are my favorite spots, although I struggled on the bridge this year. Mateo is awesome and the finish area well-organized. My two complaints 1. The mile marker flags were missing between about mile 15 and 17 - this is a difficult area on HWY 158, so the flags would have been nice to see. 2. It would be great to be able to see the finish line at least 1/4 mile in advance - maybe 1/2 mile. The multiple turns at the finish are not very motivating. Otherwise thanks for a great race and hopefully I be back in 2014.

I have ran 60+ Marathons and beyond and I would rank OBX in my top 4! The course was well supported Plenty of Aid! Always a welcome smile around each corner! Even on the trails there were groups of people out there to cheer you on! My husband and I did the Challenge, the 8k Saturday and the Marathon on Sunday BOTH GREAT RACES! Organization for the events was amazing! Way to Go OBX Marathon! We will be back again!

If you are looking for a fun mid-sized race in a scenic locale this is it. A variety of scenescapes to the course, including neighborhoods, historical sites, substantial water views, multi-use paths and trail running. Crossing the bridge to Manteo can be viewed as a positive or negative. It is a very pretty view, but it was very windy this year, so the hill on the bridge combined with the wind just fried me for the last three miles. I also would note that the post-race festivities are one of the best I've seen. An entire street in Roanake Island is closed to cars so that the runners and their supporters can enjoy food, beverages and live music, all the while the shops are open to customers (some spouses will like that!) While there are not a ton of spectators, they did a great job cheering on the runners. The only downside, also mentioned in other reviews, is the several mile component where you run on an unshaded four lane busy highway. My only other critique would be that there needs to be a better parking arrangement for the Expo, or find a different site - it was a somwehat of a long wait to find a parking spot, and many it seemed needed to walk quite a ways to get to the Expo once parked.

one of the prettiest courses I've seen, esp. early miles, but it got tough on Croatan Hwy into the wind and really so crossing Roanoke Sound. Didn't care much for forest part - fun at first, but not for several miles. I guess OBSE has its reasons for providing escort cyclists, but they either rode back toward us in narrow traffic lanes or crept by without warning, and in late stages of marathon when our senses aren't so sharp, that's more than distracting. And please discourage the unofficial cyclists from 'supporting' their friends as it can be hazardous on a course that has narrow running 'lanes.' Aside from that, things were great. If it got warm I didn't notice, and the overall crowd support was more than I expected. It's great to see a community get behind a marathon rather than treat it as an annoyance!

This was my second marathon ever and had a great time. The volunteers and crowd support was great, although sparce at times. The first third of the course is the fastest, which makes things difficult for many as many people go out too fast already. The middle third includes a hardpacked dirt and gravel road that does break pace leading into a narrow trail (somewhat hilly) that really can break pace. Both were soft. We had a strong headwind when we got to the bridge which destroyed pacing. After talking to others who have run this race before, they said the wind was the worse ever. However, The weather was perfect and the post party was well organized and very helpful. Volunteers were amazing. Course did run long, even though I hugged the turns, 2 tenths long according to my watch.

Though I didnt perform to the level I had planned, the 2013 OBX Marathon was still a fantastic experience. This was the first time I have truly hit that proverbial 'wall' at mile 21 or so, but I was still able to take intermittent walk breaks and finish within 14 minutes of my 03:55:00 goal. The organizers did a flawless job from my perspective; from the expo/packet pick-up to the finish line. I have spent a lot of time in the Outer Banks in the past 30 years, but this is the first OBX Marathon I have run. The course was great. The only surprise to me was the narrowness and 'roller coaster' character of the mulched path portion of the course. Don't construe this as a negative comment; I was just surprised by it to some extent! The spectators and volunteers were great every step of the way. Tons of great smile inducing signs and crowd encouragement. My son ran the 13.1 race (his first half marathon) and loved every minute of it also. I will be back, and hopefully with a wind at my back instead of in my face for miles 21 thru 24.5! Thanks to all involved for a great experience.

A couple of months ago my buddy and I decided that we wanted to run a marathon. We are from North Carolina so it just made sense to run this race. For the both of us it was our first marathon and we couldn't have picked a better one! The course was amazing, offering fantastic views along with what I would consider an easy difficulty rating. The organization of the event was flawless and the atmosphere for the entire weekend was more than I expected for my first marathon. From the expo to the post race party we were very satisfied. However, if you are a first time marathon runner I would highly suggest doing proper training before jumping into one of these events. I underestimated it and ended up with leg cramps that forced me to walk the last six miles or so. I definitely look forward to making this a regular challenge each year, already looking to sign up for 2014! Thank you to all the volunteers, participants, and spectators cheering us on.

This was the eighth running of this race and the people who told me that this is a good one definitely were right. You can tell that the Outer Banks residents embrace the race. Nearly all of the signs in front of businesses included a message such as runners welcome or good luck runners. The course support in the residential areas, particularly in the first 8 miles, was excellent and vocal. When I checked in at the Colonial Inn, they gave me a special goody bag they had ready for runners that included trail mix, an energy bar and a bottle of water. The management also was nice enough to give me extended checkout until 1 p.m. I've made long drives after marathons when the hotel/motel wasn't so accommodating. Its no fun to have to wait a few hours to take a shower, particularly for others in the car! In the weeks leading to the race, I got several informative emails about the race that were very helpful. Packet pickup was smooth (although parking wasn't easy) and the official pasta dinner was excellent. I left there completely stuffed, loving the tortellini with cheese sauce. I've gone to official pasta dinners for marathons that simply weren't that good. This was excellent and among the best (possibly only topped by the dinner at the Detroit Marathon that included cheesecake). Parking at the start was smooth. We parked at a nearby Wal-Mart and took a short shuttle-bus ride on a school activity bus to the start, where Porta-Potties were plentiful. The first 8 or so miles are a mixture of residential areas and trails, with good views of the Albemarle Sound. Mile 9 is a nice stretch that takes you through the park that surrounds the Wright Brothers National Memorial. Mile 11 and part of mile 12 shift to Old Nags Head Woods Road, a hard-packed dirt road, which wasn't too bad and did feature some mild hills. It was so heavily wooded that I actually felt a bit cool during that stretch. I also didn't trust my Garmin readings during that stretch. After that was the Nags Head Woods Nature Preserve trail with rolling hills for about 3/4 of a mile. I didn't mind the hills, but there were roots to avoid. With a classic marathon shuffle, I was constantly examining where I was about to step to avoid stumbling. I was glad when that stretch ended and I was back on pavement! From there until just after the 21-mile mark, the course mostly was a U.S. 158, a 5-lane highway. Traffic was closed to the far-right lane. There were two up-and-back sections off 158 toward the Albemarle Sound. It offered a welcome relief from 158, but each also put us into a strong headwind heading toward the sound. In each case, it was nice to get a tailwind coming back go 158. Shortly after the 21-mile mark, we shifted to U.S. 64, which also is a 4-lane (and sometimes 5-lane) road with the far-left lane closed to traffic for the runners. After the bridge, we take a left toward a beautiful finish in Manteo. I passed lots of half marathoners who were walking and that was fine until I was approaching the finish line. It was highly irritating about 50 feet from the finish line that I had to detour a bit to go around 3 walkers who were side-by-side. In addition to a nice medal featuring the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, finishers also got a nice visor. Here is my blog post about my race: http://runningtarheelfan.blogspot.com/2013/11/not-so-fast-my-friend.html

4 mile Sandy Cross Country Course with sharp turns and hills. At least 1000 ft climb on the big bridge at mile 23. Winds were 15+ MPH today which added at least 5 minutes to finish time from years with no wind. This is NOT a easy flat beach course like Myrtle Beach. Well organized, Disappointed with a short sleeve T-Shirt for a marathon in November. Age group awards were a tiny pin that you attached to your finish medal landyard. Weak. Got a visor for finishing that says Half Marathon. I ran the Marathon. Nice celebration station at the end.

This is a great race if you want to go to a fun place to run in a very well organized event: especially for a volunteer organization run event. It's the most scenic marathon I have run (about 25). Some folks complain about the unpaved road section but I found it to be a nice diversion. It's a flat, fast course. The finish is well supplied with food and in a great location right in the heart of small town Manteo. One thing to note: the race is certified for distance only. It is NOT certified for state records. Separation from start to finish mean that is you are wanting to post a fast time on a fully certified course, you'll need to go somewhere else. Other suggestions: 1) take a friend who will help you with transportation to start. The race is nice enough to supply bus transport from the finish to start in the morning but you'll be up at 4:30 making it a long time between getting up and the start. 2) have your friend meet you at locations on the course with supplies. This race is a bit thin on aid stations.

This is a well run marathon. The only issue is if you are running it for a fast time I would go elsewhere. The trail section gets really bottle-necked and if it rains (as it did the year I raced) it is a slippery mess. Otherwise it was well run and some beautiful scenery.

Nice weekend fun course. Would be great if more were in the wooded area. Great finish area. Pulled pork sandwich settled stomach Blue Moon beer great and cold!

This was my 45th marathon (35th State) and I found it to be slightly above average. The first half of it was nice, including the challenging trail run from mile 10 to 13. The second half was disappointing with much of it on the main roadway along side traffic with a blazing sun. Why not utilize the road right next to the ocean? The finish was frustrating as it involved numerous turns in the last half mile and you never saw the finish line. There was a lack of Gatorade in most of the first half. The race ends in a nice town that is basically shut down for the runners. Good food and 2 beers per runner. :( The medal was okay, but small. With a few improvements this could become a much better event.

This was marathon number 105 for me - very impressed with organization and volunteers; seems everyone said thanks for running our race - very cool! Unlike prior comments I did not have any issues with bathrooms - many along route or aid stations - more than adequate. First half of course was wonderful - enjoyed the dirt road/trail section miles 10-13. Bridge at 23 mile was a pace breaker but lead to nice section at finish. Traffic control was excellent - always a consideration when picking a marathon.

This was not my first race, but it was my first full marathon. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED the trail section. I've seen some complaints in previous reviews about the trail section, and cannot figure out why...It's beautifully maintained with only a few mild inclines. Fast course, but the bridge at mile 23 is challenging. The bridge isn't overly steep, but the fact that it's at mile 23 makes it a true gut check. The spectators are wonderful and very enthusiastic. I would certainly recommend this race to others, even for their first full.

Always want to thank the people who take their personal time to put on events for runners. OBX is a great place. Pros & cons to any marathon, but water and bathrooms are what runners value the most. This marathon fell way short on aid stations. First one not until mile 3, and then they were too few and far between, like every 2 to 2.5 miles, in some cases 3 miles apart. Pretty unacceptable, especially in a place where it can get warm. Would suggest they start at mile 2 and go every 1 to 1.5 miles. Moreover, there was only water at most of them - less than half of the few stations they had was there any gatorade. If this can be fixed next year, this race will be greatly improved and on par with others in the region like Myrtle, Va Beach, etc. In any event, thank you race committee for all you do for runners.

The Outer Banks marathon was a solid, well-organized event. This was my N.C. medal for a 50-state marathon mission, and I don't regret it at all! Overall it was beautiful, scenic, and enjoyable. Everyone is different when it comes to things they like about marathons...for me I don't like pancake flat courses. I appreciate hills for a change in momentum, terrain and an added challenge. This course was practically pancake flat save for the bridge around mile 23 and the section where you run into the Nags Head Woods Preserve for a few miles (that was my favorite part of the course); the first half of the course was quite scenic running past the awe-inspiring Wright Brothers Memorial, not to mention the gorgeous views of Kitty Hawk Bay. The second half of the course was where things got problematic, and this will all be dependent on race day conditions: there is no shade. If you have a cloudless sky and a warm day (it was a high of 73 that day), it can really be draining. There were very, very few sections where there was any shade. Winds were low that day, but I imagine wind can be a problem some years as well. The miles along Croatan Highway were pretty bad. Simply because it was warm with full sun, and FLAT concrete as far as the eye could see. You sometimes made a right hand turn into a nice residential area, only to go BACK onto Croatan Highway. You start to scan the distance looking for the bridge leading into Manteo because it really seemed endless at times. I found the flat sections of Croatan Highway were the worst part and I was anxious to get it over with as soon as I could. The views of Jockey's Ridge State Park were the only saving grace to this part, in my opinion, as well as the sections that took you off course to get another glimpse of the water. The Washington Baum Bridge is pretty overhyped as being a big hill, it's not nearly as terrible as it looks from afar. It's a slow climb to the top, but not nearly as bad as hills in other races I have run (Blackberry Mountain at the Hatfield McCoy Reunion marathon instantly comes to mind). Once you get to the top it's smooth sailing to the finish, but those final miles still felt like the longest miles ever. Pros to this race: Good organization, plenty of communication from the race director considering the area had gotten pummeled by Hurricane Sandy weeks beforehand. Four Gu stations were perfectly spread out, plenty of water/Gatorade and aid stations. It was probably the first marathon where I was NOT dehydrated despite the warm/sunny conditions, they really come through with ample support on the course. Good quality shirt, the medal is OK, and you get plenty of food, beer, and fluids at the finish. The ice cold towels were a lifesaver! Cons: I was disappointed that the pirate theme was not prominent at the race this year. No sign of it on the shirts or medals, and I really looked forward to that. I saw some dressed in pirate gear but it wasnt a huge theme. Porta-johns seemed lacking on the course, luckily I didn't need to worry about it that day! The lack of shade is the major factor to this race. You just have to know in advance the sun WILL cook you if you had a picture perfect day like we had this year!

This race had an excellent course, good organization, and wonderful post-race party. The course was really great - started in shaded residential area, went though a cool forest, and finally across the bridge - which really was not too bad. The final run through Manteo was aided by lots of spectators. There was plenty of water, gatoraide, and Gu (even after the half marathoners had gone through). The temperature was warm, especially the last hour, so the race could have started earlier to help. The expo was small but well organized. My only complaint was the pre-race information was inadequate. There was no emails send to the registrants. I had to email several times to get updates. Apparently, Facebook updates were given, but Facebook should not be the source of information for the race. Also, there was no in-race runners updates for spectators unless one bought the iphone app. After spending $100 for registration, race updates should be provided for free. All in all, an excellent race, location, and course.

This was my first OBX marathon. Some comments: Pros: Easy shuttle to the race start from Manteo. Yes, we had to be there at 5:45 and the bus ride was pretty long, however, I thought it was organized well. In addition, the volunteers were awesome at the aid stations. I never had a problem getting water/gatorade. The finish line was nice. Manteo is a great town. The food was plentiful. I didn't have beer or the bbq sandwiches but I had plenty of water, gatorade, bananas, and protein bars. The medals were also terrific. In addition, I am very happy with the photos of the race. I have at least 10 awesome photos to choose from. Cons: I didn't particularly like the trail section of the course. It was pretty hilly and if it was flat, I bet I would have shaved at least 2 minutes off the race. It was pretty isolated and lonely. The 2nd half of the race was way too warm. I think they should start the marathon at 7:00. I still don't understand staggering the half and the full. The half started way up by the Wright Memorial. If it started earlier, maybe I would not have been so hot on the back end of the course. Running down the highway was also boring but hard to have a race at the beach without running on a main straightaway. All in all, a nice race. I did well so that added to the good rating! I would consider doing it again.